# Peer pressure: fact or fiction? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2000, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peer-pressure-fact-or-fiction/33704 "2000-09-19T08:18:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peer-pressure-fact-or-fiction/33704/21 "2000-09-20T03:51:51Z")
I did experience peer pressure of the “peer pressure video” variety once. It was the strangest thing. Some “friends” were trying to get me to try cocaine, and they were actually saying things like “everybody’s doing it” and “just once won’t hurt you.” :rolleyes: I made up some dumb excuse and left the situation. Nevertheless, I agree that this kind of thing is probably very rare. ---
**Author:** ![Stella\_Fantasia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@Stella\_Fantasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stella_Fantasia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peer-pressure-fact-or-fiction/33704/22 "2000-09-20T14:15:32Z")
The forms of peer pressure that were presented to me in middle & school health had absolutely nothing to do with any real situations. Why would anyone try to force someone else to do drugs? The more people we have doing drugs, the less there are to go around. I was sort of a geek in high school…I was only offered drugs three times. I just said no thanks & this was always cool. The pressures that did eventually cause me to consume mass quantities of drugs weren’t the least bit peer-imposed. At a certain point in my life, I had a lot of things that I was trying to forget, & drugs helped, if only temporarily. Most of the other people I know who use or have used drugs did so for similar reasons, not because of peer pressure, whether overt or subtle. ---
**Author:** ![Kupek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@Kupek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kupek)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peer-pressure-fact-or-fiction/33704/23 "2000-09-20T22:42:31Z")
I’m with the majority here: Never felt the peer pressure that the anti-drug propogandha was trying to fight. I know it happens (damn near everything _happens_;stories from other people have been related to me) but no one I know well, nor I, has felt like I was being subjected to “peer pressure.” I came to the conclusion that it’s largely a fabricated problem. If they can get kids pumped up about saying “No,” then they’ll be less likely to do whatever evil acts they don’t want them doing. Like everyone else, I got offers, but beyond that, most people really don’t care if you do whatever they’re doing. I didn’t start drinking until college because I didn’t feel comfortable with it until then. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peer-pressure-fact-or-fiction/33704/24 "2000-09-20T23:27:34Z")
I never had a problem with drugs or the like. Like someone mentioned before, it was too expensive to share. ---
**Author:** ![BrothaTJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@BrothaTJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrothaTJ)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2000, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peer-pressure-fact-or-fiction/33704/25 "2000-09-21T02:30:28Z")
The peer pressure they’re talking about isn’t necessarily someone shoving a joint in your face and saying “C’mon man, be cool” like all the PSA’s…I think the aim of the program is to try to inform kids that not everyone does drugs and that they shouldn’t feel like they have to just to fit in, even if someone isn’t overtly forcing it upon them. I just got out of high school and a lot of this went on: Say a kid wasn’t really into drinking but a lot of his friends were. The friends aren’t going to invite the kid who doesn’t drink to parties where they know there will be lots of alcohol. The kid then feels left out and draws the connection that he’s not being invited cuz he doesn’t drink. It’s like back-door peer pressure…if kids can’t get you to drink/smoke/do drugs by directly persuading you, they’ll do it by excluding you from their activities and other subliminal methods. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2000, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peer-pressure-fact-or-fiction/33704/26 "2000-09-21T04:34:49Z")
**BrothaTJ** : > [@](#): > > The friends aren’t going to invite the kid who doesn’t drink to parties where they know there will be lots of alcohol. The kid then feels left out and draws the connection that he’s not being invited cuz he doesn’t drink. This is true. But personally, I never took offense to it. If your friends don’t invite you on their camping trip because they know you don’t like camping, is that something to feel left out of? I think if someone is opposed to drinking, he won’t regret missing an opportunity to be surrounded by drunks at a party. ---
**Author:** ![Neil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@Neil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neil)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2000, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peer-pressure-fact-or-fiction/33704/27 "2000-09-22T02:22:42Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever been pressured to do anything. I’ve never done drugs, although I probably could have if I wanted to. Last time I was at a party with alcohol, nobody was pressured either- it was more like “Drinks for anyone who wants some, but please don’t drink a lot if you’re driving.” -Neil [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peer-pressure-fact-or-fiction/33704.md?page=1)