NCJ Number
197499
Date Published
March 2002
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This document provides an overview of illicit drug use among youth.
Abstract
Since 1997, the rates of drug use among youth have stabilized or decreased slightly although they are still well above those of the 1980's. Adolescent use of tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, marijuana, LSD, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine has remained stable, but the use of MDMA or ecstasy is increasing. The government tracks youth drug use via three nationally representative surveys: the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, the Monitoring the Future study, and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Despite differences in methodology, these national-level indicators display similar drug use trends particularly evident among youth. Age and use statistics indicate that young people typically first experiment with tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, and marijuana. Despite the apparent availability of drugs in schools, most data indicate that young people generally use on weekends and in the late afternoon or early evening after school on weekdays. The consequences of early drug use are shown in the numbers of young people requiring drug-related treatment and emergency health care or exposing themselves to health risks. Almost half of the admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities for marijuana abuse were under the age of 20. Thirty-one percent of all emergency department drug cases involved patients aged 25 and under. The use of any drug or alcohol can lower inhibitions and lead to riskier behavior and to potential harm to the user such as exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. The knowledge and perceptions of illicit drugs among young people are affected by many influences including friends, peers, family members, and television and other media. The attitudes of youth toward drugs appear to have been affected by several national drug education campaigns over the years. Use rates for MDMA, a drug not specifically addressed in media campaigns, have risen since 1998. Anti-drug education must be a priority for policymakers and law enforcement as well as for parents and schools.