Prevention of Drug and Substance Use Among Young People

In popular culture, the American college experience almost always includes drug or alcohol abuse as a rite of passage. However, despite the widespread use of alcohol and drugs in movies and television shows set on college campuses, these media reinforce a false narrative, especially when it comes to drug use. While nearly 75% of college students report using alcohol at least once during high school, drug use among college students tends to begin during college. Chapter 1 provides information on preventing substance use among college students. A recent report found that in 2019, approximately 2.2 million youth ages 12 to 17 used illicit drugs, including marijuana, in the past 30 days. This substance use can lead to a variety of problems that can cause use to escalate to a substance use disorder and put children, adolescents, and young adults at risk for other related health consequences. Chapter 2 offers information that can help reduce the risks of substance use. Chapter 3 explains counterfeit pills.