Youths

R
ecent high-profile cases of gun
violence have drawn attention to
the problem of youths who carry
Who Carry handguns. More than 80 percent of homi-
cide victims aged 15 to 19 years old between
Handguns 1988 and 1997 were killed using firearms,
and homicide is the second leading cause of
death among teenagers and young adults
In Brief (i.e., persons aged 15 to 24 years old).1
The 1999 National Household Survey
z According to the 1999 on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) includes
NHSDA, an estimated information on the prevalence of handgun
carrying in the past year among youths
833,000 youths between aged 12 to 17, and the survey enables an
the ages of 12 and 17 had examination of links between carrying
carried a handgun in the handguns and the use of illicit drugs and
past year alcohol among youths. Use of illicit drugs
included use of marijuana/hashish,
z Among youths, males were cocaine (including crack, inhalants,
6 times more likely than hallucinogens (including PCP and LSD),
females to have carried a heroin, or any prescription-type
handgun psychotherapeutic used nonmedically.

z Youths who had carried a Prevalence of Youths Carrying

handgun had lower academic Handguns
performance and were more According to the 1999 NHSDA, nearly
likely to use illicit drugs and 4 percent of 12 to 17 year olds, or an
alcohol than youths who had estimated 833,000 youths, carried a
not carried a handgun handgun at least once in the past year
(Figure 1). The rate was 6 times higher for

The NHSDA Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA.
Additional copies of this fact sheet may be downloaded from http://www.DrugAbuseStatistics.samhsa.gov/. Citation of the source is appreciated.
NHSDA REPORT: YOUTHS WHO CARRY HANDGUNS

Figure 1. Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17 Who Figure 2. Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17 with
Carried a Handgun in the Past Year, by Gender and Different Letter Grades in School, by Number of
County Type: 1999* Times Carried a Handgun in the Past Year: 1999

50
Percent Carried a Handgun in Past Year

Percent with Letter Grade in Past

41.7
7

35.5
34.3
6.0 40

32.0
6

28.8
Semester

24.8
30

21.9
5
4.3

19.5

17.3
16.6
3.6 3.8
4 20

13.0
3.1
3
10

5.5
2
1.0
1 0
0 1 or 2 3 or more
0 Number of Occasions Carried a Handgun in
Overall Males Females Non- Small Large Past Year
metro Metro Metro
Gender County Type** A B C D or below

males than for females. Youths with those who had not carried a youths who had carried a handgun
who lived in nonmetropolitan handgun (6 percent). Youths who on one or more occasions in the
areas were most likely to have had carried a handgun in the past past year had “binged” on alcohol
carried a handgun in the past year year were also less likely to have (had five or more drinks on the
(4.3 percent), followed by youths received grades of “A” or “B” in same occasion at least once in the
who lived in small metropolitan the past semester than youths who 30 days prior to the survey)
areas (3.8 percent) and large had not carried a handgun. compared with 9 percent of youths
metropolitan areas (3 percent). who had not carried a handgun.
Approximately 11 percent of
Drug and Alcohol Use youths who had carried a handgun
Carrying Handguns Among Youths Who at least once in the past year had
and School engaged in heavy alcohol use (had
Carry Handguns 5 or more drinks on the same
Performance occasion on at least 5 different
Youths who had carried a
Youths who had carried a hand- handgun on one or two occasions days in the past 30 days),
gun on one or two occasions in the in the past year were more likely to compared with 2 percent of youths
past year were more than twice as have used illicit drugs in the past who had not carried a handgun.
likely to have received average year compared with youths who
grades of “D” or below in the past had not carried a handgun (Figure
semester (13 percent) compared 3). Approximately 50 percent of Carrying Handguns
with youths who had not carried a youths who had carried a handgun Among Drug and
handgun (6 percent) (Figure 2). on three or more occasions in the Alcohol Users
Those who carried a handgun on past year had also used illicit drugs
three or more occasions in the past in the past year. Youths who had used illicit drugs
year were more likely to receive Carrying a handgun was also in the past year were
grades of “D” or below in the past linked to the use of alcohol. approximately 3 times more likely
semester (17 percent) compared Approximately 30 percent of to have carried a handgun in the
 NHSDA REPORT: YOUTHS WHO CARRY HANDGUNS

Figure 4. Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17 Who

Figure 3. Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17
Had Carried a Handgun in the Past Year, by Past
Reporting Past Year Illicit Drug Use, by Number of
Year Illicit Drug Use, Past Month Binge Alcohol
Times Carried a Handgun in the Past Year: 1999*
Use, and Past Month Heavy Alcohol Use: 1999*

Percent Carried a Handgun in Past Year

60 20
Percent Used Illicit Drug in the Past

49.8 16.6
50 45.4
15
40
10.9
Year***

30 10 8.6
18.6
20
5 3.3
10 2.4 2.8

0 0
0 1 or 2 3 or more Illicit Drug Binge Alcohol Heavy Alcohol
Use*** Use Use
Number of Occasions Carried a Handgun in
Past Year User Non User

past year than those who had not formance, were more likely to have *** Illicit Drug Use indicates use at least once of
marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack),
used illicit drugs (Figure 4). Youths used illicit drugs, and were more heroin, hallucinogens (including LSD and PCP),
who had engaged in past month likely to have engaged in binge and inhalants, or any prescription-type psychothera-
peutic used nonmedically.
binge alcohol use were almost 4 heavy alcohol use than youths who
Source (all figures): SAMHSA 1999 NHSDA.
times as likely to have carried a had not carried a handgun in the
handgun in the past year past year. Youths who used illicit
compared with youths who had drugs or were binge or heavy
not engaged in binge drinking. alcohol users were more likely to
Youths who had engaged in past have carried a handgun than The National Household Survey on Drug
Abuse (NHSDA) is an annual survey
month heavy alcohol use were youths who were not users. sponsored by the Substance Abuse and
more than 5 times as likely to have Mental Health Services Administration
carried a handgun in the past year (SAMHSA). The 1999 data are based on
information obtained from nearly 70,000
compared with those who had not End Note persons aged 12 or older. The survey collects
engaged in heavy drinking. 1
data by administering questionnaires to a
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, representative sample of the population
National Center for Injury Prevention and through face-to-face interviews at their place of
Control. (2000, January 27). Youth violence in residence.
the United States [On-line]. Available: http://
Summary www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/yvfacts.htm
The NHSDA Report is prepared by the Office
of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by
[2001, May 31].
Research Triangle Institute (RTI), Research
The 1999 NHSDA indicated that Triangle Park, North Carolina.
carrying a handgun among youths Information and data for this issue are based
Figure Notes
was more common among males on the following publication and statistics:
than females and among youths * Data presented may differ from previously Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
published data from the 1999 NHSDA because Administration. (2000) Summary of findings
who lived in nonmetropolitan of corrections made to imputation procedures. from the 1999 National Household Survey on
areas compared with those living ** Nonmetro = not part of a metropolitan Drug Abuse (DHHS Publication No. SMA 00-
in large metropolitan areas. These statistical area (MSA); 3466). Rockville, MD: Author.
Small Metro = MSAs with population of 50K Also available on-line:
data also indicated that youths to < 1 million; http://www.DrugAbuseStatistics.samhsa.gov
who had carried a handgun in the Large Metro = MSAs with population of
1 million or more. Additional tables available on request.
past year had lower academic per-