Drug Abuse Among Teenagers
From LoveToKnow Teens
Understanding drug abuse among teenagers can help you educate your teen about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol. Find out what types of drugs teenagers are abusing and how they are obtaining them.
The Prevalence of Drug Abuse Among Teenagers
According the Center of Disease Control's (CDC) website, the use of illicit drugs has decreased among teenagers since 1999. Marijuana is one of the most used drugs among teenagers, with approximately 20 percent of students reporting they have used it in 2007. Inhalants are the second most used drug with about 12 percent of students using this method to get high. Approximately 4 percent to 8 percent of high school students in 2007 used illegal substances such as cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamines, heroin, and hallucinogenic drugs.
Unfortunately, while the use of illicit drugs may have decreased since 1999, the abuse of prescription drugs and over-the-counter (OTC) has increased. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that approximately 2.1 million teens have used prescription drugs such as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants and depressants in 2006. This does not include teenagers who abuse OTC drugs such as cough and cold medicine.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 3.1 million people between the ages of 12 and 25 misused cold and cough medicines such as NyQuil, Coricidin and Robitussin in 2006. Females between the ages of 12 and 17 are more likely than males to abuse OTC medicines, while males between the ages of 18 and 25 were more likely to misuse them.
How Teens Obtain Drugs
Understanding how teenagers obtain drugs can help you decrease the accessibility your teen has to illegal substances, prescription drugs, and OTC medicines. The following are the most common ways teens seek out drugs to get high.
Drugs in the Home
- Teens can obtain drugs in their home. If you take prescription drugs for medical reasons, you may not notice that you're missing a few pills. Especially if you keep old medication, you no longer take, in your medicine cabinet.
- Parents who abuse drugs themselves can also be a provider to their teen whether it is intentional or not. No matter how well you think you have stashed away your drugs, your teen may surprise you by knowing your hiding places.
- Keeping money around that is accessible to your teen can be tempting to take and buy OTC medicines or drugs from the community.
Drugs in the Community
- Parents who do drugs may associate with drug dealers on a regular basis, and teens end up dealing drugs with the dealers along with their unknowing parents.
- Teens in gangs have access to drugs through other gang members.
- Due to the easy accessibility of OTC medicines, teens are able to walk into any pharmacy or convenient store to purchase them.
Drugs from Friends in School
Once teens have drugs in their possession, they can sell, buy or do both. Teenagers who sell drugs will provide their friends with their supply.
How Teens Pay for Drugs
The way that teens fund their drug abuse is much like how adult drug addicts do. Since most teenagers are able to work, this is how many will fund their drug abuse. Others will steal money from their parents or engage in criminal behavior to acquire the money to pay for their supply. Some teens will engage in certain activities, such as sexual acts, in exchange for drugs. Teens will also often give away drugs free to coerce their peers into trying it with them.
Teen Drug Abuse Has No Stereotype
You may have a particular mental image of a teen who abuses drugs but drug abuse among teenagers has no stereotype. Teens from affluent or impoverish homes both can and do abuse drugs. Don't think just because your family does not fit into the stereotype of a teen drug addict that your teenager won't use drugs.
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This page has been accessed 484 times. This page was last modified 03:48, 7 October 2009.
© 2006-2009 LoveToKnow Corp.
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