Drug abuse among teenagers is more than an individual or generational problem; it is a societal one. Understanding past and current trends in teenage drug use is an important step toward preventing it in your own home. When teens abuse drugs, there is a greater likelihood that they will experience problems in school, become involved in criminal acts and participate in high-risk sexual activity. Because of these severe consequences, it is important to understand how prevalent the problem is.
Teenagers and Alcohol Abuse
Alcohol consumption has practically become a rite of passage for many teenagers, despite the fact that it is illegal in America for individuals under 21 to drink alcohol. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry reports that more than half of adults who abuse alcohol developed the habit while they were teenagers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), young people between the ages of 12 and 20 use and abuse alcohol more than any other drug. They manage to guzzle down as much as 11% of all alcohol consumed in America, and 90% of this activity is in the form of binge drinking, or consuming more than three alcoholic beverages in a single setting.
The results of a 2007 youth risk behavior survey conducted by the CDC revealed that 45% of high school students admitted to having consumed alcohol within the past month, while 26% reported participating in binge drinking in the past month. In the same survey, 29% of teens in high school admitted to riding in a vehicle with a driver who had consumed alcohol, while 11% reported that they themselves had driven after consuming it. What teenagers often do not realize is that there are dangerous, and in some cases irreparable, consequences to drinking. In fact, it is estimated that more than 10,000 American youth die in alcohol-related car accidents annually, and four times as many are injured in such accidents, according to the AACAP.
Marijuana, Prescription Drugs and Inhalants
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, marijuana, prescription drugs and inhalants are very popular among teenagers, with marijuana being the most frequently used of the three. The average age of first-time marijuana users is 14, according to AACAP. And although marijuana use among teens is not news, its prevalence is still cause for concern.
Data collected by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America reveals that abuse of prescription drugs is occurring in children as young as 12. Results of the study present some alarming statistics:
Prescription pain relievers, sedatives, stimulants and tranquilizers have been identified as the four most popular prescription drugs abused by teenagers, according to the Partnership.
If teen use of marijuana and prescription drugs isn't enough food for thought, there is yet another factor to consider: teen abuse of inhalants. In fact, one survey revealed that 15.6% of eighth graders has experimented with inhalants at some point in their lives, according to a National Institute on Drug Abuse report. Inhalants can be found in many forms, including liquids, sprays and gases. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that for youth between the ages of 12 and 15, gasoline, glue, lighter fluid, shoe polish and spray paints are most frequently abused, while nitrous oxide found in such items as whipped cream dispensers and gas cylinders is the most common inhalant abused by teens aged 16 and 17.
Teens and Meth
Methamphetamine, or meth, is another drug that has become increasingly popular among teens. As part of the Meth Project, a prevention program that targets teenagers, approximately 2,600 American students between 12 and 17 were surveyed regarding their use of meth. Of those, 1 in 33 admitted to having tried meth at some point, with the average age of first-time users being 12. Data collected for the Meth Project also revealed that many teens consider meth to be relatively easy to obtain, and that it yields certain benefits, such as promoting weight loss and feelings of euphoria.
Some Good News
In December 2008, the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided some encouraging information about teenagers and drug abuse. From 2002 to 2007, there was a decline in the use of alcohol and illicit drugs by teens. In 2002, 17.6% of adolescents reportedly consumed alcohol, compared with 15.9% in 2007; 11.6% used illicit drugs in 2002, compared with 9.5% in 2007. Teen use of cigarettes also dropped from 13.0% to 9.8% from 2002 to 2007.
While the overall decline in alcohol and drug use is promising, teen use of inhalants and abuse of alcohol have continued to remain relatively steady over the past several years, according to SAMHSA. Therefore, there is still work that needs to be done in educating teens, parents and the general public about the dangers of drug abuse.
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