Teen Substance Abuse

During the teenage years, the pressures to participate in teen substance abuse are at their highest. Statistics from recent studies reveal that 27% of teens misuse some drug each month. Teen substance abuse includes drugs like marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, and ecstasy, as well as prescription and over the counter medicines. Perhaps the worst part of it is, many teens fail to recognize the consequences of partaking in drug and alcohol abuse. The greatest consequence of all - the most dangerous - is dependence. When teens or anyone else abuse drugs and alcohol for long periods, it becomes harder and harder for them to stop.

In a recent study by the University of Michigan, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders across the country are continuing to show a gradual decline in the proportions reporting illicit teen substance abuse.

"The cumulative declines since recent peak levels of drug involvement in the mid-1990s are quite substantial, especially among the youngest students," said U-M Distinguished Research Scientist Lloyd Johnston, the principal investigator of the MTF study.

The proportion of 8th graders reporting use of an illicit drug at least once in the 12 months prior to the survey (called annual prevalence) was 24 percent in 1996 but has fallen to 13 percent by 2007, a drop of nearly half. The decline has been less among 10th graders, from 39 percent to 28 percent between 1997 and 2007, and least among 12th graders, a decline from the recent peak of 42 percent in 1997 to 36 percent this year.

Common drugs used in teen substance abuse include: alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, opiates, "club drugs" (ecstasy, etc.) stimulants, hallucinogens, inhalants, prescription drugs, and steroids. Teen substance abuse numbers are still substantial. Among youth age 12 to 17, about 1.1 million meet the diagnostic criteria for dependence on drugs,

From the National Institute of Health:

From 2006 to 2007, the percentage of 8th graders reporting lifetime use of any illicit drug declined from 20.9% to 19.0%.
Reported past year use among 8th graders declined from 14.8% to 13.2%.
Past year prevalence has fallen by 44% among 8th graders since the peak year of 1996.
Past year prevalence has fallen 27% among 10th graders and 15% among 12th graders since the peak year of 1997.
In 2007, 15.4% of 12th graders reported using a prescription drug non-medically within the past year. Vicodin continues to be abused at unacceptably high levels. Attitudes toward substance abuse, often seen as harbingers of change in abuse rates, were mostly stable. However, among 8th graders, perceived risk of harm associated with MDMA decreased for the third year in a row. Attitudes towards using LSD also softened among 10th graders this year.
Between 2005 and 2007, past year abuse of MDMA increased among 12th graders from 3.0% to 4.5%; and between 2004 and 2007, past year abuse of MDMA increased among 10th graders from 2.4% to 3.5%.
The remaining statistically significant increases involved teen alcohol use. The percentage of 10th graders who had been drunk in the past year rose from 38.3 in 1998 to 40.9 in 1999. Also, the percentage of 8th graders having 5+ drinks during the 2 weeks prior to being surveyed increased from 13.7 in 1998 to 15.2 in 1999.
Teenagers at risk for teen substance abuse include those with a family history of substance abuse, who have low self-esteem, who feel hopelessly alienated, as if they don't fit in, or who are depressed.

Symptoms of teen substance abuse include the following:

Sudden personality changes that include abrupt changes in work or school attendance, quality of work, work output, grades, discipline
Unusual flare-ups or outbreaks of temper
Withdrawal from responsibility
General changes in overall attitude
Loss of interest in what were once favorite hobbies and pursuits
Changes in friends and reluctance to have friends visit or talk about them
Difficulty in concentration, paying attention
Sudden jitteriness, nervousness, or aggression
Increased secretiveness
Deterioration of physical appearance and grooming
Wearing of sunglasses at inappropriate times
Continual wearing of long-sleeved garments particularly in hot weather or reluctance to wear short-sleeved attire when appropriate
Association with known substance abusers
Unusual borrowing of money from friends, co-workers or parents
Stealing small items from employer, home or school
Secretive behavior regarding actions and possessions; poorly concealed attempts to avoid attention and suspicion such as frequent trips to storage rooms, restroom, basement, etc.