Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

arstechnica.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 624 posts

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#51

Post by s1artibartfast »

prerok wrote: post #15
smartmic wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. And what about the psychosocial consequences, will it be an improvement compared to the other substances? I doubt it.

While I don't think smartphone addiction should be taken lightly, it's still a far cry from substance abuse.

I'm not so sure, especially if you look at the sum societal impact, and not just the worst outcomes.

My personal take is that the net social impact is positive for alcohol, marijuana, hallucinogens, and maybe some of the party drugs. For most people, they tend to be a social lubricant, tool for exploration, and source of fun.

I think that smartphone use probably balances out negatively. I think for most people, they have a pretty severe negative impact on their lives, and for some, an extremely negative impact.

The worst outcomes for drug use are probably worse than those for smartphones, but not by too much in my opinion.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#52

Post by crtified »

oortoo wrote: post #18

Another aspect here I think is the generalized fear and anxiety present in young people. Having spoken to some family members in the 15-18 age bracket, the message they seem to be receiving is that they are without a future... they won't be buying homes, they won't be getting high paying jobs, and that the system is not going to work in their favor. I think people of this age are uniquely feeling mortal and vulnerabl…

I imagine that, for the young people of the world, the Covid years really ripped away the illusion that the adults of the world are in competent control. To a degree that modern generations (from otherwise relatively stable, wealthy countries) have never experienced. While there are other major factors clearly contributing to the generational angst, I think this was the catalyst.

I wonder how the economics stack up, because intoxicants aren't free. If the researchers are saying there's X less drug use, then presumably that either implies (a) teenagers are now spending X more on other areas instead (and what are they?), or (b) teenagers now have X less money.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#53

Post by _qbxi »

oortoo wrote: post #18

Another aspect here I think is the generalized fear and anxiety present in young people. Having spoken to some family members in the 15-18 age bracket, the message they seem to be receiving is that they are without a future... they won't be buying homes, they won't be getting high paying jobs, and that the system is not going to work in their favor. I think people of this age are uniquely feeling mortal and vulnerabl…

First-time home owners have increased in age[0], the middle class is shrinking[1], education costs have vastly outpaced inflation[2] as have medical costs[3].

Perhaps the generalized fear is not so much about "coddling", but concrete realities. I do not envy them.

[0] https://www.axios.com/2023/11/20/american-housing-market-old... [1] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/04/20/how-the-a... [2] https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-co... [3] https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-does-medical-i...

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#54

Post by kube-system »

hathawsh wrote: post #19
ikmckenz wrote: post #13

Teens aren't doing drugs, smoking, drinking, or having sex. And the suicide rate has never been higher.

I'm not contradicting you, but it appears that the suicide rate hasn't changed since 2018. See this interactive chart and switch the Injury Type to Suicide: https://wisqars.cdc.gov/fatal-injury-trends/ That chart shows the rate has hovered around 4000 per month for years. That's 4000 too many, but at least it's not increasing.

That is the raw number, not the rate.

Since the spread of social media, suicide rates are up for children, significantly: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db471.pdf

> The suicide rate for people aged 15–19 did not change significantly from 2001 through 2009, then increased 57% from 2009 through 2017

> For people aged 10–14, the suicide rate tripled from 2007 through 2018

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#55

Post by munk-a »

gardenhedge wrote: post #41
amelius wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You also got older ... Age is a factor.

Does weight increase as you get older if you consume the correct amount of calories?

Weight will increase as you get older if you consume a constant amount of calories. Your metabolism slows with age (and generally entering the job market means a much more sedentary life style for most white collar workers).

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#56

Post by plagiarist »

oortoo wrote: post #18

Another aspect here I think is the generalized fear and anxiety present in young people. Having spoken to some family members in the 15-18 age bracket, the message they seem to be receiving is that they are without a future... they won't be buying homes, they won't be getting high paying jobs, and that the system is not going to work in their favor. I think people of this age are uniquely feeling mortal and vulnerabl…

Your last point was my knee-jerk reaction, "where are they going to do drugs? There are fewer and fewer places available to spend time without paying a fee." I'd like to know if that's true or just a mistaken impression on my part.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#57

Post by hnuser123456 »

gardenhedge wrote: post #41
amelius wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You also got older ... Age is a factor.

Does weight increase as you get older if you consume the correct amount of calories?

People tend to have more major life events as they get older, and sometimes they choose to soothe with food when facing major loss in other areas.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#58

Post by kickout »

Think most commenters are correct and that tech and screens have usurped more “medicinal” drugs.

What I find interesting is the general lack of care among folks here at HN. There was a comment thread about some person in AL alluding to not being able to find qualified workers at their government contractor implying a morale hang up on “weapon systems”

I’d argue tech kills more folks than these contractors but people can easily look past that.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#59

Post by hgh »

jart wrote: post #48
vouaobrasil wrote: post #6

I wonder if the new drug of choice is actually technology. In some ways I think that the addiction to technology has some similar mellowing effects as drugs. Some research indicates that smartphone addiction is also related to low self-esteem and avoidant attachment [1] and that smartphones can become an object of attachment [2]. The replacement of drugs by technology is not surprising as it significantly strengthens…

If everyone is switching from drugs to social media, then that's progress. Twitter and Facebook won't harm your body. They're also free, so your habit will never make you poor and desperate. This kind of revolution in improving our health makes me proud to work in the tech industry. The worst that can happen is you'll feel sad if people bully you online, but that's the fault of people, not the technology. We can impr…

Perhaps? But a confounder is the strengthening or weakening of social ties. It's not clear that what seems to increasing loneliness is doing well by this next generation.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#60

Post by jajko »

oortoo wrote: post #18

Another aspect here I think is the generalized fear and anxiety present in young people. Having spoken to some family members in the 15-18 age bracket, the message they seem to be receiving is that they are without a future... they won't be buying homes, they won't be getting high paying jobs, and that the system is not going to work in their favor. I think people of this age are uniquely feeling mortal and vulnerabl…

> they won't be buying homes, they won't be getting high paying jobs, and that the system is not going to work in their favor

I dont have a clue what your upbringing looked like, but even up to around age of 25, I never ever expected nor was told to expect any of that. The success despite all that is much sweeter.

Maybe thats some US thing, being raised in eastern Europe you were born to shit, you were considered insignificant shit and that was about it. Thats what being occupied for 4 decades by russians causes to society, on top of other bad stuff they are so natural with.

Maybe stop telling kids how they are all special and great and all will be astronauts and let them figure it all out by themselves? Teenagers being frustrated that they wont be owning some posh expensive house, thats pretty fucked up upbringing and life goals to be polite, thats not success in life in any meaningful way.

I recommend checking biggest regrets of dying people, focus on careers and money hoarding are consistently at the top.

Post reply on HN