Statistical PSA: Drug Usage Among Teenagers

In total I found 5 articles/studies for statistics, prevention, signs of teenage drug abuse and addiction, and how drugs affect teenagers. The first study is from CDC (Center for Disease Control), “By 12th grade, about two-thirds of students have tried alcohol…About half of 9th through 12th grade students reported ever having used marijuana…About 4 in 10 9th through 12th grade students reported having tried cigarettes”.

Mayo Clinic warns teens and parents of the consequences of teen drug abuse and how to prevent the usage of drugs, “Consequences: drug dependence, poor judgment, sexual activity, mental health disorders, impaired driving, and changes in school performance…To prevent teen drug abuse: ask your teen’s views, discuss reasons not to use drugs, consider media messages, discuss ways to resist peer pressure, be ready to discuss your own drug use, know your teen’s activities, establish rules and consequences, know your teen’s friends, keep track of prescription drugs, provide support, and set a good example”.

Partnership to End Addiction, provide reasons for why teenagers take part in drugs, “Fitting in or being accepted in the ‘right’ crowd, Some teens use drugs and alcohol to overcome insecurities and let their guard down to feel socially confident, moving, divorce, puberty, changing schools, an illness or death in the family — can become a time of upheaval, leading some to attempt to find solace in alcohol or drugs, and pressure of everyday teen drama or the emotional toll of family problems, stress or trauma, some teens use substances to dull the very real pain in their lives, loneliness, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety disorder and other mental health issues are commonly associated with teen substance use”.

NIH, talks about how and why drug usage among teenagers is a nationwide concern, “In 2019, about 24.6 percent of 14-to-15-year-olds reported having at least 1 drink. In 2019, 7.0 million young people ages 12 to 20 reported that they drank alcohol beyond ‘just a few sips’ in the past month…In 2019, 4.2 million young people reported binge drinking at least once in the past month. In 2019, 825,000 young people reported binge drinking on 5 or more days over the past month…It is dangerous because it causes many deaths, causes many injuries, impairs judgment, increases the risk of physical and sexual assault, increases the risk of alcohol problems later in life, and interferes with brain development”.

For the last report, the information is provided by KidsHealth, it talks about vaping and how it contributes to harming teenagers, its appealing e-cigarettes flavors available increase the usage among teenagers, “Vaping puts nicotine into the body. Nicotine is highly addictive and can: slow brain development in teens and affect memory, concentration, learning, self-control, attention, and mood. Increase the risk of other types of addiction later in life. E-cigarettes also: irritate the lungs, may cause serious lung damage and even death, can lead to smoking cigarettes and other forms of tobacco use. Some people use e-cigarettes to vape marijuana, THC oil, and other dangerous chemicals. Besides irritating the lungs, these drugs also affect how someone thinks, acts, and feels…Even if you don’t vape every day, you can still get addicted. How quickly someone gets addicted varies. Some people get addicted even if they don’t vape every day…Most e-cigarettes do have nicotine. Even those that don’t do have chemicals in them. These chemicals can irritate and damage the lungs. The long-term effects of e-cigarettes that don’t have nicotine are not known.”