Perceived Normalization of Drug Trafficking and Adolescent Substance Use on the US–Mexico Border

• DOI: 10.1177/00220426211046593
• Author: Benjamin Brady,Mavis Obeng-Kusi,Kathryn Derose,Allison Huff-Macpherson,Melanie Bell,Elizabeth Salerno Valdez
• Published date: 01 July 2022
• Date: 01 July 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Journal of Drug Issues

2022, Vol. 52(3) 421–433

© The Author(s) 2022

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DOI: 10.1177/00220426211046593

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Perceived Normalization of

Drug Traff‌icking and

Adolescent Substance Use on

the US–Mexico Border

Elizabeth Salerno Valdez

1

, Mavis Obeng-Kusi

2

, Benjamin Brady

3

,

Allison Huff-Macpherson

4

, Melanie Bell

2

, and Kathryn Derose

1

Abstract

Adolescents residing on the US–Mexico border are at disproportionate risk for substance misuse

due to environmental risk factors, including high unemployment, high concentration of liquor

licenses, drug-trade–related violence, border militarization, and inadequate access to prevention,

treatment, and support services for substance misuse. We used multivariable logistic regres sion

to examine the association between high perceived normalization of drug traff‌icking and cross-

border purchase, and past 30-day substance use (tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana) in a sample of

445 primarily Mexican American adolescents living on the US–Mexico border. Adolescents with

higher perceived normalization of drug traff‌icking scores were more likely to have crossed the

border to purchase (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.07, 1.28) and use substances (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.00,

1.17). The economic and normative environment of border communities must be considered in

the formation of interventions targeted at substance use risk prevention and mitigation, and

involve binational support from organizations, policy makers, and community members.

Keywords

Adolescent substance use, US–Mexico border, drug traff‌icking, cross-border purchase of

substances

1

Department of Health Promotion and Policy, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts

Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA

2

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona,

Tucson, AZ, USA

3

Community, Environment and Policy Department, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of

Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

4

Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

Corresponding Author:

Elizabeth Salerno Valdez, Department of Health Promotion and Policy, School of Public Health and Health Sciences,

University of Massachusetts Amherst, 305 Arnold House, 715 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.

Email: esalernovald@umass.edu