Drug Pathways into Young Adulthood : Follow-up of a Longitudinal Sample of Drugwise 'Post Adolescents', 1999-2000

The North West Longitudinal Study began in 1991 whereby over seven hundred 'ordinary' adolescents were tracked annually from when they were aged 14 years (Year 1, 1991) to 18 years (Year 5). This follow-up study has recaptured 465 of the cohort at age 22. <br> The aims and objectives of the study were to:<br> furthe develop a longitudinal analysis of the drug careers and drugs pathways of 1990s British youth and young adults;<br> assess the impact of entry into young adulthood/'post adolescence' on the drug careers of an established sample of young people;<br> to monitor the scale and nature of personal, social, 'crime' and health problems associated with extended 'recreational' drugs careers;<br> further explore to what extent and how drug abstainers maintain and protect their status during young adulthood; further identify and describe the public policy implications of 'recreational' drugs careers.<br> Users should note that UKDA hold only this follow-up study and not the original North West Longitudinal Study.