Adolescent Same-Sex Romantic Attractions and Relationships: Implications for Substance Use and Abuse
| Stephen T. Russell, PhD, Anne K. Driscoll, DrPH, and Nhan Truong, BA
Substance abuse is a critical problem among youths in the United States.1 Among the groups believed to be at highest risk are those with same-sex sexual orientations— those who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB).2 Most relevant research has been based, however, on nonrepresentative samples of self-identified LGB youths. For example, one study of 154 LGB youths showed that lifetime substance use, as well as symptoms of substance use (dependency of use and trouble with school, friends, and family), was prevalent and frequent.3 In another recent study of more than 130 predominantly Black and Hispanic LGB youths, substance use rates appeared to be higher than those present in the general adolescent population.4 In that study, 63% of participants had used alcohol, 33% had used marijuana, and 14% had used cocaine in the previous 3 months,5 as compared with corresponding rates for the general adolescent population of 51%, 22%, and 2% (each referring to the previous month).1 Several more recent studies have used population-based data to examine associations between same-sex sexual identity or sexual behaviors and substance use and abuse. Data from the 1993 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) showed that youths engaging in same-sex sexual behavior were significantly more likely to use alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and other illegal drugs.6 Similarly, a study focusing on the 1995 Massachusetts YRBS revealed that self-identified LGB youths were more likely than their peers to begin marijuana and alcohol use early (before the age of 13 years), to have higher lifetime rates of crack/cocaine use, and to report more recent use of tobacco.
