Although peer pressure can influence adolescents’ alcohol use, individual susceptibility to these pressures varies across individuals. The dopamine receptor D4 gene (DRD4<span>) is a potential candidate gene that may influence adolescents’ susceptibility to their peer environment due to the role dopamine plays in reward sensation during social interaction. We hypothesized that </span>DRD4<span> genotype status would moderate the impact of 7th-grade antisocial peer pressure on 12th-grade lifetime alcohol use (</span>n<span> = 414; 58.7 % female; 92.8 % White). The results revealed significant main effects for antisocial peer pressure, but no main effects for</span>DRD4<span> genotype on lifetime alcohol use. Adolescent </span>DRD4<span> genotype moderated the association between peer pressure and lifetime alcohol use. For individuals who carried at least one copy of the </span>DRD4<span> 7-repeat allele (7+), antisocial peer pressure was associated with increased lifetime alcohol use. These findings indicate that genetic sensitivity to peer pressure confers increased alcohol use in late adolescence.</span>
Yes, if people have addiction history in their lives or their family history they should not be able to purchase large amounts of these products. Tobacco should have more restrictions against 18 year olds, even though they cannot legally purchase it many still do.
