The abuse of drugs and alcohol is common ... - Fitness For Health

The use of alcohol and drugs is common among American teens and more than 15 percent meet the criteria for substance abuse, a new study finds.

?Once again we are reminded that in most cases experimentation with alcohol and drug use begins in adolescence,? said Bruce Goldman, director of Substance Abuse Services Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, New York.


?Unfortunately, many young people are at risk for abuse and dependence problems due to factors including a genetic predisposition, environmental availability, difficulties in school, social or family problems and concurrent psychiatric or behavioral,? said Goldman, who did not participated in the study.

In the study, Joel Swendsen, University of Bordeaux in France, and colleagues analyzed data from a U.S. survey. States With more than 10,000 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years of age. They found that over 78 percent of older teens had consumed alcohol, about 47 percent had used at least twelve drinks a year, and about 15 percent met criteria for alcohol abuse.

The study also found that 81.4 percent of adolescents reported greater opportunity to use illicit drugs, 42.5 percent used drugs, and 16.4 percent abused drugs.

The average age when teenagers began using substances was 14 years for regular use or abuse of alcohol with or without dependence, 14 years for drug abuse dependence, and 15 years for drug abuse without dependence.

?Since the early-onset substance use is a significant predictor of behavior and substance use disorders throughout life, the public health implications of the current findings are comprehensive,? they wrote in the edition of April issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

It must do more to ensure that young people do not start early on the road to substance abuse, Goldman emphasized.

?It is imperative that families, schools, police, youth groups and communities together to prevent or delay the onset of substance use as much as possible,? he asked. ?Social norms have a powerful impact on patterns of drug use. We must create rules that the use and availability of substances, particularly among young people is not acceptable.?

This means giving young people the resources to fight, said Goldman. ?The effective early intervention should be universally available to young people who use substances,? he said.

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