Portrayal of substance use in media and its effects on substance use disorders among youth

Abstract

A variety of behavioral, environmental, developmental, and genetic factors have been documented as contributing to the development of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) in youth. For example, it has been suggested that things such as the perceived availability of substances, familial history of antisocial behavior, and personal attitudes favorable towards drug use all have strong correlations to the development of substance use in youth [1]. What’s especially troubling is that use initiation at younger ages is also correlated with stronger likelihoods of developing a SUD [2]. Thus, it is crucial that researchers continue to explore contributing factors to youth’s likelihood of substance use.