Teenagers consume drugs and alcohol ‘to look cool’

Teenagers don't drink or take drugs simply out of rebellion or emotional troubles. They do so to look cool, says a new study.

"Our study highlights a correlation between popularity and consumption," said Jean-Sebastien Fallu at the Université de Montréal's School of Psychoeducation.

"The teenagers we studied were well accepted, very sensitive to social codes, and understood the compromises that it takes to be popular," she said.

The study's findings showed an increase in consumption as the child got older regardless of his or her popularity level. But the more popular a child and his or her friends were, the greater this consumption was.

There was a two-fold increase between ages 10 and 15 for the most popular kids who also had very popular friends.

"Teenagers don't consume to belong to the group or to increase their popularity level, they do it to remain well-liked. It's more about keeping their status than increasing it," Fallu said.