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Adolescent Drug Use Development

A Social Interactional and Contextual Perspective

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Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Drug use, both licit and illicit, has become increasingly normative among adolescents over the past two to three decades, with increases in both quantity and variability in substances (Johnston, O’Malley, & Bachman, 1998). With the advent of the 1960s and ‘70s, the use and abuse of substances such as marijuana, cocaine, and amphetamines have supplemented the traditional licit substances of alcohol and tobacco, although the latter two continue to have the highest prevalence rates. In the 1960s, much of this drug use occurred among adults or on college campuses, with some dispersion to high schools. Today, drug use in high schools can be considered endemic and cause for concern because many teens become young adults with a history of drug-use experiences. Although trends over the past 20 years have varied, current use is relatively high (for complete data, see Johnston et al., 1998). For example, during the 1990s, the 30-day prevalence of any illicit drug increased from approximately 6% to nearly 15% among eighth graders. Among seniors, the same prevalence rates increased from approximately 16% to 26%. Examining the most recent evidence for alcohol, the most prevalent substance, by eighth grade, about 25% have had a drink in the last 30 days. By 12th grade, the prevalence was doubled, and more than half also reported being drunk. Although, a downturn in prevalence rates occurred during the early 1980s, the trend for the ‘80s has been increasing, with some leveling off in the past couple of years. Thus, these data highlight the normative existence of drug use among adolescents and also indicate the need to carefully assess its possible effects over the short and long run.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, Oregon, 97403, USA

    Hyman Hops, Judy A. Andrews, Susan C. Duncan, Terry E. Duncan & Elizabeth Tildesley

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  1. Hyman Hops
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  1. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Arnold J. Sameroff

  2. Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

    Michael Lewis

  3. Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Suzanne M. Miller

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Hops, H., Andrews, J.A., Duncan, S.C., Duncan, T.E., Tildesley, E. (2000). Adolescent Drug Use Development. In: Sameroff, A.J., Lewis, M., Miller, S.M. (eds) Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4163-9_31

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