Transcript Drugs and Young People Tracey Coleman Drug Education

Drugs and Young People
Tracey Coleman
Drug Education Consultant Illawarra
and South East Region
Workshop Aims
• Why do young people use drugs?
• Prevalence and patterns of drug use
among young people
• Consider how enhancing resilience is part
of a whole school approach to drug
education, health and wellbeing.
Reasons young people use drugs
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To experiment
To have fun
To heighten sensations
To rebel
To relax
To relieve boredom
To fit in with peers
To cope with problems
Because they are available.
Prevalence of drug use among young
people 12 – 17 years
Table 3: Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drugs (ASSAD) Survey 2005 Students aged 12-17 years
Substance
Percentage reporting
ever used
Percentage reporting use
in the last 4 weeks
Males
Males
Females
Females
Analgesics/pain-killers
93.2
96.4
63.0
76.4
Alcohol
86.0
85.0
45.0
42.0
Tobacco
35.0
35.0
12.0
13.0
Cannabis
19.4
16.1
8.7
5.6
Inhalants
17.4
17.0
7.6
7.4
Tranquillisers (non-medical use)
14.8
15.5
3.8
3.8
Amphetamines (non-medical use)
6.0
4.7
3.0
1.8
Hallucinogens
4.3
2.1
2.0
0.7
Ecstasy
4.4
3.3
2.3
1.1
Opiates
2.7
2.2
1.5
0.6
Cocaine
3.5
2.3
2.0
0.7
Steroids
3.4
1.8
1.6
0.7
Comparison of drug use patterns among
young people 12-17 yrs 1996 - 2005
100
90
80
70
60
1996
1999
2002
2005
50
40
30
20
10
0
Painkillers
Alcohol
Tobacco
Inhalants
Cannabis
Amphetamines
Ecstasy
Non drug use in last 4 weeks
– males and females 2005
100
90
80
70
60
50
males
40
30
females
20
10
0
Painkillers
Alcohol
Tobacco
Inhalants
Cannabis
Amphetamines
Ecstasy
The school’s role in preventing
drug use problems
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Drug prevention involves more than just
teaching about drugs as part of curriculum.
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Promoting resilience can help protect young
people from developing a variety of problems
likely to negatively impact on their future health
and wellbeing (e.g. drugs, bullying, violence
and mental health problems).
The overall message from prevention
research is that schools can prevent the
onset, severity and duration of problematic
substance use, bullying, violence and
mental health problems by undertaking a
process of developing a culture that
promotes resilience.
(Fuller 2001)
Resilience is …..
• ….. The capacity to “bounce back from
adversity”. (Wolin & Wolin 1999)
• Being resilient involves “the inherent and
nurtured capacity of individuals to deal
with life stressors in ways that enable
them to lead healthy and fulfilling lives”.
(Howard & Johnson 1999)
Being resilient
• Personal attributes/skills:
• healthy relationships – socially competent
• creative, flexible, solves problems
• independent and sense of self-efficacy and
mastery
• positive, sense of purpose, humour.
• Environmental supports:
• bonds, support from family, friends, work, local
community
• belonging to group/social club/sport/hobby etc
• access to help services.
(Benard 1995, Wolin & Wolin 1999)
Risk and protective factors
A number of studies indicate that it is
possible to identify those factors that
increase the risk of substance use
problems and those factors that help
protect and buffer young people against
likely harm.
Protective Factors
Community
Schools
Family
Individual
•Opportunities &
rewards for
involvement
•Links between
services in community
•Belonging
•Supportive
relationship with other
adult
• Opportunities for
success
•Recognition of
achievement
•Sense of belonging
•Links / partnerships
with community
services
•Safe & supportive
environment
•Clear rules about
behaviours
•Positive relationships
•Skilled & informed
staff
•Pro-social peer
groups
•Opportunities &
rewards for
involvement
•Attachment /
belonging
•Supportive caring
parents
•Responsibility for
chores / required
helpfulness
•Social skills
•School achievement
•Attachment to family
•Optimism
•Problem solving ability
•Effective coping skills
Risk Factors
Community
Schools
Family
Individual
•Community
disorganisation
•Racism
•Laws and services
favourable to drug use
•Low neighbourhood
attachment
•Boredom
•Perceived availability
of drugs in community
• Low commitment to
school
•Rewards for antisocial involvement
•Boredom
•Experiencing racism
•Bullying
•Inadequate behaviour
management
•Poor academic results
•Parental attitude
favourable to antisocial behaviour
•Parental attitudes
favourable towards
drug use
•Poor family
management
•Parents smoke
cannabis at home
•Poor discipline
•Unemployment
•Family conflict
•Involvement in crime
•Early initiation of
problem behaviour
•Drug use
•Friends / peers use of
drugs
•Involvement in crime
•Rewards for antisocial
behaviour
•Feeling of not
belonging
•Poor social skills
•Lack of empathy
Risk and Protective Factors
• Examine the scenario of Corey
• Complete with a partner
-the table of risk and protective factors
-enhancing the protective factors
-reducing the risk factors