Drug Education

Alcohol-use disorders (AUD) risk is highly prevalent in university students, and is associated with both intraindividual (e.g., metacognitions, personality traits) and interindividual (e.g., social motives, drinking identity, drinking norms) psychological factors. Binge drinking (BD) also constitutes a widespread drinking pattern in youth, distinct from AUD risk and mainly predicted by interindividual factors. As BD is itself a risk factor for AUD, we tested a dual psychological path model to AUD risk, combining a direct path (including intra/interindividual factors independent from BD) with an indirect path (where interindividual factors increase AUD risk through BD). We assessed a large range of psychological factors predicting BD and AUD risk in an online survey among 2026 university students (Mage=20.46; SD=2.82; 67.42% of women). We tested the direct and indirect (via BD) effects of these psychological factors on three subdimensions of AUDIT (alcohol intake, dependence symptoms, and alcohol-related problems) through a multivariate mediation model using percentile bootstrapped estimates. Support for the dual-path model to risk of AUD emerged from the results, comprising a direct path mainly influenced by intra-individual factors unrelated to BD (e.g., coping motives, depression symptoms, and uncontrollability beliefs), and an indirect BD-mediated path mainly influenced by inter-individual factors (e.g., social motives, enhancement motives, drinking norms) through BD. This new dual-path conceptualization combining direct/intra-individual and indirect/inter-individual risk factors identifies key psychological determinants of AUD risk in youth and offers new prevention avenues for AUD risk.

ERADICATING’s Living Labs created a participatory environment, involving experts and practitioners from various professional background, having a two-fold objective: First, the Living Labs were utilised to pilot, validate and evaluate the Footprint Material in ERADICATING, utilising the exchange of views of the multidisciplinary participants. With the same approach, second, the LLs served as a platform for identification of problems and solutions, through sharing of experiences, open discussion on the basis of a specific use case and junction of different perspectives and views. The Digital Child Manual increased the awareness among students about the issue of trafficking in human beings (THB), with a focus on the various forms of exploitation experienced by minors. Living lab used case scenario based on real-life cases of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

In an era where new technologies are dominant and prominent in our daily lives, artificial intelligence (AI) seems to bring unlimited potential in its use to facilitate and optimize tasks that were previously performed by human activity. However, this rapid invasion of a tool whose capabilities and functioning remain uncharted for a large part of users, raises concerns as to the risk of malicious use. Starting from this, as well as the general scientific debate that has been developed on the issue of bias reproduction through AI, this research studies how the criminal phenomenon can be defined and presented by AI. Through a series of strategies for testing the ethics of AI, such as open or closed-ended questions, scenario-based testing and an evaluation of the AI's framework and guidelines, an attempt is made to understand the perceptions that AI reproduces and promotes about the criminal phenomenon. More specifically, this research will examine the characteristics that AI attributes to both crime and the criminal, how these ideas are captured in AI generated images and finally whether the use of AI systems can contribute to improving justice and crime policy. This research seeks to highlight both the opportunities and challenges arising from the use of AI in crime prevention and control policies, but also whether the two largest AI engines (ChatGtp & Deepseek) reproduce stereotypes around crime and criminality.

Research findings are inconsistent regarding a positive association between the passage of state medical marijuana laws (MML) and adolescent access and use marijuana. We utilized a novel analytical approach to examine this issue with multi-year data from the 1997-2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) of the State of Michigan. After controlling for the historically declining trend in marijuana use prior to the passages of MML in Michigan, we found that marijuana use among adolescents had increased subsequent to the passage of state MML. Study findings suggest the need for considering the increased risk of marijuana use among adolescents as the number of states with laws permitting marijuana use is increasing.

Environmental strategies for colleges and universities to reduce alcohol consumption among their students include the development and enforcement of campus alcohol policies. This study examines students' knowledge and attitudes toward campus alcohol policies and how they relate to alcohol consumption and alcohol social norms. A sample of 422 freshman students was surveyed during their first month at a 4-year public college. Findings indicated that the majority of students (89%) were aware of campus policies, yet of those who were aware, less than half (44%) were accepting of these campus rules and regulations. In addition, the majority (79%) of students drank at social events, despite this behavior being in direct violation of campus alcohol policies. However, those who supported campus rules consumed significantly less alcohol at social events than those who opposed or had no opinion of the rules. Also, those who supported the rules perceived that their peers and students in ge...

Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, based in Brno, where he has been operating since 1989 as a leading researcher and since 1997 as a head of the department of molecular cytology and cytometry. He studied nuclear physics at Charles University in Prague. In the years 1981-1989 he worked as a researcher at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna.

Roadway bridges, being one of the most critical road infrastructures components, require regular maintenance actions. Therefore, it becomes important to define strategies to maximize societal benefits, derived from the investment made in these assets. Consequently, this investment should be planned, effectively managed and technically supported by appropriate management systems, supported in quality control plans. For this purpose, authorities need to produce an asset management plan which should, not only define the goals to be achieved by exploiting the roadway bridge network, but also identify the investment needs and priorities based on a life cycle cost criteria. Additionally, a proper condition assessment of these assets must be conducted to support the decision-making process regarding their preservation. A COST Action recently started in Europe with the aim of standardizing the establishment of quality control plans for roadway bridges. This paper describes this Action and, particularly, its most recent developments.

The transtheoretical model and the stages of change are often used to adapt treatment to the individual client. The aims of this study were to review the stages of change and popular measures of change readiness in psychotherapy and to conduct a meta-analysis of the relation between readiness measures and psychotherapy outcomes. We report data from 76 studies, encompassing 25,917 patients. Moderate-sized effects (d = 0.41) were found for the association among multiple disorders, including substance and alcohol use, eating disorders, and mood disorders. Outcomes were a function of the pretreatment stage of change; that is, the farther a patient along the stages, the better the treatment outcomes. This review added 37 studies to the data reported in 2010, further strengthening the link between readiness and therapy outcomes. The article concludes with limitations of the research, diversity considerations, and therapeutic practices for stage matching in psychotherapy specifically and behavioral health more generally.

This article explores the determinants of smoking behavior among nurses and reviews the research documenting the history and current trends of cigarette use among nurses. National and international studies of cigarette use among nurses show them to smoke more than any other group of health professionals. Stress has been the primary theory of smoking causation among nurses. While some studies suggest this, there are also studies demonstrating no significant differences of stress among smoking and nonsmoking nurses. The literature offers other determinants, including socialization processes, the pharmacological action of nicotine, normative influences, the medical environment, and the feminist movement. A surprising late addition to this list is that nursing education itself may play a major role in the smoking behavior of student and graduate nurses. The failure of nursing education to emphasize health behaviors as well as the use of the medical model in nursing curriculum is suggested as an explanation for the findings that nurses are likely to perceive themselves more as the providers of care and help to the ill than as health models and educators. A summary of conclusions from studies of cigarette use among nurses is that student nurses should receive a specific learning experience which would focus on the role of health educator and exemplar in the nurse's role of preventing smoking-related illnesses. Conclusions from the literature also repeat theirecommendation that educational strategies for nurses should contrast the use of cigarettes with the concept that nurses assume a role of health advocacy in promoting wellness. This article presents a wide variety of research approaches to the study of what determines whether or not a nurse uses cigarettes. Emphasis is given to the studies which relate nursing educational methods to nurses' knowledge and 365

The study explored the impact of cognitive restructuring intervention on reducing social media addiction, specifically focusing on WhatsApp addiction, among in-school adolescents in the Nsukka education zone. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent pre-test post-test control group research design was employed for the study. The population of interest consisted of 115 secondary school students from two public secondary schools in the area. A sample of 115 students (55 males and 60 females) from secondary school II was used. The study utilized the WhatsApp Addiction Scale (TWAS) to collect data, which was validated by three experts and had a Cronbach alpha reliability of 0.87. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation, while the null hypotheses were tested using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The study's findings indicated that cognitive restructuring was effective in reducing WhatsApp addiction among students. The moderating effect of gender on the impact of cognitive restructuring treatment on in-school adolescents' WhatsApp addiction levels was not significant. Based on the study's findings, it is recommended that counsellors incorporate cognitive restructuring in reducing WhatsApp addiction among in-school adolescents. Furthermore, both male and female students addicted to WhatsApp should be exposed to cognitive restructuring equally, as they benefit equally from such exposure. It was also recommended among others that parents should endeavour to monitor and regulate the use of WhatsApp.

This study examined the utility of the Specific Event Drug and Alcohol Refusal Efficacy scale (SEDARE) as an outcome of a culturally enhanced drug abuse prevention program for urban African-American girls in early adolescence. The SEDARE captures the perceived likelihood that youth will use drugs and alcohol in specific situations. Ninety-two girls participated in the program. Girls in the intervention group had higher drug refusal efficacy as measured by the SEDARE than girls in the comparison group. Girls varied in situations they perceived they could refuse drugs and alcohol. Findings are discussed with implications for drug abuse prevention programs for urban African-American girls.

A complexidade e a magnitude do problema contemporâneo do consumo de drogas no Brasil têm sido discutidas por diferentes setores da sociedade civil e do Estado (Brasil, 2003). Uma primeira análise das ações que vêm sendo tomadas para compreender e solucionar o problema mostra duas grandes fases: até o advento da Aids, quando o Brasil se caracterizava pela ausência quase total de pesquisas e pela inadequação de programas de prevenção ao consumo de drogas; e após a constatação da epidemia da Aids, quando os programas de prevenção à transmissão do HIV passaram a preocupar-se com o compartilhamento de materiais para o uso de drogas injetáveis -um dos modos de transmissão. Assim, o Brasil até os anos 1990 era um país em que pouco se pesquisava sobre esse assunto, tendo a ausência de investigações científicas levado, para além da negligência, a equívocos relacionados à importação de modelos de outras realidades. Embora o consumo de drogas ilícitas no Brasil fosse considerado baixo em relação a outros países, continuava-se a tomar como parâmetro os números, tipos e as realidades de consumo de drogas totalmente diferentes dos nossos . Não havia programas solidamente instituídos, mas ações esparsas e descontínuas de prevenção, que refletiam o descaso do Estado e os equívocos e o desânimo das instituições públicas para tratar do tema (Bucher

Este estudo objetiva identificar potencialidades e limitações do grupo focal como instrumento de avaliação através de um estudo de caso no qual o grupo focal foi utilizado para avaliar um treinamento em saúde. Entre as conclusões destacamse: é possível comparar os resultados dos grupos realizados antes e depois do treinamento se o mesmo grupo for mantido; o grupo focal mostrou-se adequado para desvendar a natureza das deficiências do treinamento porque permitiu analisar a complexidade inerente tanto ao tema das drogas quanto aos objetivos do treinamento que busca mudanças de ordem afetivo-cultural e não apenas de ordem cognitiva.

Background: This study seeks to extend earlier Australian school drug education research by developing and measuring the effectiveness of a comprehensive, evidence-based, harm reduction focused school drug education program for junior secondary students aged 13 to 15 years. The intervention draws on the recent literature as to the common elements in effective school curriculum. It seeks to incorporate the social influence of parents through home activities. It also emphasises the use of appropriate pedagogy in the delivery of classroom lessons. Methods/Design: A cluster randomised school drug education trial will be conducted with 1746 junior high school students in 21 Victorian secondary schools over a period of three years. Both the schools and students have actively consented to participate in the study. The education program comprises ten lessons in year eight (13-14 year olds) and eight in year nine (14-15 year olds) that address issues around the use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other illicit drugs. Control students will receive the drug education normally provided in their schools. Students will be tested at baseline, at the end of each intervention year and also at the end of year ten. A self completion questionnaire will be used to collect information on knowledge, patterns and context of use, attitudes and harms experienced in relation to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other illicit drug use. Multi-level modelling will be the method of analysis because it can best accommodate hierarchically structured data. All analyses will be conducted on an Intent-to-Treat basis. In addition, focus groups will be conducted with teachers and students in five of the 14 intervention schools, subsequent to delivery of the year eight and nine programs. This will provide qualitative data about the effectiveness of the lessons and the relevance of the materials. Discussion: The benefits of this drug education study derive both from the knowledge gained by trialling an optimum combination of innovative, harm reduction approaches with a large, student sample, and the resultant product. The research will provide better understanding of what benefits can be achieved by harm reduction education. It will also produce an intervention, dealing with both licit and illicit drug use that has been thoroughly evaluated in terms of its efficacy, and informed by teacher and student feedback. This makes available to schools a comprehensive drug education package with prevention characteristics and useability that are well understood.

A brief survey asked Malaysians if they had searched for information about illegal drugs and their thoughts about the information available. Two hundred and eighty participants from four states: Selangor, Penang, Malacca, and Johor filled out a paper-and-pencil survey including both multiple choice and open-ended written questions. Quantitative analyses of closed-ended, and thematic analyses of open-ended data indicated the following: Half of participants had, at some point, actively searched for information about drug use; 28% reported searching at least once per month. Participants generally (79%) preferred to obtain information online, but 62% also reported sharing and obtaining information about drugs in face-to-face interactions with friends and others. Concerns regarding the reliability of information, such as the presence of conflicting or contradictory messages from multiple sources, was a common theme in open ended responses. Of those who searched for information, about 70%...

Researchers examined the association between perceptions of harm from substance use and social self-efficacy (SSE) in a sample of early adolescents in public middle schools ( n = 4,122). One-way analysis of covariance and post hoc tests were used to assess the relationships between perceptions of harm from tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine use and SSE while controlling for the effects of grade, sex, race, and socioeconomic status. Effect sizes were calculated from the post hoc comparisons to estimate practical importance. Results suggest that lower perceptions of harm from each examined substance were significantly associated with lower SSE ( p < .0001). Effect sizes were of medium practical importance. Enhancing SSE in early adolescents may be an effective component of interventions designed to reduce perceptions of harm associated and subsequent substance use.

While caffeine ingestion is commonplace, there is a relative lack of research on normative standards of caffeine consumption. The present investigation surveyed two hundred and seventy students at a midwestern state university concerning their consumption of various caffeine products. The results of the investigation suggest that there is an identifiable group of individuals who use excessive amounts of caffeine. The survey has also identified several deleterious effects that may be related to caffeine use. The most important finding of the study was that roughly 75 percent of the individuals who use caffeinated products rarely sought information concerning the caffeine content of the products they were using nor did they attempt to avoid substances containing caffeine. Suggestions for education and prevention are offered.

War and social transition in Croatia have increased unemployment and rates of substance abuse. A decrease in prevention programs places adolescents at an increased risk. Data collected from the 2002 Split Youth Behavior Risk Survey (YRBS) showed that adolescents are at risk for alcohol use and related problems. Thus, there is a need to strengthen primary and secondary prevention activities to empower adolescents and counteract negative societal change. A public health partnership between the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Public Health (UMDNJ-SPH) and Split, Croatia was formed in 2001. Adolescent alcohol prevention was identified as our focus and Project Northland, a model U.S. program, was selected. A strong network of NGOs and government officials support the project. Qualitative evaluation showed strong parent, teacher, and student satisfaction. Preliminary analysis shows a heightened awareness on the part of students that will likely contribute to the overall success of the program.

War and social transition in Croatia have increased unemployment and rates of substance abuse. A decrease in prevention programs places adolescents at an increased risk. Data collected from the 2002 Split Youth Behavior Risk Survey (YRBS) showed that adolescents are at risk for alcohol use and related problems. Thus, there is a need to strengthen primary and secondary prevention activities to empower adolescents and counteract negative societal change. A public health partnership between the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Public Health (UMDNJ-SPH) and Split, Croatia was formed in 2001. Adolescent alcohol prevention was identified as our focus and Project Northland, a model U.S. program, was selected. A strong network of NGOs and government officials support the project. Qualitative evaluation showed strong parent, teacher, and student satisfaction. Preliminary analysis shows a heightened awareness on the part of students that will likely contribute to t...

Vape shops specialize in the sales of e-cigarettes and other vaping products. In recent studies, young adults who use e-cigarettes have tended to identify with at-risk peer crowds. This is the first study to examine vape shop customers' clientele. Composed primarily of young adults and persons in early middle adulthood, we speculated that a relatively high prevalence of those who appeared to bystanders as radical/extreme (at-risk) customers would be identified as such at these shops. We recruited vape shops throughout Southern California (N = 44 shops), and trained teams of data collectors visited each of the consented vape shops, making note of 451 customers' appearance, including features such as manner of dress, presence of tattoos, and hairstyles. Customers were then coded as either belonging to a conventional, progressive, or radical/extreme crowd based on outward appearance. Of the customers observed, 223 (49%) were rated as appearing to be in the conventional crowd; 169 (38%) were rated as appearing to be in the progressive crowd, and only 59 (13%) were rated as appearing to be in the radical/extreme crowd.

This study examined the role of religiosity among adolescents' and adults' alcohol use in Trinidad. A stratified random sample design of 369 adolescents and 210 adult parents belonging to the various religious groups in Trinidad was employed. Participants were randomly selected from various educational districts across Trinidad. Adolescent respondents completed a demographic questionnaire and the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-A2 (SASSI-A2). Adult participants completed a similar demographic questionnaire and questions taken from the SASSI-A2 that related to alcohol use. MANOVA analyses revealed significant main effects for adolescents' and adults' alcohol use as it relates to religious affiliation and frequency of religious service attendance. It is hoped that these findings will assist health educators in the formulation of intervention programs in Trinidad.

This study examined relationships between emotional self-efficacy (ESE) and alcohol and tobacco use in a statewide sample of public high school adolescents (n = 2,566). The Center for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Survey and an adolescent ESE scale were utilized. Logistic regression analyses indicated the presence of any significant race by gender associations between lower ESE and alcohol and tobacco use. Results suggest that alcohol and cigarette use was significantly associated (p ≤ .05) with lower levels of ESE for certain race/gender groups. Results have implications for school- and community-based mental health services and substance use prevention/education programs for adolescents. Measures of ESE as a component of comprehensive assessments of adolescent mental health in fieldwork, research, and substance abuse prevention/education program evaluation efforts should be considered.

This study examined the role of religiosity among adolescents' and adults' alcohol use in Trinidad. A stratified random sample design of 369 adolescents and 210 adult parents belonging to the various religious groups in Trinidad was employed. Participants were randomly selected from various educational districts across Trinidad. Adolescent respondents completed a demographic questionnaire and the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-A2 (SASSI-A2). Adult participants completed a similar demographic questionnaire and questions taken from the SASSI-A2 that related to alcohol use. MANOVA analyses revealed significant main effects for adolescents' and adults' alcohol use as it relates to religious affiliation and frequency of religious service attendance. It is hoped that these findings will assist health educators in the formulation of intervention programs in Trinidad.

The phenomenon of adolescents involved with drug abuse is a worrying and very serious issue. The influence of drug-related partners would have a bad effect on other teens, especially teenagers who are at risk. Therefore, this study aims to identify the extent of the level of knowledge of the drug, especially in relation to the differences of attitudes in terms of physical effects, hindering behaviors, involvement in drug-related activities and information on how to distribute, attitude towards self and future, and risk factors amongst students who did take drugs as compared to who never took it. This is a cross-sectional study involving 559 teenagers at risk, aged between 13-18 years’ old who are involved in SHIELDS Programme, camp based programme that was introduced by Agensi Anti dadah Kebangsaan (AADK) in collabaration with the Ministy of Education.  Findings showed that there is a significant difference between students who have taken drugs and those who have never used it for d...

The phenomenon of adolescents involved with drug abuse is a worrying and very serious issue. The influence of drug-related partners would have a bad effect on other teens, especially teenagers who are at risk. Therefore, this study aims to identify the extent of the level of knowledge of the drug, especially in relation to the differences of attitudes in terms of physical effects, hindering behaviors, involvement in drug-related activities and information on how to distribute, attitude towards self and future, and risk factors amongst students who did take drugs as compared to who never took it. This is a cross-sectional study involving 559 teenagers at risk, aged between 13-18 years’ old who are involved in SHIELDS Programme, camp based programme that was introduced by Agensi Anti dadah Kebangsaan (AADK) in collabaration with the Ministy of Education.  Findings showed that there is a significant difference between students who have taken drugs and those who have never used it for d...

This study investigates the impact of using anti-drug learning tools based on Islamic Religious Education (PAI) in Junior High Schools in Riau Province. Through a quasi-experimental research design, two groups of students, namely the experimental group who received PAI-based anti-drug learning tools and the control group who did not receive similar treatment, were compared to measure changes in their understanding of the dangers of drugs, attitudes towards drugs, and strengthening of values. Based on the results of a questionnaire distributed to seven State Middle Schools in Riau Province, an average percentage of 74,504% was obtained in the "Good" category. These results show that PAI-based learning tools are effective in increasing students' understanding of the dangers of drugs, changing their attitudes toward drugs, and strengthening their religious values. This research provides a strong foundation for the development of similar anti-drug education programs at higher education levels and emphasizes the importance of education in efforts to prevent drug abuse among the next generation.

This paper briefly addresses some of the factors related to problems concerning the defmition of alcoholism. The effectiveness of treatment models and the apparent multivariate nature of alcoholism are discussed. It is suggested that the multivariate and interdependent nature of these problems merits consideration of research to ascertain the possible utility of a multivariate defmition and treatment model.

Background: Researches showed that interactive programs on drug abuse prevention are generally a more effective than non-interactive ones. As a kind of school-based intervention, peer-led is a new interactive tool designed to utilize social influence theory for drug abuse prevention at school years. The present study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of peer-led education program on students' drug use prevention. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, the samples selected from four boys and three girl's high schools (n = 500) assigned in intervention group (n = 250) and control groups (n = 250) randomly so that one girl's (n = 250) and one boy's (n = 125) school allocated in each intervention. All students filled a self-report drug use experiment questionnaire at pre-test and post-test stages. The data were analyzed via mean, SD and ANVOVA. Results: Compared with the control group, intervention group who received education via peer-led program decreased students' drug use rates significantly. Conclusion: Peer-led could be a cost-effective method for drug abuse prevention purposes. This program needs to be assessed and examined in different contexts.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of medical and nonmedical use of prescription attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) stimulant medication among medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS An IRB approved 19-question web survey was sent out to all students from a Puerto Rico (PR) medical school to assess use of ADHD medication. Out of the 250 stu-dents consulted there was a response of 152 surveys. Data was cross-referenced and compared with data from other studies. RESULTS/DISCUSSION From the results gathered, the study's sample had a higher prevalence of use than the 15% reported in previous studies, reaching 47.4%. Among students who had used these drugs, 89.4% indicated using it without a prescription. 86.8% of all respondents used some form of stimulant or substance in order to cope with the academic workload of medical school, includ-ing coffee, energy drinks, cigarettes, and alcohol. The majority of students (60.5%) considered study t...

Background Sweden is a sparsely populated country of nine million people, geographically located on the margins of the EU. Approximately one-third of the population lives in the three metropolitan areas of Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö, and around fourteen percent of Sweden's population are born overseas. Sweden is often described, together with Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway, as a welfare country characterised by low levels of income inequality (Lappi-Seppälä & Tonry 2011). Prior to an election defeat in 1976, the Social Democrats had been in government since 1933, and Sweden had constructed what has been referred to as a welfare state par excellence (Tham 1995). Although the Social Democrats quickly regained power, and governed until 2006 (with the exception of the period 1991-1994), the Swedish political climate was influenced from the 1980s onwards by the international shift towards neoliberal ideas. The Social Democrats introduced changes to welfare policy, including, notably, gradually deregulating the economy. Today Sweden has a centre-right coalition government led by the conservative New Moderates. The consistent postwar 'party of government', the Social Democrats, are facing a serious challenge in the area of agenda-setting, and Sweden has become less different from the rest of western Europe. Criminologists have also often described the Scandinavian countries as distinct from the rest of Europe, being characterised by low prison populations, knowledge-based crime policy and an absence of punitivity in the public debate (Lappi-Seppälä & Tonry 2011). In his description of '"Scandinavian exceptionalism" in an era of penal excess', however, Pratt (2008) sees dark clouds on the Swedish horizon. In the early 1990s, Sweden suffered an economic crisis that tripled the unemployment rate (from around three to nine percent) and produced major welfare-policy cutbacks. Effects on living conditions were particularly negative for society's most disadvantaged groups (youths, single parents and immigrants). The recession intensified differences in both living conditions and experiences of crime (Nilsson & Estrada 2006). Unemployment, particularly among young people and those with an immigrant background, today remains at significantly higher levels than prior to the 1990s. Income differentials have also increased, a trend which began at the start of the 1980s but has been accentuated over recent years. The level of residential segregation has also been rising, with those on high and low incomes increasingly living apart from one another. There is thus a general tendency towards greater social inequality (Fritzell, Bäckman and Ritakallio 2011). In the 2010 general election, a further form of 'Swedish exceptionalism' disappeared, as the Sweden Democrats, a party with roots in openly xenophobic, right-wing extremist politics, entered Parliament. Like similar political groupings in many European countries, the party has a major focus on crime, punishment and migration (Rydgren 2007). Crime, and particularly violence, is depicted as increasing sharply, and sanctioning practices are described as inadequate. The Sweden Democrats are not, however, alone in this description of the Swedish crime problem. Besides the fact that large segments of the population perceive crime to be increasing and sanctions to be too lenient (Jerre & Tham 2010), such views are also disseminated by the traditional parties of both the right and the left (Tham 2001). Criminological research in Sweden In his review of quantitative criminological research in Sweden up until the mid-1990s, Wikström (1996) distinguished a number of fields that constituted a focus at the time: longitudinal studies of individual criminal development, crime trends, ecological studies of urban crime, crime prevention and responses to crime. Swedish criminology has grown to be a much broader field since then. There is now a significantly larger number of centres of research and teaching in the country. Swedish research has also developed a significantly wider methodological base, and qualitative studies have become common, although the strong quantitative tradition has also continued. The three centres of criminological research with the longest traditions are the

undertake these bids and critically to support the transitions into new delivery models mean that, in this instance at least, the role of the voluntary and charitable sectors are consigned to being the bit-parts of the 'stewardship of the market' required of successful bids. The question becomes not only what you think about a part of the CJS in England and Wales, but what the consequences might be of having a rump of public commissioning authorities and an overwhelmingly privatised human services delivery sector. Once these processes are started, their own momentum means they are very unlikely to reverse their direction of travel. Those in developing and established probation services in the EU should take note.

Research is limited or absent on Mexican adolescents' exposure to substance offers, ways of dealing with these offers, and possible gender differences in responses to offers. Extending U.S.based research, this study examines how youth living in the Mexican state of Guanajuato employ the four drug resistance strategies-refuse, explain, avoid, and leave-that are part of the Keepin' It REAL evidence-based drug prevention intervention. The analysis uses cross-sectional survey data from 702 students enrolled in eight alternative secondary education sites in 2007. Participants reported the drug resistance behaviors they used to deal with offers of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. Using multivariate regression, findings indicate most youth had developed repertoires of drug resistance strategies that involved multiple REAL strategies and some other strategy as well. For those receiving offers, the most common strategy was to refuse the offer with a simple ''no.'' However, males used all the strategies significantly more often than females for situations involving cigarettes and marijuana as well as when using refuse and non-REAL strategies for alcohol. Possible reasons for the gender difference in use of strategies are discussed. The findings can help inform effective prevention programs based on teaching culturally appropriate drug resistance and communication skills.

This study assessed the immediate and short-term outcomes of adapting a culturally-grounded middle school program, keepin' it REAL, for elementary school students. After curriculum adaptation, 10 schools were randomly assigned to the intervention in 5th grade with follow-up boosters in 6th grade; 13 schools were randomly assigned to the control condition, implementing the school's pre-existing substance use prevention programming. Students ( n = 1,566) completed a questionnaire prior to curriculum implementation and follow-up questionnaires toward the end of 5th and 6th grade. The 5th grade kiR curriculum generally appeared no more effective than the control schools' programming in changing students' resistance or decision-making skills; substance use intentions, expectancies, or normative beliefs; or lifetime and recent substance use. Such findings have implications for the age appropriateness of school-based programs.

This study examined whether the efficacy of keepin’ it REAL, a model program for substance use prevention in schools, was moderated by gender, ethnicity, and acculturation. Gender differences in program efficacy may arise through boys' higher risk of drug use, inadequate attention to girls' developmental issues, or cultural factors like polarized gender expectations. Data came from a randomized trial in 35 Phoenix, Arizona, middle schools involving 4,622 mostly Latino 7th graders. Using multi-level mixed models and multiple imputation missing techniques, results for the total sample showed no gender differences in program effects on recent substance use, but the program was more effective in fostering boys' than girls' anti-drug norms. Subgroup analyses demonstrated several more beneficial program effects for boys than girls (less alcohol and cigarette use and stronger anti-drug norms), but only among less acculturated Latinos. There were no gender differences in pro...

This article advances knowledge about the effectiveness of applying a community-based efficacious parenting intervention in parallel with an efficacious preadolescent intervention in changing substance abuse norms among preadolescent Latino youth. The study employed a longitudinal, randomized control group design comparing three groups: (1) Parent intervention combined with a Youth intervention: Parent/Youth; (2) Parent intervention without a Youth intervention: Parent Only; and (3) Treatment as usual: Comparison. In the comparison group, parents participated in a standard parenting program delivered by the community partner, and the youth received the usual drug use prevention programming offered in their schools. Data from both parents and youth at the19 participating schools were collected at pre-test, immediate post-test (4 months after pre-test), and two follow-up (8 & 20 months after the pre-test). The total sample includes 532 families (parent-child dyads). The parent-child dyads consisted of one parent and one youth ages 12-14. The retention rates for both parents and preadolescent were high across the different waves of data collection (79%-96%). Regression results of youth substance use norms were calculated based on three permutations of data: (a) original data, with no imputation and no propensity score matching; (b) imputed data but no propensity score matching; and (c) imputed data plus propensity score matching. Compared to the Comparison group, the Parent/Youth condition was the most effective in changing youth's norms, closely followed by the Parent Only condition. These findings make a significant contribution in advancing knowledge on family/youth substance use prevention for Latinos in a community environment. Although the study took place in a specific urban center in the Southwest US, its findings can be generalized to other urban communities of similar characteristics across the country.

Research is limited or absent on Mexican adolescents' exposure to substance offers, ways of dealing with these offers, and possible gender differences in responses to offers. Extending U.S.based research, this study examines how youth living in the Mexican state of Guanajuato employ the four drug resistance strategies-refuse, explain, avoid, and leave-that are part of the Keepin' It REAL evidence-based drug prevention intervention. The analysis uses cross-sectional survey data from 702 students enrolled in eight alternative secondary education sites in 2007. Participants reported the drug resistance behaviors they used to deal with offers of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. Using multivariate regression, findings indicate most youth had developed repertoires of drug resistance strategies that involved multiple REAL strategies and some other strategy as well. For those receiving offers, the most common strategy was to refuse the offer with a simple ''no.'' However, males used all the strategies significantly more often than females for situations involving cigarettes and marijuana as well as when using refuse and non-REAL strategies for alcohol. Possible reasons for the gender difference in use of strategies are discussed. The findings can help inform effective prevention programs based on teaching culturally appropriate drug resistance and communication skills.

This study assessed the immediate and short-term outcomes of adapting a culturally-grounded middle school program, keepin' it REAL, for elementary school students. After curriculum adaptation, 10 schools were randomly assigned to the intervention in 5th grade with follow-up boosters in 6th grade; 13 schools were randomly assigned to the control condition, implementing the school's pre-existing substance use prevention programming. Students ( n = 1,566) completed a questionnaire prior to curriculum implementation and follow-up questionnaires toward the end of 5th and 6th grade. The 5th grade kiR curriculum generally appeared no more effective than the control schools' programming in changing students' resistance or decision-making skills; substance use intentions, expectancies, or normative beliefs; or lifetime and recent substance use. Such findings have implications for the age appropriateness of school-based programs.

This study examined whether the efficacy of keepin’ it REAL, a model program for substance use prevention in schools, was moderated by gender, ethnicity, and acculturation. Gender differences in program efficacy may arise through boys' higher risk of drug use, inadequate attention to girls' developmental issues, or cultural factors like polarized gender expectations. Data came from a randomized trial in 35 Phoenix, Arizona, middle schools involving 4,622 mostly Latino 7th graders. Using multi-level mixed models and multiple imputation missing techniques, results for the total sample showed no gender differences in program effects on recent substance use, but the program was more effective in fostering boys' than girls' anti-drug norms. Subgroup analyses demonstrated several more beneficial program effects for boys than girls (less alcohol and cigarette use and stronger anti-drug norms), but only among less acculturated Latinos. There were no gender differences in pro...

This study investigated the impact of school-based drug education programs on drug use behavior through examining the prevalence and causes of drug abuse and addiction among youth-recipients (16-30 years) of drug education (DE) programs in Nigeria. A concurrent embedded mixed-method design was adopted for the study and data were collected with a questionnaire and an interview schedule on drug use behaviors. Results showed that drug abuse prevalence ranged from 3.8% for cocaine to 23.7% for alcohol, with daily addiction levels ranging from 1.3% to 5.0%. Depression, peer pressure, and social/economic hardships cause drug abuse. Drug education and gender influence drug use behavior. Drug abusers possess health, social, legal, and moral knowledges about drug use, with youth drugabusers redefining responsible use by promoting the notion of "civilized use". The study concluded that mainstream curricular drug prevention programs have little impact on drug use behavior since its recipients still abuse drugs. Drug education research, policy, and practice implications of the findings were discussed.

Objective: This survey aimed to explore knowledge and experience on novel psychoactive substances (NPS) of healthcare professionals (HCPs). The study also aimed to assess how HCPs would like to improve their knowledge of NPS. Methods: Seventy paper questionnaires were disseminated in 2017 within continuing education events to pharmacists, nurses and general practitioners (GPs). Additionally, 127 online surveys were completed using the Qualtrics platform by other HCPs and mental health nurses in six United Kingdom (UK) independent mental health hospitals long-stay in-patient rehabilitation services. Two educational sessions involving pharmacists and GPs were also held in late 2017 and mid-2018. Knowledge of NPS by HCPs was evaluated prior to the start of the educational events. Evaluation forms were handed out post-sessions to garner feedback, especially on areas for improvement for future sessions. Statistical analysis of data was undertaken using SPSS (V.25). Results: Most HCPs rep...

This study investigated the extent of hallucinogenic mushroom use among 1507 college students and compared mushroom users to nonusers. 'The subjects, who completed an anonymous questionnaire, were students from California State University, Northridge, and the University of California, Los Angeles. The major finding was that among the respondents who reported use of hallucinogenic drugs (17%), over 85 percent had used hallucinogenic (psilocybin) mushrooms and over half had used mushrooms but no other hallucinogens. The data suggest a high level of experimental use compared to other hallucinogens. Survey research into hallucinogenic mushroom use should be extended, and mushroom use should be distinguished from use of other hallucinogens. Approximately two decades ago the "drug problem," which now is a social and health care issue, was just coming into the public eye. One of the causes of greater public awareness was the increasing numbers of middle-class adolescents and young adults who began to use drugs, including psychedelics, as they were popularly termed, or hallucinogens, as they will be referred to in the context of *This research was supported in part by USPHS grants DA 03541 and DA01070 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Evaluated the reading abilities of 122 male and fifty-nine female intravenous and other drug users in Anchorage, Alaska. Reading abilities were assessed through the Reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised and the short Form of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-Revised. Results indicated that men and Black subjects reported the highest levels of schooling completed. However, no differences were revealed across gender and ethnicity in actual reading levels. Among all subjects, the average reading ability was between 8.5 and 8.7 grade level. These scores place the average subject reading at a level lower than approximately 76 percent of the general population. Implications are provided for development of educational materials accessible for this population. A primary avenue for drug use prevention and treatment is the distribution of written materials in the form of brochures and pamphlets. These materials are made available through a wide variety of agencies and facilities, such as health service providers, schools, and mental health centers. Typically, these materials *This research was funded in part by Grant UO1 DA07290 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Drug and substance abuse has continued to ruin our youth and subsequently education despite various measures taken to stop it. This study aimed at finding out what makes students abuse drugs and the effects that arise out of this practice. The study employed survey research design and was conducted in secondary schools in Dagoretti Division, Nairobi. Data was collected with the help of questionnaires. Data was organized and prepared for analysis by coding and entry in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software programme. The study established that majority of students’ abuse drugs to feel high and was a result of peer pressure. It was also noted that poor performance is the greatest effect of drug and substance abuse among students. The study recommends heavy punishment of drug abusers as well as guidance and counseling sessions to minimize the vice and make secondary schools drug free.

ABSTRACT: The research community has criticized Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) because the extant literature indicates a lack of evidence that the elementary school program prevents drug use. Yet D.A.R.E. continues to be the most widely implemented drug use prevention program in the United States and has considerable community support. To date, the junior high D.A.R.E. program has not been evaluated. The Minnesota DARE PLUS Project is a randomized trial of 24 schools and communities. During 1999–2001, students in eight schools will receive the junior high D.A.R.E. curriculum in 7th grade; eight schools also will receive the curriculum as well as additional parent involvement, peer leadership, and community components in the 7th and 8th grades; and eight schools will serve as controls. This article describes the background and conceptualization, the curriculum and additional intervention components, and the evaluation methods of the DARE PLUS Project.

Alcohol remains readily available to youth in most countries. We examined the associations between both the on-and off-premises commercial availability of alcohol to youth and their alcohol use, heavy episodic drinking, and alcohol-related harms. We conducted the study using data from a survey of a sample of 594 students in central Mexico between 12 and 17 years of age in 2016. Both the perceived availability of alcohol and the purchasing of alcohol at an off-premises establishment were positively related to past-30-day alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking, as well as to alcohol-related harms in the past year. Consumption at on-premises establishments was also positively associated with alcohol-related harms. Preventive efforts to reduce the availability of alcohol at off-and on-premises establishments, by such strategies as mystery shopper and responsible beverage service programs, are imperative.

This study examined predictors of substance use and negative activity involvement among a diverse sample of European American, African American, Hispanic, Native American, and multiracial early adolescents (n = 749) living in a large urban city in the Southwest United States. This study investigated a broad set of predictor variables that tap sociodemographic, peer, family, community, and school influences. Overall, findings from this study confirm that lifetime substance use remains high among youth of color. Of particular concern is this study's finding that multiracial adolescents are at elevated risk to use substances and engage in negative activities. The implications of this study for understanding how risk factors are influenced by race and other variables on different measures of problem behavior are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of cigarette smoking and 2 indicators of psychosocial distress (hopelessness and loneliness) among adolescents from 2 distinctly different regions of the world: Central-Eastern Europe (Hungary, Ukraine, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania, Poland) and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines). Among Southeast Asian boys and girls, smokers had elevated hopelessness in comparison to nonsmokers but among Central-Eastern European students, this relationship was true only for girls and there was no relationship for boys. Across the country samples, there was only association of smoking with loneliness among Southeast Asian girls and Central-Eastern European girls. While Southeast Asian girls who smoked scored higher on loneliness than nonsmokers, the opposite was true among Central-Eastern European girls, with smokers scoring lower on loneliness.