Teenage Drug Use

Teenage Drug Use

In your teenage and young adult years, you experience substantial changes physically, emotionally, socially and psychologically. With these changes comes large amounts of stress, pressures, and expectations from your peers as well as environmentally. These heightened expectations and stress causes many to turn to drugs or alcohol as a means to cope with these changes.

In 2012, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse conducted a study that reported 17% of high school students openly came forward with admittance to substance abuse during the school day or even on school grounds. Of that 17%, 7.6% of teens used Adderall and 11% of alcohol consumption in the United States is from underage drinkers. By 2015, the National Institute on Drug Abuse conducted its yearly MTF (Monitoring the Future Survey) Survey and showed that the number of teens that were substance abusers declined, but those substances included were cigarettes, alcohol, prescription opioid pain relievers, and synthetic cannabinoids (synthetic marijuana). Other drug use remains stable, as well as marijuana, with continuous high rates of reports among 12th graders and a decline in perception of their harms. The study also showed percentages of marijuana use is substantially higher than any other drugs, including daily tobacco use (cigarettes).

America is number 9 of the 11 most Drug Addicted Countries in the world. Within America, the top Illegal Drug consuming capitals lie in New Mexico (capturing the number one 1 spot), then following with Montgomery, Washington D.C., Maryland, Louisiana, California, and Georgia. Indiana is ranked number 13 compared to all others states in the US based off of any illicit drug use. When you take a look at rural areas versus urban areas, you have to look at which substance is being used to determine which area uses more. If you look into alcohol use, you