Taking drugs to blend in

A new study purports to demonstrate that Hispanics who have migrated to America are more likely to use illegal drugs than their non-acculturated counterparts, in order to essentially blend in with white American (drug-using) culture:

The study shows that 6.4 percent of whites reported using illicit drugs in the previous month, compared to 7.2 percent of acculturated Hispanics. However, less than 1 percent of non-acculturated, Spanish-speaking Hispanics reported use in the same time period.

“Their percentage/general patterns of substance use are very similar to white patterns of use, which is what we would expect given an acculturation/assimilation model,” Akins said. “When Hispanics acculturate to dominant American society their substance use behavior appears to mimic that of whites, the culture they are acculturating to.”

And why, in situations where Hispanics are non-acculturated, do we not see these patterns of drug use?

“In general, recent Hispanic immigrants are more family-oriented and have less tolerant views of drug and alcohol use,” Akins said.

There you have it. Let's hear it for tolerance!