Substance Abuse and Teens: 2008 Data
On any given day in the United States, there are small miracles that change the course of a person’s life. A new baby is born. A student aces a test. An athlete breaks a school record. Unfortunately, there are small defeats that change the course of a person’s life, too, like running late for the job interview that could have launched a new career, or a citation for driving while intoxicated.
A critical turning point in life is during the teen years, where an individual makes decisions that can affect their lives for many years. One of the most critical decisions a teenager can make is whether to use drugs and alcohol. Every day in the United States, many teens make the wrong choice.
The Office of Applied Studies (OAS) in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) manages four national data collections that give information about adolescent drug use and treatment.
Based on the four data collections, in 2008 almost one third of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 drank alcohol in the past year, approximately one fifth used drugs, and one sixth smoked cigarettes.
Despite reports of a decline in alcohol, drugs and cigarette use among teens between 2002 and 2008, the number of adolescents struggling remains steady. The number of teens treated for substance abuse was consistent across the years, and the number of adolescents treated in an emergency room for substance abuse was stable from 2004 to 2008.
In 2008, among teens aged between 12 and 17, 10.2 percent drank alcohol for the first time during the last year, and 6.0 percent tried an illicit drug for the first time. This equates to 7,540 teens trying alcohol for the first time, and 4,365 teens trying an illicit drug for the first time.
Marijuana was the most popular illicit drug, followed by prescription drugs.
SAMHSA’s data also reports that 8 million adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 drank alcohol in the past year in 2008, nearly 5 million used an illicit drug, and almost 4 million smoked cigarettes.
Among adolescents who used alcohol, the 2008 data shows that an average of 4.6 drinks per day were consumed, and that among those who used cigarettes, 4.4 cigarettes per day were smoked on the days that they smoked.
Treatment programs admitted 141,683 cases that were aged 12 to 17 in 2008. On an average day, treatment programs admitted 263 teens for marijuana treatment, and 76 teens for alcohol treatment, in addition to treating teens for stimulants and other illegal substances. The most common source of referral to treatment programs is the criminal justice system. Most treatment was done on an outpatient basis.
In 2008, there were approximately 250,000 drug-related emergency room visits by teens aged 12 to 17. 169,000 of those involved the use of alcohol or an illicit drug. In addition, on any given day there were 63 teens treated in an emergency room for drug-related suicide attempts.
The decisions a teen makes during junior high and high school years can have an impact on his future, but there may be none so critical as whether that student decides to try alcohol or drugs. Based on the data gathered by SAMHSA, an overwhelming number of teens are making the wrong choice and altering their life’s course.
