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Unemployment and Use of Drug and Alcohol Among Young People: A Longitudinal Study in the General Population

NCJ Number
163262
Journal
British Journal of Addiction Volume: 87 Dated: (1992) Pages: 1571-1581
Author(s)
T Hammer
Date Published
1992
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This paper explores the relationship between unemployment and the use of drugs and alcohol.
Abstract
A prospective study of a representative sample of nearly 2,000 young people aged 17-20 years was started in 1985. It was followed up twice, in 1987 and in 1989. The Central Bureau of Statistics in Norway was responsible for the data collection. Sixty-five percent of the stratified sample (1985) participated in all three surveys. According to the surveys, unemployment did not appear to influence the consumption of alcohol. In a high consumption group, unemployment appeared to lead to a decrease in alcohol consumption, although there was a clear tendency to increase use of cannabis. The results appeared to indicate that there was no increase in use of alcohol or drugs in response to stress as a result of unemployment. However, some unemployment may have led to a stronger identification with or joining marginalized or deviant subcultures, which in turn led to an increased use of cannabis. Tables, references

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