Illicit drug use, cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking behaviour among a sample of high school adolescents in the Pietersburg area of the Northern Province, South Africa

South African societies have been characterized by the prolific incidence of illicit drug use in recent times. The paper attempts to examine the legislations implemented on the use of illicit drugs in South Africa. The study adopts a review of the literature to identify and describe the most common illicit drugs used around South Africa communities, placing emphasis on the policies developed by the South African government in combating these situations. The research follows a critical discussion on the issues associated with drug use, its causes, as well as its effects on humans and the environment. The study recommends relevant initiatives to combat all intricacies associated with drug use within the country. This approach will be appropriate in facilitating a clear-cut understanding of the possible remedies to quench the burning flame of illicit drug use across a broad range of South African communities.

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Does parental permissiveness toward cigarette smoking and alcohol use influence illicit drug use among adolescents? A longitudinal study in seven European countries

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology ◽

10.1007/s00127-021-02118-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Emina Mehanović ◽

Federica Vigna-Taglianti ◽

Fabrizio Faggiano ◽

Maria Rosaria Galanti ◽

Barbara Zunino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

Drug Use ◽

Cigarette Smoking ◽

Longitudinal Data ◽

Illicit Drug ◽

Large Population ◽

Illicit Drug Use ◽

European Countries ◽

The Impact

Abstract Purpose Adolescents’ perceptions of parental norms may influence their substance use. The relationship between parental norms toward cigarette and alcohol use, and the use of illicit substances among their adolescent children is not sufficiently investigated. The purpose of this study was to analyze this relationship, including gender differences, using longitudinal data from a large population-based study. Methods The present study analyzed longitudinal data from 3171 12- to 14-year-old students in 7 European countries allocated to the control arm of the European Drug Addiction Prevention trial. The impact of parental permissiveness toward cigarettes and alcohol use reported by the students at baseline on illicit drug use at 6-month follow-up was analyzed through multilevel logistic regression models, stratified by gender. Whether adolescents’ own use of cigarette and alcohol mediated the association between parental norms and illicit drug use was tested through mediation models. Results Parental permissive norms toward cigarette smoking and alcohol use at baseline predicted adolescents’ illicit drug use at follow-up. The association was stronger among boys than among girls and was mediated by adolescents’ own cigarette and alcohol use. Conclusion Perceived parental permissiveness toward the use of legal drugs predicted adolescents’ use of illicit drugs, especially among boys. Parents should be made aware of the importance of norm setting, and supported in conveying clear messages of disapproval of all substances.

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