Personal Drug Use and Attitudes toward Prevention among Youth Living in a High Risk Environment

Abstract

Non-users, users of alcohol, and users of both alcohol and marijuana were identified coexisting in the same neighborhoods. (Sample selection also included a procedure which guaranteed that at least part of each group saw themselves “at risk.”) Separate subcultures for each of the three populations were strongly indicated. Differences were found in terms of behavior, attitudes, peer groups (including a distinct rejection of hard drug users), and significant adults in the environment; especially those felt to possess accurate information about drugs and to whom they would go for help with a drug problem. Almost any activity was seen as appropriate for a drug abuse prevention program, although there were strong differences in terms of desirability. How users can be differentiated from non-users in the same population is discussed along with additional implications for prevention programming.