“Future research should investigate ways to decrease both the perceptions of access, and actual access, to substances in order to prevent use and abuse.”
-Mercer University and Georgia Southern University researchers
ecstasy and hallucinogens. In order to curb youth drug and alcohol use rates, Mercer University and Georgia Southern University researchers conclude that “future research should investigate ways to decrease both the perceptions of access, and actual access, to substances in order to prevent use and abuse.”
Geographical perception difference Rural students had higher access to legal substances, while urban students perceived access to illicit substances, according to the Mercer University study. Rural and urban middle school students bore out substantial differences in ease of access perception for each substance. Rural middle schoolers perceived greater access to smoking and chewing tobacco and steroids. Urban middle schoolers perceived greater access to alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, ecstasy, methamphetamine, hallucinogens and prescription drugs. Once out of high school, perceptions of easy access more than double for each substance in both geographical regions. Rural high school students believed themselves to have higher access to alcohol, smoking and chewing tobacco, and steroids. Urban high schoolers perceived higher access to marijuana, cocaine, inhalants,
81.6 percent to marijuana and 29.8 percent to cocaine. A 2011 Columbia University study found that three-quarters of high school students have used addictive substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine. Forty-six percent of all high school students, the study attests, currently use addictive substances. Twelve percent meet the clinical criteria for addiction. This is important because adolescent drug use and abuse are attributable to adult addiction, according to Columbia researchers. Of American adults who meet the medical criteria for addiction, 90 percent started smoking, drinking and/or using before the age of 18. Using or drinking before 18 dramatically increases the odds for addiction - one in four Americans who began using any addictive substance before 18 are addicted. Starting use after 25 lowers the odds of addiction to one in 25.
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