Drug and Alcohol Use
What's it all about?
Drug and alcohol use can negatively impact many areas of a teen's life.
How much and how often a teen drinks determines whether there are any
negative effects and how severe they are. Teens who use alcohol or drugs
heavily often have other risk factors such as family problems or a history
of physical or sexual abuse.
Why does it matter?
The link to teen deaths
Alcohol is involved in about 35% of driver fatalities and about 40% of
drownings of 15- to 20-year-olds. About 1-in-4 10th and 12th graders
report riding in a vehicle within the past month, driven by someone who
had been drinking.
The link to poor health
Heavy drinking and use of marijuana or other drugs have negative
consequences, including difficulty learning, remembering and problem
solving, and serious chronic problems such as high blood pressure, cancer
of the mouth, and liver disease. Substance abuse can cause depression,
sexual problems, seizures, and even death.
The link to sexual activity and teen pregnancy
Nationally, about a quarter of teens report using alcohol or drugs during
their most recent sexual encounter. Among 15- to 17-year-olds, about half
are concerned that they might go farther sexually because they were
drinking or using drugs. Teens who have used marijuana are 4 times more
likely to have been pregnant or to have gotten someone pregnant than teens
who have never smoked pot.
The link to dependency
Early users are more likely to take other drugs later. About 40% of those
who start drinking at age 14 years or under develop alcohol dependence
compared to 10% of those who start drinking at age 21 years or older.
The link to school performance
In Washington, students who regularly use alcohol or other drugs are 3 to
5 times more likely to skip school than students who don't use drugs.
Marijuana smokers get lower grades and are less likely to graduate from
high school than their non-smoking peers.
The link to violence
In Washington, more than 1-in-4 8th graders who report drinking in the
past month also report carrying a weapon, compared to 1-in-20 who did not
drink. Students in grades 8, 10 and 12 who report recent alcohol use are
more than twice as likely to have been in a physical fight in the past
year than those who don't drink.
What are the details?
According to the 2002 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey:
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Alcohol is the most commonly used substance
among students. Alcohol use and experimentation increase with grade
level. About half of 8th graders say they had ever taken more than a sip
of alcohol, compared with nearly 75% of 12th graders.
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About 10% of 8th graders, 20% of 10th graders and 30% of 12th
graders report binge drinking, consuming 5 or more drinks in a row, at
least once in the past two weeks.
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About one third of 10th graders and nearly half of 12th graders say
that alcohol is easy to get.
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Marijuana use increases as students get older. For instance, about
3% of 6th graders report ever using marijuana compared to almost half of
12th graders. About 1% of 6th graders report that they used marijuana in
the past month, compared with nearly a quarter of 12th graders.
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About 2% to 3% of teens in grades 8, 10 and 12 say they used
methamphetamines in the past month.
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While Washington teens are less likely to use cocaine than youth
nationwide, over 8% of 12th graders say they had tried cocaine.
What can I do?
Talking to teens about drugs can be uncomfortable for adults. But if
you don't talk to them about it, someone else will. Teens will be told
many inaccurate things about drugs such as "everybody is doing it" or "it
can't hurt you." Here are some tips adapted from the Partnership for a
Drug-Free America and the Drug Skills Prevention Center:
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Communicate. Listen carefully, and discuss
any problems they (or their friends) are having with drugs and alcohol.
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Involve yourself. Participate in church, school and parent groups.
Communicate with the parents of your teen's friends. Know where your
teens are and who they are with.
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Be a good role model. Send teens a message that you can celebrate
and have fun without drinking, by doing it yourself.
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Be careful of the messages you send. Refrain from statements such as
"I had a terrible day-I need a drink."
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Love your children unconditionally. Let teens know you value them,
even in times of trouble.
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Devote time. Help with homework, reading, sports or just talking.
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Encourage and help build your teen's self esteem. Help teens to act
independently and resist peer pressure. Encourage them to fulfill their
hopes, dreams and goals.
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Teach and practice refusal skills. Role-play how to say no and
remind kids what your values are about alcohol and drug use.
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Provide consistent and accurate information about specific drugs.
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Establish clear family rules on drugs. Teach and expect children to
follow your rules. Consistently enforce the rules you set.
Can we protect teens?
Taking these steps can protect teens from misusing alcohol and other
drugs:
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Provide lots of love, support and encouragement.
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Establish and enforce rules against underage drinking and other drug
use.
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Set a good example. Limit your own use of alcohol, and don't drink
and drive. Ask other parents to do the same.
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Discuss alcohol and tobacco advertising and marketing with youth.
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Talk to kids about your expectations regarding the use of alcohol
and other drugs.
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Get involved in your child's education.
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Support public policy changes that are likely to make your community
a safer and healthier environment.
HOT LINKS!
Al-Anon and Alateen 1-888-4Al-ANON (1-888-425-2666);
www.al-anon.org
Partnership for a Drug-Free America
http://www.drugfreeamerica.org/home/default.asp
KidsHealth
www.kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/kids_and_alcohol.html
"A Parent's Guide to Kids and Alcohol"
National Institutes of Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alcoholandyouth.html
Alcohol and youth resources
National Institute on Drug Abuse
www.nida.nih.gov/Infofax/Infofaxindex.html
Science-based facts on drug abuse and addiction
Washington State Alcohol/Drug Clearinghouse 206-725-9696 or
1-800-662-9111;
http://clearinghouse.adhl.org/
Washington State Healthy Youth Survey 2002
www3.doh.wa.gov/HYS/
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
www.aacap.org
Go to Facts for Families, "Substance Abuse Treatment for Children and
Adolescents" (Fact Sheet #41)
Resources listed here are provided as a public service and do not imply
endorsement by the State of Washington. References for source materials
are available from the Child and Adolescent Health program, 360-236-3547. |
