Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol In Adolescence Michael Hoerger.

Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol

In Adolescence

Michael Hoerger

Sex Facts

25% by age 14 50% by age 17 90% by age 21 Pregnancy before age 16:

Increased risk of complications 1/6 couples are infertile, primarily due to

untreated STIs

Sexually Transmitted Infections Higher risk in adolescence due to weaker

immune systems, multiple partners, not using condoms

Most with STIs have no symptoms Curable: Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis Life-long: Herpes, HPV, HIV > 50% lifetime STI rate 25% lifetime herpes rate (90% w/o signs)

Sex Myths “I can’t get pregnant” Preventing STIs is effective if…

Using birth control pills, pulling out/showering/ brushing teeth/peeing, not having noticeable signs, seeming like a “nice person”

Preventing Pregnancy is effective if… Sex during menstruation, showering

Early pregnancy OR abortion have drastic negative long-term outcomes

Abstinence programs are most effective

Drugs“Here and everywhere else, we all use drugs: aspirin; coffee; tea; vitamins. How do we define a drug? That’s become a political concept too. It’s no longer a pharmacological concept. Caffeine is certainly one of the most powerful drugs; Coca-Cola Company fills its drinks full of caffeine and it is being sold to children in schools and they become hyperactive. Wonder of wonders!” – Szasz

Drugs Gateway drugs:

cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana; increase risk for harder drug use

Drugs Minor drug or alcohol use is normal;

related to better long-term psychological outcomes than no use

Alcohol: impairs decision making (15x the risk for car accidents)

Tobacco: stunts growth, highly addictive Marijuana: slows thinking and reasoning

Harder Drugs Cocaine (stimulant): heart and respiratory

problems, paranoia, overdose Heroin (opioid): overdose Most problems result from these drugs

being illegal Turf wars, stealing/fencing to afford drugs,

intravenous drug use, withdrawal $100 of heroin could be made for pennies/day

Stimulants like caffeine, Ritalin, nicotine, and cocaine differ mainly in degree

Drugs and Discrimination “We do our bodies more damage, more

irreversible damage, by smoking cigarettes and drinking liquor than by using heroin” – Reiman

“To cast the problem of psychiatric drug use into the problem of drug use in general is more honest and realistic and should enable each person to make a more informed choice” – Lewontin et al.

Drugs and Discrimination Marijuana laws began in the 1930s to

discriminate against Mexican Americans Cocaine became popular among the white

upper class in the 1970s; crack among low SES in the 1980s

Mandatory 5-year sentence for 500 grams of powder cocaine OR 5 grams of crack Crack offenders:

86% black, 5% white

Michael Hoerger

To cite this lecture: Hoerger, M. (2007, March 12). Sex, Drugs,

and Alcohol. Presented at a PSY 220 lecture at Central Michigan University.