New stats on drug, alcohol and

tobacco use by teens

Illegal drug use among teens in the United States is on the decline, according
to a new federal report.
Encouragingly, the new study also found that alcohol use, binge drinking and
the use of tobacco products among young people between the ages of 12 and
17 also dropped between 2002 and 2013.
The annual survey of 70,000 people aged 12 and older across the United
States revealed that between 2002 and 2013, substance dependence or abuse
problems among this age group also dropped from 8.9 percent to 5.2 percent.
Rates of drug abuse among young people between 12 and 17 years old
dropped from almost 12 percent in 2002 to 9.5 percent in 2012, the study
from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA) found. In 2013, rates of illegal drug use among teens fell even
further to just under 9 percent.
Alcohol use among young people between the ages of 12 and 17 dropped to
11.6 percent from almost 13 percent in 2012. Meanwhile, rates of binge
drinking in the past month fell to about 6 percent from around 7 percent.
In 2013, about 11 percent of preteens and teens drove under the influence of
alcohol at least once in the past year, down from over 14 percent in 2002.
Use of tobacco products among 12- to 17-year-olds also fell from around 15
percent in 2002 to a new low of just under 8 percent in 2013, the study
showed.
The SAMHSA reported noted however, that almost 25 million young people
aged 12 and older are current illegal drug users, or they had used drugs
within the past month. Marijuana is the drug most commonly used by teens.
In 2013 alone, almost 20 million (7.5 percent of Americans aged 12 and
older) were marijuana users -- a jump from about 6 percent in 2007.
Abuse of other drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and
prescription painkillers, was relatively unchanged from 2012 to 2013, the
researchers added.
"This report shows that we have made important progress in some key areas,
but that we need to rejuvenate our efforts to promote prevention, treatment
and recovery, to reach all aspects of our community," SAMHSA
Administrator Pamela Hyde said in an agency news release.

Many Americans who need treatment for a substance abuse disorder are not
getting the help they need. The report revealed that in 2013, almost 23
million Americans aged 12 and older needed treatment for an alcohol or drug
abuse problem, but only 2.5 million got help in a facility designed for the
treatment of substance use disorders.

Reference:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/drug-alcohol-and-tobacco-use-by-
teens/

The article shows the decline of illegal drug use and alcohol use among teens
between ages 12 to 17 years old in the US. Between 2002 and 2013, substance
dependence or abuse problems among this age group dropped from 8.9 percent to
5.2 percent. While alcohol use among young people between the ages of 12 and 17
dropped to 11.6 percent from almost 13 percent in 2012.

The research question that will be formulated in this article will be, “What is the
percentage of the decline in drug abuse and alcohol use among young people aged
12 to 17?”

Submitted by:
CHARMIN JOYCE COLLANTES