Indian Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Use: Recent Patterns and Consequences

Trends in overall drug use among Indian and non-Indian youth have followed similar patterns, increasing from 1975 to the early 1980s and, for the most-used drugs, declining since then. At every point in time more reservation Indian youth are involved with drugs than are non-Indian youth. Rates for cocaine and hallucinogen use by Indian youth increase until 1990. The decline in overall drug use has occurred because a considerable number of moderate users have shifted to non-use. There has been no decrease in the proportion of high-risk users; since 1980, it has stayed between 17% and 20%. Societal changes and prevention programs are reaching casual drug users but not those susceptible to heavy drug involvement.