St George’s Medical School (University of London) and the SSA produced a user-friendly set of factsheets to help integrate knowledge of substance use into the undergraduate medical curriculum. This factsheet examines substance use among young people. After reading the factsheet, medical students will be able to:
- distinguish between substance use, substance use problems, and dependent use
- understand risk factors and protective factors
- appreciate the need for a comprehensive assessment
- the range of treatment options and the involvement of specialists when a decision to prescribe is taken
- the role of a specialist multidisciplinary team
- understanding the importance of confidentiality and consent in young people
