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The Phenomenon of Abusable Psychotropic Use Among North American Youth
Author(s) -
Pagliaro Louis A.,
Pagliaro Ann Marie
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
the journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.92
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1552-4604
pISSN - 0091-2700
DOI - 10.1002/j.1552-4604.1993.tb05607.x
Subject(s) - ethnic group , psychiatry , psychotropic drug , socioeconomic status , affect (linguistics) , medicine , psychotropic agent , cannabis , psychology , clinical psychology , drug , environmental health , population , communication , sociology , anthropology
Abusable psychotropic use can, and does, affect all North American youth, either directly or indirectly, regardless of age, gender, culture, ethnic background, education, race, or socioeconomic status. Over the last decade, the morbidity and mortality associated with abusable psychotropic use among youth have become staggering. A current overview of the phenomenon of abusable psychotropic use among youth in North America, including the use of alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, LSD, nicotine, and polyabusable psychotropic use, is presented with attention to the expanding role of clinical pharmacologists in relation to both prevention and treatment. The Mega Interactive Model of Abusable Psychotropic Use Among Youth is presented as a heuristic device to assist clinical pharmacologists, and other health care providers, in addressing the multifactorial interactive aspects of this complex phenomenon as observed in the pediatric age group. In this regard, attention is given to the interaction of the Abusable Psychotropic Dimension, including the Abusable Psychotropic Variables (e.g., pharmacokinetics, abuse potential) and Pattern of Use Variables (e.g., social use, abuse, compulsive use), with the Young Person, Societal, and Time Dimensions.