9% of U.S. Adolescents Admit Dependence on Alcohol or Drugs
A U.S. Justice Department study released in April, 2003 shows that 9% of American adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 years admit they meet the diagnostic criteria for lifetime substance abuse dependence for alcohol or drugs. That means well over 2.3 million of our middle school and high school kids are self-reported alcoholics and drug addicts.
The report, Youth Victimization: Prevalence and Implications, a national survey of adolescents, interviewed 4,023 teens from a nationally-representative sample, excluded high-risk kids associated with correctional facilities, mental institutions and homeless. The following figures represent only those adolescents who self-reported their alcohol or drug dependency …
- 5% of adolescent women admit they are dependent on alcohol.
- 6% of male teens admit alcohol dependency.
- 14% of teens age 17 admit alcohol dependence.
- 4% of adolescents admit dependency on marijuana.
- 7% of kids age 15 say they are dependent on marijuana.
- 1% of adolescents are dependent on hard drugs.
- 3% of 16 year-olds say they are dependent on hard drugs.
Contact Front Sight Resorts to find out about our Youth Achievement program for teens, and do something to really help your kids stay off alcohol and drugs.