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A Review on Teen Drug Use: Risks and Protective Factors
Authors: Dr Rejani T.G1

Number of views: 310
Drug use and abuse among adolescence is a major issue in a society. Studies have tried to determine the origins and pathways of drug abuse and addiction—how the problem starts and how it progresses. . Many factors have been identified that help differentiate those more likely to abuse drugs from those less vulnerable to drug abuse. Factors associated with greater potential for drug abuse are called ―risk‖ factors, while those associated with reduced potential for abuse are called ―protective‖ factors (NIDA, 1997).Studies have reported various risk factors associated with drug use among adolescents such as early aggressive behavior, disinhibition, peer pressure, drug availability, poverty, substance abuse, lack of parental supervision, attitude towards drug use and intentions to use drugs, negative family atmosphere, school difficulties and psychopathology (Wong, Tang and Schwarzer,1996 ; Rumpold et al , 2011). Protective factors such as parental monitoring and peer support were found to be associated with less drug abuse (Vitaro, Tremblay and Zoccolillo, 1999; Eggert and Herting, 1991). The potential impact of specific risk and protective factors changes with age and can affect people of all groups, these factors can have a different effect depending on a person‘s age, gender, ethnicity, culture, and environment (Moon et al. 1999; Kumpfer et al. 1998). This review would focus on the various risks and protective factors related to drug use among adolescents under the domain of individual, family, peer, school and community.