Fewer teens using illicit drugs, but no let up with the baby boomers

Sep 13 2006

According to a new survey the use of illicit drugs among teenagers has dropped for the third year in a row.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), is the largest and most comprehensive study of illicit drug use in the United States to date.

The survey shows there has been a significant decline in illicit drug use, in particular marijuana, among 12-17 year olds since 2002 when 11.6 percent of 12-17 year olds used illicit drugs compared to the figure of 9.9 percent in 2005.

This represents a cumulative drop of 15 percent, or 367,000 fewer 12 to 17 year olds using any illicit drugs.

The NSDUH survey also shows changes in several other drug use categories; the perceived availability of marijuana, crack, heroin and LSD among youth decreased; the average age of first use of marijuana increased from under age 17 to 17.4 years; the use of psychotherapeutics among 12-17 year olds went down and the great majority of users of all ages said they obtained a prescription drug for non-medical use from a friend or relative for free.

There was also a decline in the number of new users of methamphetamine, and drinking among teens is also on the decline, along with binge drinking.

The findings of the survey are consistent with another large scale longitudinal study, Monitoring the Future from the University of Michigan, which also shows an overall decline in teen drug use since 2002.

Even as overall U.S. use of illegal drugs remained the same, last year saw fewer youngsters between the age of 12 and 17 years indulge in their abuse, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health said.

This is the third year that a decline in the use of banned substances among teens, has been found and drug educators say it is a direct result of the powerful anti-drug messages, American teens and parents are receiving.

However though the up and coming generation may be trying to do the right thing the news for the baby boomers is not so hot as the overall use of illicit drugs among Americans inched upwards and the group causing the most concern is those between the ages of 50 and 59.

This is the third year that an increase has been noted in this population, with most of them using marijuana.

The 18- to 25-year-olds, also were a poor show with drug use among them remaining more or less unchanged.

One of the most significant findings of the report was that parents who strongly disapproved of drugs, alcohol and tobacco were more likely to have children that abstained from trying them.