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Teenage Alcoholism Facts
The following compilation of teenage alcoholism facts and other research information on teen alcohol use point to the gravity and ubiquitous nature of underage drinking.
- Alcohol is a leading cause of death among youth, particularly teenagers. It contributes substantially to adolescent motor vehicle crashes, other traumatic injuries, suicide, date rape, and family and school problems.
- Every day, on average, 11,318 American youth (12 to 20 years of age) try alcohol for the first time, compared with 6,488 for marijuana; 2,786 for cocaine; and 386 for heroin.
- Alcohol is by far the most used and abused drug among America’s teenagers. According to a national survey that revealed teenage alcoholism facts, nearly one third (31.5%) of all high school students reported hazardous drinking (5+ drinks in one setting) during the 30 days preceding the survey.
- Teens that drink are also more likely to attempt suicide. Alcohol use among teenagers has been associated with considering, planning, attempting, and completing suicide. In one study of teen suicide, drug and alcohol abuse was the most common characteristic of those who attempted suicide; 70 percent of these teenagers frequently used alcohol and/or other drugs.
- Teens who drink regularly also often put themselves at risk in other ways. Over 90% of the teens who drink regularly also do other things that can put them or those around them at risk for harm. Such behaviors include using illegal drugs, fighting, carrying weapons, and having unsafe sex.
- One national survey found that of the teens who reported drinking regularly (at least once a week) in the past month:
- 49% had used marijuana in the last month,
- 21% used other illegal drugs (such as cocaine) in the last month,
- 50% had been in a physical fight in the past year,
- 16% had carried a weapon to school in the past month,
- 9% had attempted suicide in the past year, and
- 27% had engaged in risky sex.
- Children who are drinking alcohol by 7th grade are more likely to report academic problems, substance use, and delinquent behavior in both middle school and high school. By young adulthood, early alcohol use was associated with employment problems, other substance abuse, and criminal and other violent behavior.
- Young people who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin drinking at 21.
- Teenage alcoholism facts show than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year—about 4.65 a day—as a result of alcohol-related injuries.
- Even though it is illegal for teens to drink, most say that it is easy to get alcohol. 71% of eighth graders and 95% of high-school seniors say that it would be easy to get alcohol if they wanted some.
- Most teens disapprove of frequent heavy drinking. 81% of eighth graders and 65% of high-school seniors say they disapprove of drinking heavily once or twice each weekend.
- Teens often underestimate the risk that drinking can pose. In a recent survey, only 56% of eighth graders and 43% of high-school seniors said that they thought drinking heavily once or twice a weekend was a great risk.
For more teenage alcoholism facts, causes, and treatment options, click here or see the related article links listed below.
Sources for Teenage Alcoholism Facts:
Ninth Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol and Health from the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Rockville, MD: USDHHS, Public Health Service, Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Jun 1997. Kann, L., Warren, C., et al., Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 1995. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep CDC Surveillance Summaries, 45(4):1-84, Sep 27, 1996.
Data reported by Jill Schmidtlein, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse, Feb 13, 1998. The data were extrapolated from Preliminary Estimates from the 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 1997.
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance – United States, 1999. June 09, 2000 / 49(SS05);1-96 Kann, L., S. Kinchen, B. Williams, J. Ross, R. Lowry, J. Grunbaum, and L. Kolbe., www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss4905a1.htm accessed June 19, 2001.
Office of the Inspector General. (1992). Report to the Surgeon General, Youth and Alcohol: Dangerous and Deadly Consequences, Washington, D.C.: US Department of Education.
Lindberg, D.L., Boggess, S., Williams, S. (2000). Multiple Threats: The Co-Occurrence of Teen Health Risk Behaviors, The Urban Institute.
Ellickson, P., Tucker, J., and Klein, D. Ten-year prospective study of publc health problems associated with early drinking. Pediatrics 111(5):949-955, 2003.
Grant, B., and Dawson, D. Age at onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence: Results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. Journal of Substance Abuse, Vol. 9, Jan. 1998. pp. 103-110.
Magnitude of Alcohol-Related Mortality and Morbidity Among U.S. College Students Ages 18-24: Changes from 1998 to 2001; Ralph Hingson, Timothy Heeren, Michael Winter, Henry Wechsler; Annual Review of Public Health, April 2005, Vol. 26: pp. 259-279.
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Monitoring the Future Study, 2000 Data From In-School Surveys of 8th, 10th, and 12th Grade Students
Article: Teenage Alcoholism Facts
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