Young people's feelings about drug use: a cause for reassurance or panic?

Abstract

■ Much is known about patterns of drug use by young people, but little about young people's feelings about such use

■ The study aimed to explore the feelings that young people themselves express, about the use of illegal drugs

■ Documentation of these feelings is important - to aid development of initiatives relating to both primary and secondary prevention among young people

■ Qualitative data were collected through a series of focus groups with young people aged 14-16

■ The findings suggest that there is a general acceptance of soft drug use by young people, alongside a degree of fatalism in accepting such use

■ Familiarisation with drugs appeared to be an important factor in shaping young people's views of drugs, along with a belief that individuals have the right to choose about using drugs themselves