Widespread Teenage Drug Abuse Problems Found Among Whites, Native Americans, and Hispanics

Widespread teenage drug abuse problems have been found among whites, Native Americans, and Hispanics, with less severe abuse among Asian and African-American teens. The analysis, conducted by scientists at Duke University, found that marijuana is the most heavily used drug among teens, followed by stimulants and then alcohol. Prescription opioids have surpassed inhalants as a source for getting high. The study highlights the importance of recognizing the significant burden of substance use disorders among teenagers and the need to address the issue early on.

Key Takeaways:

• The study analyzed data from 72,561 adolescents aged 12-17, collected between 2005 and 2008, from confidential national surveys.
• 37 percent of the teens reported using alcohol or drugs in the past year, while 7.9 percent met the criteria for a substance use disorder.
• Native American teens had the highest prevalence of alcohol use (37 percent), followed by whites (35.3 percent) and Hispanics (32.2 percent).
• Marijuana was the most heavily used drug, with 25.9 percent of users reporting an abuse/dependency problem.
• Stimulants and opioids were also widely used, with 69.3 percent and 57.5 percent of users reporting a problem, respectively.
• Prescription opioids have surpassed inhalants as a source for getting high.
• The study highlights the need to start addressing teenage drug abuse early, as substance abuse problems are difficult to treat when they get into adulthood.

Statistics:

• 37 percent of teens reported using alcohol or drugs in the past year.
• 7.9 percent of teens met the criteria for a substance use disorder.
• Native American teens had a 37 percent prevalence of alcohol use, followed by whites (35.3 percent) and Hispanics (32.2 percent).
• Marijuana use was among 20 percent of whites, 23.3 percent of children of multiple ethnicities, and 31 percent of Native American teens.
• The average number of days in use for marijuana was 79, compared to 47 for stimulants, 39 for opioids, and 36 for alcohol.
• 69.3 percent of stimulant users reported a problem, compared to 57.5 percent of opioid users and 53.1 percent of marijuana users.

Sources:

• Duke Medicine News and Communications
• Archives of General Psychiatry
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (Source: "Prevalence of Marijuana Use and Subsequent Use of Other Illicit Drugs by Young Adults: A Longitudinal Cohort Study"; 2010; Volume 67; Number 8; Page 688-695)
• Confidential national surveys of 72,561 adolescents aged 12-17, collected between 2005 and 2008.