Teens and drugs by the numbers
Wish you knew what to worry about? We've sifted through the scary stats to get the lowdown on trends in youth drug abuse. Here's what you need to know to help your child.
By Lauren Shanley
Drug use among teens today
48.2 — Percent of high school seniors nationwide who report trying an illicit drug
It’s no news that most of today’s tweens and teens are exposed to drug culture in all its depraved stupidity. They hear about drugs in school hallways; they may have access to drugs at parties, and even if they don’t partake themselves, they probably know someone who does. If nothing else, most teens get exposed to drug use from ubiquitous media coverage of drunken starlets and addicted rockers. What you might not know is that in certain respects, today’s tweens and teens are less likely to imbibe, inhale, and sniff intoxicants than their recent predecessors. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse's annual “Monitoring the Future” study, alcohol, tobacco, and cocaine use among all age groups is declining.
But there’s bad news, too: Some drugs are gaining in popularity among youth, along with fewer kids considering certain drugs dangerous. These startling stats will give you a better sense of what kids are being exposed to and how you can help educate your child on the risks.
Photo credit: Suz75
