Choosers or losers? young people's decisions about the use of drugs.

This paper documents selected findings from 'Choosers or losers? Influences on young people's decisions about drugs in inner-city Dublin.' This qualitative study sought detailed knowledge and understanding about drug use from the perspectives of young users and non-users of illicit drugs. As a starting point, the paper briefly describes the research strategy and documents the key methodological features of the study. Findings pertaining to the drug-taking behaviours of the study respondents categorised as 'drug takers' and 'problem drug takers' are then presented. The issue of drug choices - a core concern of the study - is addressed by examining how young people related their drug decisions. The findings draw attention to the complex social dynamics surrounding drug use as well as the likely array of interacting influences on drug-decisions. In particular, they highlight the critical capacities of young people in the decision to use, or alternatvely, not to use a range of illicit drugs