African Americans suffer disproportionately from the consequences of drugs, yet African American teens continue to report low substance use rates. Drug use among African Americans is also a risk factor for the spread of HIV. Thus prevention efforts are needed to reduce substance use among African American adolescents and these efforts must continue as they reach adulthood. One hundred and fifty-three African American adolescents living in a Midwest community ranging in age from 13 to 19 were surveyed to determine baseline levels of drug use. Questions asked about drug use during the last thirty days: cigarette use, alcohol, alcohol to intoxication, other illegal drugs, cocaine/crack, marijuana, heroin, nonprescription methadone, PCP, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, and inhalants. The survey results showed that 81% of respondents did not smoke cigarettes, 83% did not use alcohol, 95% had not used alcohol to intoxication, and 89% did not use other illegal drugs. One hundred percent of respondents reported not using cocaine/crack, 86% reported not using marijuana and 100% of respondents reported not using heroin, nonprescription methadone, PCP, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines or inhalants. In this study the overwhelming majority of African American adolescents reported not using drugs. The substances they reported using the most were cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana. Prevention programs should use the social norms approach to continue to encourage African American adolescents not to use drugs since the majority of them are not. Limitations and recommendations will be discussed.
Learning Objectives: To examine ways we can use the low substance use percentages among African American teens to change social norms To determine what the baseline levels of substance use are among African American teens living in the Midwest
Keywords: Substance Abuse, Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Wichita State University
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.