In this study a qualitative approach is used to investigate relevant beliefs and norms concerning the consumption, initiation, and perceived addiction of codeine and promethazine hydrochloride cough syrup (CPHCS) among 61 college-age students who identified themselves as current CPHCS users. In general, a majority of students stated that doctors and pharmacists were the greatest facilitators of CPHCS acquisition. A majority of students believed that their friends felt codeine promethazine use was "normal" and "cool" among college students their age, and that reinforcing factors, such as peer pressure and curiosity, contributed to initial CPHCS use.

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Substance use and HIV risk behaviors are increasing among African-American youth. Interventions that incorporate youth values and beliefs are needed to reduce this trajectory. Hip-hop plays an important role in the lives of many African-American youth and provides a context within which to prevent risky behaviors. The current study examines the efficacy of a hip-hop based substance use and HIV preventive intervention that targets African-American middle-school youth. The sample consists of 68 middle-school students who completed baseline and 6-month follow-up assessments. Findings suggest that students in the intervention group were significantly more likely to have higher knowledge of perception of drug risk and more knowledge about HIV/AIDS compared to students in the comparison group at the 6-month post-intervention assessment. Discussion is centered on implications of hip-hop as a viable approach for preventing substance use and HIV within a high-risk group.

The authors explored alcohol policies at 5 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to gain an understanding of how students' awareness of these policies might correlate with campus binge drinking rates. Findings indicated that male students who reported being unaware of certain alcohol policies were more likely to report binge drinking than their counterparts who reported they were aware of the policies. Gender differences in awareness of alcohol policy might be an important variable influencing binge drinking on HBCU campuses.

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