drugs in context

Question 1

why do juveniles use substances

Answer 1

• intergeneraltional substance use is normal in some families
• pop culture glorifies underage drinking & substance use
• juveniles have agency (capacity for decision-making)
• substance use (like other delinquency) is a group experience for juveniles

Question 2

changes over time

how do we view/consider drugs

Answer 2

tobacco
used to be accepted and is becoming less so
amphetamines
in the ’40s & ’50s they were seen as medicine, then they were seen as bad drugs and now they’re becoming medicinal again (Adderall)

Question 3

harmful legal products

Answer 3

legal products that are used or consumed in an effort ot get intoxicated or high and can have negative reprocussions
inhalable and ingestible
often the first type of substance a juvenile uses before getting involved in illegal drugs

Question 3

cultural/geographical differences

how do we view/consider drugs

Answer 3

alcohol
in the US, 21+ is acceptable, in other countries they have different restrictions
marijuana
illegal at the federal level and in 26 states, in states where it’s legal it’s 21+

Question 4

inhalable HLP

Answer 4

glue, paint thinner, gasoline, aerosol, etc.

Question 5

ingestible HLP

Answer 5

cough syrup, antihistamine, perscription drugs, mouthwash, hand sanitizer, energy drinks

Question 6

perscription drug misuse

Answer 6

• taking a drug perscribed for someone else
• taking a perscribed medicine differently than it was perscribed
• taking a perscribed medicine to get high

Question 7

Perscription Drug Misuse
US Department of Health & Human Services

Answer 7

• PDM is one of the fastest-growing drug problems in the US
• synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, are the primary cause of overdose death
• rate of adolescent overdose deaths from PDM is increasing

Question 8

patterns in youth substance use

Monitoring the Future Study 2023

Answer 8

any drug use in past year
* 10.9% - 8th graders
* 18.8% - 10th grades
* 31.2% - 12th graders
adolescents most commonly report use of: alcohol, nicotine vaping, cannabis
use of narcotics other than heroin has been going down

Question 9

serious substance use

substance use disorders

Answer 9

there are 2 kinds of substance use disorders: abuse & dependency
serious juvenile delinquents are up to 3x more likely to have a substance use disorder than other juveniles

Question 10

drug abuse

juveniles & drugs

Answer 10

continuing to use a substance even though it negatively affects the individual’s life

Question 11

drug dependency

juveniles & drugs

Answer 11

an inability to control one’s substance use where an individual’s tolerance rises and withdrawal is painful
alcoholics & drug addicts typically fall here

Question 12

problems associated with serious susbstance use

Answer 12

• school-related
• health-related
• psychological & intellectual
• family/economic

Question 13

susbtance use & delinquency

Answer 13

• juveniles who engage in serious substance use are more likely to engage in serious jvenile delinquency (and vice versa)
• substance use & delinquency involvement change in similar patterns over time (temporal order is unclear)
• substance use & delinquency both decrease in late adolescence

Question 14

possible links between substance use & delinquency

Answer 14

• delayed development due to substance use may hinder decison-making, making juveniles more impulsive & more likely to engage in delinquency
• youth who use substances may engage in delinquency to afford habit

Question 15

prevention

responses to youth drug use

Answer 15

prevention strategies
primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention
media campaigns
Nancy Regan’s “just say no”
“your brain on drugs” “little lungs in a great big world” etc. commercials
DARE
drug abuse resistance education
largely ineffective but still used in many schools

Question 16

other responses to youth drug use

Answer 16

drug testing (official & at-home kits)

Question 17

juvenile drug courts

responses to youth drug use

Answer 17

combining services & rehabilitation with supervision
upon completion, charges are dropped
good way to reduce recidivism and save money
most effective when it’s juvenile-specific

Question 18

drug rehabilitation programs

responses to youth drug use

Answer 18

the single most effective way to address juvenile delinquency
goal is to rid juveniles of their drug alcohol addiction through therapy, life skills training, and/or medication
newer programs are geared toward youth, rather than being patterened on adult programs

Question 19

prohibition

policy approaches to drug use

Answer 19

the main approach in the US
Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986: created a 100:1 punishment disparity for crack vs. powder cocaine
Fair Sentencing Act of 2010: reduced the disparity to 18:1

Question 20

decriminalization vs. legalization

policy approaches to drug use

Answer 20

decriminalization
removing criminal sanctions while still retaining regulations (similar to alcohol)
legalization
removing criminal sanctions and not placing any regulations

Question 21

harm reduction approach

policy approaches to drug use

Answer 21

a popular approach outside the US
using public health approaches to ensure that people are using drugs as safely as possible if they’re unable or unwilling to stop
needle exchange programs, availability of Narcan, heroin clinics, etc.