Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:31:1266280297 GMT

Sometimes there seem to be so many conflicting influences in young people’s lives that it feels as if you are being pulled in several different directions at the same time. As a young person, our feelings and attitudes to drugs are not suddenly formed, but are shaped gradually by the opinions and attitudes of those around us. Therefore, for any drug policy to be successful it must first consider the young person in the context of their environment. Will a single strategy work for the person who takes drugs because their parents do, and for the person who takes drugs in order to cope with the anxiety they feel about keeping high grades at school? I think an effective drug strategy needs to acknowledge the fact that there are many different reasons for taking drugs, from underlying mental health issues to social learning and peer acceptance.

Because the reason for drug use is varied amongst young people it is reasonable to suggest that personalised intervention programs may be the most effective. E-counselling over the internet, where young people are able to communicate openly and anonymously with trained professionals, may aid in the treatment or prevention of drug use. In addition, interactive “drug diaries” which allow young people to record their drug usage, could help them to determine when their drug use may be becoming problematic and alert them to relevant resources or potential treatment options.

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:43:1265730184 GMT

An affective drug policy would have to address the various environmental factors that influence the likelihood of an individual becoming a user; for instance, personality attributes, friendship networks, low levels of parental involvement, and community and societal pressures.

I would imagine that interventions that focused on the family, schools and wider community as well as adolescents themselves would be more effective at preventing and treating drug abuse than are interventions that target just the adolescent.

In terms of how technology could be used to minimize harm, vehicles could be fitted with breathalysers that have to show an alcohol reading that is below 0.5% before they can be started. Also, the internet could provide live online counselling for those coming off drugs.

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