I can't talk about culture but in Australia, this definitely correlates with the spread of methamphetamine.
Meth-induced psychosis is a very real thing.
Meth-induced psychosis is a very real thing.
From my anecdotal (but significant observations), there's a coroally with people taking up hard drugs in townships where our youth have no observable pathways to a content adult life. It's my hypothesis people are giving up before they've started.
Regional Victoria and Regional Queensland, it's especially rife.
Edit: not to say other regional townships are worse or better, just haven't spent a significant enough time to observe it.