Citation

Richter L. J. Adolesc. Health 2022; 71(6): 655-657.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.09.007

PMID

36403988

Abstract

Two and a half years into the COVID-19 pandemic, we now have a more solid research base upon which to assess its effects on young people. Early predictions of some protective benefits of the lockdown with regard to substance use risk for the broad population of youth ] have largely been supported. Indeed, a silver lining of the restrictions was that it highlighted and reinforced certain principles that prevention scientists have long known, for example, that more time spent with family is generally protective while more unsupervised time with peers is generally risky when it comes to youth substance use.

We also know that the pandemic exposed significant vulnerabilities in our social safety net. Opioid overdose rates skyrocketed as vulnerable people were cut off from their limited but necessary healthcare and personal supports. The policies aimed at protecting the population from illness put significant strain on young people's mental and emotional health, social ties, and academic progress...

Language: en