Drugs & Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is a real risk factor for drug use, including alcohol use, among both children and adults. 

Here are some facts:

A person may be especially vulnerable to peer pressure if they feel that peer acceptance is important to them, or if they are sensitive to rejection. The perception that alcohol or drug use is expected may also act as a form of peer pressure. 

Teenagers may deliberately choose to use drugs to fit in and avoid rejection. Or peer pressure may be more subtle, slowly ‘normalising’ drug use and making it seem less threatening. 

The Voice of Youth: at Drug Free Australia we are keen to hear the thoughts, dreams and advice from teenagers. Many of them are very thoughtful and extremely brave in their actions. The following advice is from two young people who have dealt with peer pressure:

Alison (aged 18) says:

“I started doing drugs when I was 15. All my friends were into it and I honestly felt it was ok to do the stuff with them. I now know that I shouldn’t have done and it has taken me over a year to get back to where I’m at today.

I’ve got drugs out of my body. I still don’t feel good about it and some days can be better than others… but I’m looking forwards, not backwards. I think that’s important. I know it was peer pressure that got me into that stuff. We all got screwed up. My advice to anyone is if you know that you shouldn’t do stuff then don’t do it – even if your friends think it’s cool. It’s not worth it… and your life gets messed up.

I still have some of my friends but they’ve changed. They’re still trying to get their lives together. Don’t do drugs. You only get one body and only you can look after it.”