Substance Abuse
Teenagers may be involved in the use of alcohol and drugs in a variety of ways. Experimentation with these substance during the teen years is common. Teens, however, do not see the link between their actions today and the consequences tomorrow. Teens use drugs for many reason, including curiosity, because it feels good, to reduce stress, to feel gown-up, or to fit in.
Some Statistics About Substance Abuse in Teens
The average age when youth first try alcohol is 11 years for boys and 13 years for girls.
By age 14, 41 percent of children have had least one drink.
The average age at which Americans begin drinking regularly is 15.9 years old.
Teens who begin drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21.
An early age of drinking onset is also associated with alcohol-related violence not only among persons under age 21 but among adults as well.
It has been estimated that over three million teenagers are out-and-out alcoholics. Several million more have a serious drinking problem that they cannot manage on their own.
Annually, more than 5,000 deaths of people under age 21 are linked to underage drinking.
The three leading causes of death for 15- to 24-year-olds are automobile crashes, homicides and suicides -- alcohol is a leading factor in all three.
On an average day in 2006, about 1.2 million adolescents, age 12 to 17, smoked cigarettes, 631,000 drank alcohol, and 586,000 used marijuana.
In addition, about 49,000 adolescents used inhalants, 27,000 used hallucinogens (e.g., Ecstasy and other club drugs), 13,000 used cocaine, and 3,800 used heroin.
In 2005 (the most recent data), more than 76,000 youth were in outpatient treatment; 10,000 in non-hospital residential treatment; and 1,000 in hospital inpatient treatment.