Table 5.

Qualitative Statements of Socialization Processes by Youth Group

Adolescents (12–17)

PeerPressure

“Because my friends are negative influences…they keep asking – you want to get high”

“For me, it’s not really about the place or situation - like a party, but about the people there – friends have a strong influence on what we do – they can turn any place into a bad place”

Media Influence

“Because they saw it glorified on TV or heard about how fun it is on the radio, so it reminds them of how it feels and how it’s good, and how happy they will feel”

“I think because of the media influence. All types, TV, radio, film, internet, video games show alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, prescription pills, other drugs, in a positive light and make using/drinking normal. So we start to believe it and think it’s normal part of life”

Young Adults (12–24)

Social Networks

“They continued to want to party and connect with old drug use networks”

Social Norms

“Like seriously? Like if you’ve never tried pot. Like, I mean, you don’t have to be a black tar heroin user, but I mean it’s just what’s in our social culture and expected”

“Because of the social standards or whatever you want to call them about using alcohol and drugs in our age group – young people just use a lot of drugs…and they think it’s normal and being sober is not normal”