What causes drug epidemics among kids?

Historically speaking, the biggest single cause of drug epidemics among US children has been anti-drug campaigns.

The first example was the huge teen drinking epidemic during alcohol prohibition. Prohibition was passed with a campaign of "Save the Children from Alcohol". Within five years, teen admissions to hospitals for alcohol problems had skyrocketed. Schools had to cancel dances because so many kids would show up with hip flasks full of whiskey. Children became involved in the bootlegging trade. The average age at which people started drinking dropped dramatically. Some early supporters of prohibition turned against it because they said that prohibition made it easier than ever for their children to get alcohol. Alcohol prohibition was repealed with a campaign of "Save the Children From Prohibition."

Another example was the rise of glue sniffing (inhalant abuse). Glue sniffing was essentially unknown as a recreational activity in the US until 1959. Then, by 1960, kids were being arrested by the thousands for sniffing glue -- even though there were no laws against sniffing glue. What happened in 1959? A series of dire-sounding media stories inspired US children who heard the message of danger as a lure to try it. 

Likewise, the speed epidemic and the rise of LSD use in the 1960s were both preceded by major publicity campaigns about the dangers of these drugs. As one major study of the subject concluded, "the warning (against drugs) functions as a lure".

The first drug education class I attended in school was a perfect example. We heard an hour about the horrors of drugs, really terrible stuff. As we left the class, a friend turned to me and said, "Wow! If drugs are that bad and people still take them, they must REALLY feel great!"

It struck me at the time that his logic was perfect, but exactly the opposite of what the instructors had intended. He promptly went out looking for illegal drugs, and found them.

Additional Reading

• What happened to children during alcohol prohibition?
• History of Alcohol Prohibition
• Why alcohol should not be prohibited
• How To Launch a Nationwide Drug Menace
• How LSD was popularized, 1962-1969
• How the hazards of LSD were augmented, 1962-1969
• How speed was popularized