Adolescents whose friends use alcohol and other drugs are more likely to try drugs themselves, according to research.

But while the research suggests that peer pressure is linked to adolescent drug use, the authors noted, “It is not possible to determine a causal direction. It could also be that ‘birds of a feather flock together,’ and adolescents seek friends with similar attitudes toward alcohol and other drugs.”

The survey, commissioned by Statistics Canada and involving 4,296 adolescents aged 12 to 15, found that
42% of those who said all or most of their friends drank alcohol had been drunk at least once themselves or consumed at least one drink.

In comparison, only 8% of those who said they had few or no friends drinking alcohol had been drunk. Similar results were found among adolescents with friends who smoked marijuana