Malcolm had been using ecstasy for over eight years when I spoke to him. He had first used the drug when he was twenty years old after associating with a group of clubbers for almost twelve months. He had observed his group of friends using ecstasy and had decided to try it. When he asked his friends to provide the drug the response he got was not exactly the one he was expecting. They asked him whether he was aware of the risks and if he was really sure that he wanted to start using ecstasy. Malcolm was confused and surprised by the response and for a while viewed his friends as hypocritical. However, he quickly realised that they were trying to look after him and make sure that he truly did know what he was getting into.

Although this story challenges a lot of what people believe about peer pressure, the truth is that most young people do not ‘push’ their friends into doing something they don’t want to do.

Excerpt from “Teenagers, Alcohol and Drugs” by Paul Dillon.
Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.