Trends in adolescent substance use and their implications for understanding trends in mental health

Abstract

One of the most obvious social changes over the second half of the 20th century was the increase in the proportion of young people using alcohol and different kinds of drugs. Recreational use of illegal substances has increased and is now a conspicuous part of the social landscape. We know that using substances is associated with a range of poor outcomes. The UK has a high level of adolescent alcohol consumption and problem use. What are the implications? The literature is rarely focused on the more specifically developmental aspects of use in adolescence, and preliminary evidence suggests that indeed there may be links between the rising trends in both substance use and mental health outcomes.