Multiple Drug Use and Polydrug Use Amongst Homeless Traveling Youth

Abstract

Diverse forms of drug use are an emerging theme within research on young people and substance use. This manuscript, based on a three city study of health risks amongst young injection drug users, explores multiple drug use and polydrug use amongst a subset of homeless youth referred to as “travelers.” In particular, we outline characteristics of homeless traveler youths and the various ways in which they practiced multiple drug use and polydrug use. From here, we discusssome theoretical and public health implications of multiple drug use and polydrug use amongst this particular population.

Key Words:

• Multiple drug use
• polydrug
• drug normalization
• high-risk youth
• homeless
• traveler