Marijuana and Heroin Use in Hong Kong Adolescents

Abstract

Data on marijuana and heroin use were obtained from 969 nonrandomized adolescent boys and girls in Hong Kong. Drug use prevalence rates were very high which was due to the fact that a large part of the sample was institutionalized offenders. All but two of the heroin users were incarcerated. Drug use frequencies were highly associated with psychosocial variables such as peer drug use, family drug use, susceptibility to peer pressure, perceived control to gain access to drugs, and perceived adverse consequences of drug use.

Key Words:

• Drug use
• Adolescents
• Delinquents
• Sensation seeking
• Peer pressure
• Social influence
• Heroin
• Marijuana