Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 1 … how to deal with Risks - drugs - Gregor Burkhart, EMCDDA, July 2009 CONFERENCE ON THE HEALTH OF YOUNG PEOPLE: BE HEALTHY, BE YOURSELF

Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 2 “the drugs do work“ What the media tell you “10 million people have smoked cannabis”

Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 3 Good news 1 - Myth correction It is totally normal not to do drugs: most young people do not use any illicit drug ¾ never even tried Cannabis, 93% haven‘t smoked it in the last year. Of those who tried (1/4), most (72%) don‘t go on (didn‘t they like it?) Most young people (especially females) disapprove of use and cannabis seems to loose popularity among youth Non-binge drinkers and non-Cannabis users are seemingly less market-conform and less reactionary

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Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 5 Use of legal substances by adolescents using cannabis (last 30 days) compared to same age group in general school population (22 countries average)

Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 6 Access option 2: Environmental strategies: target norms and normative beliefs on alcohol, tobacco (Cannabis) Use of substances in last 30 days among > 76,000 adolescents, by country group Substance Prevalence full range % Low prev.Medium prev.High prev. Alcohol Binge alc Cigarettes Cannabis Ecstasy Hallucinogenic mushrooms LSD or other hallucinogens Amphetamine Cocaine Heroin

Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 7 Good news 2 – focus, don’t dramatise The big numbers of moderate users make the biggest share of Public Health problems But not all drug-using youth develop problem use or dependency later on Drug problems are not due to drug consumption alone Consider drug use an indication of additional problems “Vulnerability” is increasingly used for prevention (“what other problems are there?”) Vulnerability can be reduced through RESILIENCE building

Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 8 How to tackle vulnerability Effective interventions tackle vulnerability factors for drug problems, rather than addressing drug use itself (Steiker 2008) They help to boost academic performance … bonding to school … effective parenting … coping mechanisms (deal with hardship)

Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 9 Good news 3 – interventions are stronger than genetics. Some conduct problems or personality traits make some few individuals more prone for early and quick escalation into problem drug use and other problems Sensation seeking, Attention- Deficit-Disorder But prevention programmes can override this genetic vulnerability

Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 10 Action is possible – but needs rethinking… To promote “Informed choices” is a sarcastic concept if you are vulnerable Extreme risk taking is a neurobiological trait and hasn‘t much to do with courage or coolness sensation seekers are vulnerable Cannabis use is not more rebellious or alternative than binge-drinking, alcohol and tobacco use

Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 11 … a lot Only to inform and to warn about drugs is not effective and can be harmful Still this is the most frequent “prevention” type in the EU Perception of what is “normal“ (what others do) might be more important than perception of danger

Gregor Burkhart - EMCDDA / OEDT - 12 How to deal with risks of drug taking? How vulnerable are you? … regarding the friends you choose … with school and family How do you deal with yourself? Your impulses, anxiety, boredom.. How independent are you? How interested? And after all: It is not only your burden of responsibility