Adolescents with Alcohol and Smoking Experience Are Also More Likely to Use Drugs

Research by Professor Heo Wonbin and Oh Youngsam Team at National Pukyong University

Are adolescents who have tried drinking and smoking more likely to experience drug use?

A study has found that adolescents who have tried cigarettes and alcohol are more likely to use drugs than those who have not.

A research team led by Professors Heo Wonbin and Oh Youngsam from the Department of Social Welfare at Pukyong National University revealed the relationship between adolescent smoking, drinking, and drug use based on the gateway theory.

The gateway theory is mainly used to explain the phenomenon where the use of safer or legally permitted substances leads to the use of stronger, more addictive drugs. It is similar in context to the proverb "A needle thief becomes a cow thief."

According to the study, the group with drug use experience had significantly higher rates of smoking and drinking compared to the non-experienced group. Lifetime e-cigarette use was twice as high, lifetime smoking experience was about 1.54 times higher, and drinking experience was about 1.29 times higher.

Adolescents who have ever used e-cigarettes in their lifetime were found to be 2.42 times more likely to use drugs than those who have never used them.

Additionally, the earlier and longer the period of using heated tobacco products, the likelihood of drug use increased by 1.53 times for each year earlier. Similarly, for each year earlier in the drinking period, the likelihood of drug use increased by 1.58 times.

The research team utilized data from the 17th (2021) Youth Health Behavior Online Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, which surveyed 54,848 middle and high school students from 800 schools nationwide. The study interpreted the results as supporting the gateway theory, which suggests that soft drug use like smoking and drinking leads to the use of stronger drugs such as narcotics.

The paper titled “The Relationship Between Adolescent Drinking, Smoking, and Drug Use?Using the Gateway Theory” was published in the recent issue (Vol. 31, No. 2) of the Journal of Social Science Research by Sogang University’s Institute of Social Sciences.

Professor Oh Youngsam stated, “If the issue of adolescent drug use cannot be completely eliminated, prevention and the establishment of response systems are more important than punishment.”

He also pointed out, “Accurate assessment of adolescent drug use and the establishment of effective strategies and systems must precede, and efforts and attention from individuals and communities?including the government, schools, police, and social welfare organizations?are necessary.”