Political and policy issues in adolescent addiction

Abstract

The extent to which young people engage in addictive behaviors, how they are affected, and whether they receive appropriate assistance has a broader social and political context. Drug policies in particular are highly political; such policies can change very quickly and are becoming highly variable around the world. It is useful to examine how broader ideological, philosophical, and political factors are likely to affect these policies. Although both governments and researchers claim to be evidence-based or evidence-formed, it is clear that political factors can influence what evidence is amassed and what evidence is heeded. Given the strong nexus between research, media interest, and politics, certain areas of addiction are more likely to be researched and noticed than others. Changes in how addiction is researched and tackled may have as much to do with changing community sentiment and understanding as with immediately changing political positions.