Drug Experimentation and Summer, a dangerous duo

TUESDAY, July 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) – It's summer, a period of music festivals and rock concerts. And the drug experiment?

Apparently, new research shows that many people try drugs for the first time when it's hot and the music is loud.

Researchers examined data from almost 395,000 people aged 12 and over who participated in the US National Survey of Drug Use and Health between 2011 and 2017.

The badysis showed that summer was the beginning of the consumption of LSD, 30% marijuana, 30% ecstasy and 28% cocaine, in the summer.

High rates of drug use for the first time in the summer may be due to prolonged leisure and the increasing popularity of outdoor activities such as music festivals, where recreational drug use is common, said the researchers.

More research is needed to learn about specific situations – especially in the summer – where people are most likely to be using drugs for the first time and the degree to which their first use is planned or not.

"New users may not be familiar with the effects of various drugs, so it's important to understand first when people are most likely to trigger these behaviors," said lead investigator Joseph Palamar. , Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health of New York University. School of Medicine in New York.

In 2017, more than 3 million people in the United States have tried LSD, marijuana, cocaine or ecstasy for the first time, according to the US Drug Treatment and Substance Use Services. mental health.

"Parents and educators who care about their children need to inform them all year round of the potential risks badociated with drug use, but special attention seems to be needed before or during the summer months, when initiation rates are increasing, "said Palamar in a new academic. Release.

Potential users must learn about the drugs they can use and their side effects, he recommended.

It is also important to be with trusted friends if you are taking medication for the first time, drink enough fluids and get enough rest to avoid dehydration, burnout or more serious problems such as heat stroke, advised Palamar.

The results were published online on July 23 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

More information

The US National Institute on Drug Abuse has more on drug use and addiction.