NCJ Number
218205
Journal
Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 19-28
Date Published
February 2007
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This Northern-Ireland study surveyed 4,524 10th-grade youth in order to determine whether the youths' amounts and sources of money were linked to their drug use.
Abstract
The study found that increases in disposable income among the youth were linked with increased risk for smoking and alcohol or drug use (excluding solvents), even after controlling for possible confounding factors. The youth obtained income weekly from three potential sources: pocket money from parents, earned income, and "other" sources. Nearly all of the youth received pocket money (90 percent), and 55 percent received money from part-time work; 11 percent received money from "other" sources. Access to their own money was apparently associated with higher levels of drunkenness. Having pocket money was associated with both licit and illicit drug use. In contrast, money earned from part-time jobs was linked only with licit drug use (alcohol and tobacco). Money from "other" sources was associated with only the increased risk of ecstasy use. Money from "other" sources may involve some type of delinquency activity. Youth engaged in property crimes are most likely to progress beyond experimental use of cannabis. Given the link between the amount and sources of money and the level and types of drugs used, prevention efforts might focus on money management and the benefits to be gained from saving or using money to achieve long-term goals or more useful and fulfilling products or services. Data were obtained from 88 percent of all youth in the 10th grade who were attending schools in Belfast, Ballymena, and Downpatrick in the fall of 2000. Three questions on the questionnaire pertained to the youths' sources and levels of income. Other questions focused on the use of various types of drugs, socioeconomic status, family relationships, personality, delinquency and antisocial behavior, and engagement in education. 3 tables, 1 figure, and 31 references