NCJ Number
218198
Date Published
2007
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Using data from the North West Longitudinal Study, which monitored drug use of a British cohort (n=700) from age 14 through age 23, this chapter discusses whether or not drug use among British youth has become "normalized," i.e., social accommodation to "sensible" recreational drug use even among those who do not use drugs.
Abstract
The authors conclude that the data from this longitudinal study support the view that "sensible" recreational drug use by youth is gradually being accepted as a lifestyle of many British youth, much as cigarette smoking was accepted as part of the lifestyles of many people prior to the awareness of its hazardous health effects. In terms of current ongoing drug involvement, half of the sample was using drugs regularly at age 18; however, at age 18 there was an increasing tendency to use cannabis only after trying a number of drugs in previous years. This suggests that their drug consumption decisions were managed within the constraints of new responsibilities and weekday work demands. Drugs that impaired educational and occupational functioning were being avoided in favor of those psycho-active drugs that provided temporary desired mental and emotional effects during leisure time. Regular stimulant use was low. Among most youthful drug users there appears to be rational decisionmaking about which drugs to use regularly based on their effects as experienced, observed, and researched. The loosening of public attitudes toward cannabis, plus ever stronger demands for some review of the drug laws regarding cannabis possession and the informal supplying of recreational drugs poses a challenge for drug policy in the United Kingdom. The original cohort of 14-year-olds was formed in 1991. Annual follow-up questionnaires were completed until cohort members were 18 in 1995. A subsequent follow-up questionnaire was completed by 465 members of the cohort during 1999. 8 tables and 55 references