[Mikecg123]

Do you think drug use in the middle class/affluent heavily suburban towns amongst the teens-twenties age group is worse or fairly similar between towns? Also, is there any data comparing drug use/drug of choice between the towns. Or comparing CT to other states? I'm specifically asking about the more well off suburban areas, not urban ones

[RogerAnthony]

I think in suburban towns' teen drug use is pretty similar whether you are talking blue collar, middle class, or wealthy areas. From what I've seen the only towns where it is significantly lower are the urban areas such as Waterbury and Hartford.

[7 Wishes]

I don't know much in this sense about "hard" drug use per se, but I've noticed that in the last 15-20 years, teen smoking (tobacco, not pot) has shifted to something that is more common in richer suburbs than in poorer areas. My wife thinks it is due to cost of cigarettes from increased taxation.

But more accurately, in real recent years (say the last 5-10 or so), I happily don't see much teen smoking at all anymore. I know when I was in HS (granted about 25-30 years ago), you'd always see some, indeed many teens leave school at the end of the day "lighting up", I barely if at all see that anymore, whether it's an "inner city" or a "rich suburb".

I half-joke that it's because smartphones have replaced smoking as the "cure for teenage boredom".

[kidyankee764]

Heroin, E (molly), and prescription pills are becoming very common in the more affluent areas, unfortunately.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Heroin, E (molly), and prescription pills are becoming very common in the more affluent areas, unfortunately.

Have been for a while. I know a few people that died of overdoses. Sadly, they were the kids that were relegated to the "alternative" school in high school and had trouble fitting in.

Then again, I also know a few people who were amazing high school students, went to expensive colleges, and they came back to town and are into it now too.

I do truly think boredom feeds that. Growing up and living in a sleepy suburban/rural town works for some, but some kids truly have nothing better to do than to get in trouble to keep themselves amused. Seen it first hand many times.

[bomgd3]

Coming from Avon there was a lot of drinking and marijuana, but only a few kids used anything harder. This was 8 years ago so I don't know what it's like now. I came from a middle class high school in the midwest and I did notice that there was much more drinking and sexual activity here in CT. I had never even heard of kids drinking except very peripherally until I got to Connceticut. I think the kids' parents were a lot more tolerant of drinking and many would allow it under supervision.

[NewHavensFinest]

Im 26 and heres what Ive learned.

I went to public school. Most my peers in the high school had their first drink and smoked pot. Rare occasion there was a kid who was into pills. Most of it was all cigarettes, pot, and beer.

I knew people that went to private high schools, of which students came from the "richer" towns. A bunch of those kids were already into pills, cocaine, dope and ecstasy.

I think its because they are getting the pain pills from moms medicine cabinet, they have more access to money, and usually know [much] older people by the time they get into high school.

It seems like the more affluent areas, get into harder drugs younger. I couldnt tell you how many of these kids ive seen crash brand new bmws and get away with duis.


As stylo said. Its the boredom factor on top of having dads cash. In my area, everyone wasnt too far away so it was nothing to walk/bike to the party with 15 other people. We gathered around drinks and a huge smoke session lol.

In the rural areas, you need to get a car right from the start, or you need to know older friends to get places.

[Robustus]

Originally Posted by Stylo

...
I do truly think boredom feeds that. Growing up and living in a sleepy suburban/rural town works for some, but some kids truly have nothing better to do than to get in trouble to keep themselves amused. Seen it first hand many times.

Boredom is a symptom of a weak-mind, as is excessive drug use. So drug use may be correlated with boredom, but I wouldn't say caused by it.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Have been for a while. I know a few people that died of overdoses. Sadly, they were the kids that were relegated to the "alternative" school in high school and had trouble fitting in.

Then again, I also know a few people who were amazing high school students, went to expensive colleges, and they came back to town and are into it now too.

I do truly think boredom feeds that. Growing up and living in a sleepy suburban/rural town works for some, but some kids truly have nothing better to do than to get in trouble to keep themselves amused. Seen it first hand many times.

It has little to do with boredom or rural/suburban. Actually it's quite the opposite. It has everything to do with availability. Statistically, the drugs are dispersed in the suburbs along highways between cities, where the trafficking occurs. So you're many times more likely to find hard drugs in Fairfield, Westport, Valley, Milford/Stratford, Meriden, etc. Actually, one of the largest Narcotics Anon. groups in the state is in Fairfield, and their member population tripled in the past 5 years. Some of the smallest NA groups are in the towns between New Haven and New London, and that's not a coincidence.

Once the drug gets into your Kents and Litchfields, they've been marked up so much that they're no longer affordable to purchase. That's why you see these kids driving into the cities/highway suburbs to pick up what they need.

Originally Posted by NewHavensFinest

It seems like the more affluent areas, get into harder drugs younger. I couldnt tell you how many of these kids ive seen crash brand new bmws and get away with duis.

There is a difference between a "hard drug" and getting a DWI, which is alcohol. Second, how do you know they "get away with DWIs"?

[mikelizard860]

Originally Posted by bomgd3

Coming from Avon there was a lot of drinking and marijuana, but only a few kids used anything harder. This was 8 years ago so I don't know what it's like now. I came from a middle class high school in the midwest and I did notice that there was much more drinking and sexual activity here in CT. I had never even heard of kids drinking except very peripherally until I got to Connceticut. I think the kids' parents were a lot more tolerant of drinking and many would allow it under supervision.

lmao.....Never heard of hs kids drinking? haha This is nothing new and has been going on forever. That's reality. Hell it's legal in most of Europe.

21 to drink here, but 18 to kill people in war! I hardly know anyone that didn't have a drink before 21. That means never sipping wine, tasting beer ect. If you haven't had a drink by 21 you probably never will.(which is a good thing) Sort of like smoking. Very few start at 18, forget 21 People become adults much younger than people seem to realize. A lot of babying in this society and an attempt to try to extend adolescence needlessly (ie refering to people who are adults as "college kids".) After a certain age, people are going to do what they want and they have to live with the consequences as an adult. Enough blaming the parents nonsense. For a 12 year old, yes definitely the parent's have some blame obviously. But once they hit a certain age, there has to be personal responsibility. op asked about teens to twenties drug use.