@article{ref1,
title="National-level drug policy and young people's illicit drug use: A multilevel analysis of the European Union",
journal="Drug and alcohol dependence",
year="2013",
author="Vuolo, Mike",
volume="131",
number="1-2",
pages="149-156",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: Recent research has called upon investigators to exploit cross-national differences to uncover the cultural and structural factors influencing drug use. While the individual-level correlates are well-established, little is known about the association between cross-national variation in drug policies and young people's substance use. This study examines, net of individual-level predictors, the association between national-level drug policy and use of an illicit drug other than cannabis. METHODS: The study uses Eurobarometer repeated cross-sectional surveys in 2002 and 2004 of adolescents aged 15-24 drawn in multistage, random probability samples proportional to population size and density within regions of their country (N=15,191). Participants completed self-reported measures of last month drug use, attitudes toward drugs, school and work participation, and demographics. Gathered from several international bodies, national-level policy measures include drug offense levels, possession decriminalization, and presence and usage of harm reduction strategies. RESULTS: Hierarchical logistic regression models demonstrate that, while controlling for important individual-level predictors, in countries where there is no restriction on possession of drugs for personal use, the odds of drug use in the last month are 79% lower (p<0.05). On the other hand, higher usage of treatment and drug substitution are associated with higher levels of drug use. These results are robust to several alternate specifications. CONCLUSIONS: Among the strongest and most consistent findings, eliminating punishments for possession for personal use is not associated with higher drug use. The results indicate that researchers should take national-level context into account in individual-level studies of drug use.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0376-8716",
doi="10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.12.012",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.12.012"
}