Fiellin, Tetrault, Becker, Fiellin & Hoff (2013) in this study sought to determine how the use of alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes leads to the subsequent abuse of opioids even under prescription in young adults. This is within the context that over time there has been a correlation between the abuse of prescription opioids and the previous use of the illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin or licit drugs such as alcohol and cigarettes. The objective of the study was based on the need to identity how these early influences in life lead the individual to subsequent use and abuse of ‘harder; drugs in the future and in that case developing interventions that can help avert the early engagement into drugs as a gateway to other drugs in the future within this population of young adults mainly between the ages of 18 and 25 years (Fiellin, Tetrault, Becker, Fiellin & Hoff, 2013).
The study hypothesis was based on three major concepts; one that there a static relationship exists between two substances whereby one is initiated before the other. This concept is referred to as sequencing. Secondly, the concept of association exists which presumes that a strong relationship must exists in commencement of the use of one substance and the subsequent commencement in using the second substance (Fiellin, Tetrault, Becker, Fiellin & Hoff, 2013). In the third concept, the presumption is that the actual use of one particular substance will definitely lead to the use of a second. This in limiting this subsequent use of s second substance, early interventions in the management, cessation and quitting of the first substance can help in limiting the likelihood of using a second substance in the future. Utilizing the data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an annual self-reported civilian survey of U.S citizens who are non-institutionalized and aged beyond the age of 12 years, the researchers focused on the use of illicit drugs as well as alcohol and cigarettes (Fiellin, Tetrault, Becker, Fiellin & Hoff, 2013).
A probability sample in each of the fifty states as well as the District if Columbia was sampled. The final sample was restricted to include a total of 55, 125 respondents who were aged between the ages of 18 and 25 years. Twelve percent of this population indicated the current use of opioids for non-medical use (abuse) (Fiellin, Tetrault, Becker, Fiellin & Hoff, 2013). Apparently, there was notable prevalence of association between the previous use of substances and the subsequent prescription of opioids with 57% of current opioid users having had progressed from alcohol use, 56% from cigarette use and 34% from use of marijuana (Fiellin, Tetrault, Becker, Fiellin & Hoff, 2013). Apparently, this study achieves to explore the association without necessarily establishing the causal relationship but still acts to indicate the underlying influencing factors that influence the progression from one drug to the other. In confirming this aspect the researchers provide a foundation on which future research can explore the casual relationship by utilizing data based on the serial use of substances instead of the subject recall data used in this case. However, this study acknowledges that despite this assertion and discovery, across the many subjects who report the early abuse of alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes, they do not all progress to abuse of opioids (Fiellin, Tetrault, Becker, Fiellin & Hoff, 2013).
References
Fiellin, L. E., Tetrault, J. M., Becker, W. C., Fiellin, D. A., & Hoff, R. A. (2013). Previous use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana and subsequent abuse of prescription opioids in young adults. Journal of Adolescent Health,52(2), 158-163.
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