No doubt the link between poverty and drug use has had its fair share of media attention. After all, when you think of a junkie do you picture a polished looking kid in designer jeans, or a minority youth from a background of extreme poverty? The stereotype prevails.

A brief scan of the research that has been conducted in various developed countries, however, reveals a strong correlation between wealth and drug use. In the UK, for instance, a study of more than 10,000 15 and 16-year-olds concluded that those who received the most money from their parents were more likely to binge drink.

Closer to home, The Australian National Council on Drugs found that students with more than $60 a week in disposable income were twice as likely to have used drugs as those with $20 or less to spend. Interestingly, the researchers of the study concluded that this was “simply because they can afford it.” Is that all there is to it?

Surely there are a host of factors at play; disposable income, disconnected families, and pressure to succeed just to name a few… If parents stop funneling more than $60 a week to their offspring, will the problem simply disappear? Let us know your thoughts.