Drug abuse in social settings: a serious risk for teens.

• Author: Volkow, Nora D.
• Position: TEACHER'S EDITION - Brief article

Dear Teacher:

Teens are social beings. As a teacher who works with adolescents, you definitely won't find that shocking! Probably more than anyone, you understand how important it is for teens to feel like they fit in--that they're part of the crowd.

Unfortunately, this strong social instinct among teens--which certainly has some positive aspects--can put them at high risk for drug abuse, especially in social settings such as parties and after-school hangout sessions. This year's fourth and final installment of Heads Up: Real News About Drugs and Your Body deals with the issues of adolescent drug abuse in social situations.

The issues are real and important. Researchers have found that most teens who abuse drugs first do so in social settings. If we can cut off this route to drug abuse and addiction, we may save many young people from lifetimes of drug-related problems.

This article in the Heads Up series presents the issue to readers in a straightforward way, and reveals the science behind why it can be so tough for teens to make smart decisions in social settings. It also offers research-tested drug-refusal strategies that students...