Adolescent exposure to drugs, alcohol fuels use in adulthood
The national study, by Michigan State University's Cliff Broman, also indicates that the effects were more significant among white people and males. "While there have been many studies linking alcohol and drug use by parents to substance use among youths, there is limited research on how the a vailability of alcohol and drugs in the home may influence patterns of use among offspring in the future," said Broman, professor of sociology. "These findings provide evidence that the availability of illegal drugs and alcohol in the home while growing up is a critical factor in the later use of substances." Broman analyzed data from some 15,000 participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health over the course of three waves -- when the survey participants were, on average, 16, 22 and 29 years old. Generally, participants who had illegal drugs and alcohol e asily available to them during adolescence started using drugs and alcohol at an earl...