One in five high school students has abused prescription drugs, 37 percent have tried marijuana, and 75 percent have tried alcohol, according to a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The prescription drugs most frequently abused were OxyContin, Percocet, Xanax, and Ritalin. OxyContin is a powerful painkiller usually prescribed to cancer patients.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control said that the teenagers' drug and alcohol use was linked to the four main causes of death among that age group, which are car accidents, unintentional injury, homicide, and suicide.
In addition, a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that on an average day, more than half a million teenagers drink alcohol, more than half a million use marijuana, more than 640,000 use illegal drugs, and more than one million smoke cigarettes.
The agency estimates that about 85,000 people under age 18 are receiving treatment for a substance abuse problem.
Labels: alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs, teen drug abuse, substance use
Posted By: Jane St. Clair