Raves, Clubs and Ecstasy: The Impact of Peer Pressure

Authors

Baojun Song, Montclair State UniversityFollow
Melissa Castillo-Garsow, Cornell University
Karen R. Ríos-Soto, Stanford University
Marcin Mejran, Howard University
Leilani Henso, Arizona State University
Carlos Castillo-Chavez, Arizona State University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2006

Journal / Book Title

Mathematical Biosciences & Engineering

Abstract

Ecstasy has gained popularity among young adults who frequent raves and nightclubs. The Drug Enforcement Administration reported a 500 percent increase in the use of ecstasy between 1993 and 1998. The number of ecstasy users kept growing until 2002, years after a national public education initiative against ecstasy use was launched. In this study, a system of differential equations is used to model the peer-driven dynamics of ecstasy use. It is found that backward bifurcations describe situations when sufficient peer pressure can cause an epidemic of ecstasy use. Furthermore, factors that have the greatest influence on ecstasy use as predicted by the model are high-lighted. The effect of education is also explored, and the results of simulations are shown to illustrate some possible outcomes.

Comments

This article is Open Access and distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)

DOI

10.3934/mbe.2006.3.249

MSU Digital Commons Citation

Song, Baojun; Castillo-Garsow, Melissa; Ríos-Soto, Karen R.; Mejran, Marcin; Henso, Leilani; and Castillo-Chavez, Carlos, "Raves, Clubs and Ecstasy: The Impact of Peer Pressure" (2006). Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 108.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/appliedmath-stats-facpubs/108

Published Citation

Song, B., Castillo-Garsow, M., Ríos-Soto, K. R., Mejran, M., Henso, L., & Castillo-Chavez, C. (2006). Raves, clubs and ecstasy: the impact of peer pressure. Mathematical Biosciences & Engineering, 3(1), 249.