We Need to Stop Trying to Raise Drug-Free Kids

If you are starting a conversation about substance use, choose a place where you and your teen are both comfortable. In some cases products common in homes and that have certain chemicals are inhaled for intoxication. Alcohol and nicotine or tobacco may be some of the first, easier-to-get substances for teens. Because alcohol and nicotine or tobacco are legal for adults, these can seem safer to try even though they teen drug abuse aren’t safe for teens. A meta-analysis of brief alcohol interventions shows that they can reduce the average amount participants drink for at least 6 months (Mun, E.Y., et al., Prevention Science, Vol. 24, No. 8, 2023). The fourth or fifth drink on a night out, for example, could be the one that leads to negative consequences—so reducing intake to just three drinks may make a big difference for young people.

• Teenagers in Connecticut are 7.47% more likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen.
• The Data to Action Reports are short communications on important topics that provide specific opioid-related data to mobilize public health action.
• However, marijuana can be harmful to teens because their brains are still developing.
• They may also have access to family member’s prescriptions for drugs like opiate painkillers and stimulants or get them from friends who do.

Teen Drug Abuse: Signs, Risks, and Treatment

• The study found that fentanyl-related deaths increased from 253 in 2019 to 680 the following year.
• Conrod and her colleagues have also adapted the PreVenture Program for university students; they are currently testing its efficacy in a randomized trial across multiple institutions.
• As a policy intern with Students for Sensible Drug Policy, she created a handbook of evidence-based policies that college campuses can use to reduce harm among students but still remain compliant with federal law.
• Teenagers who misuse substances can experience drug dependence (substance use disorder).
• Harm reduction, born out of a response to the AIDS crisis, prioritizes bodily autonomy and meeting people where they are without judgment.

Education and honest communication go a long way in helping teenagers learn about the risks of drugs and alcohol. Many teens experimenting with illicit drugs and alcohol will turn out fine and live healthy lives. However, others will go on to develop long-term addictions and other serious health issues.

Why is adolescence a critical time for preventing drug addiction?

It appears that the rise in deaths was fueled not by greater numbers of teens using drugs – substance use in this age group actually went down during the pandemic – but by use of dangerous and highly potent forms of fentanyl. The study found that fentanyl-related deaths increased from 253 in 2019 to 680 the following year. A study showed that 60% of teens in a community-based substance use treatment program were also diagnosed with a mental health disorder.

High-Risk Substance Use Prevention

“We see this replicated over and over again that there’s this developmental window of adolescence that’s very high-risk,” Gray said. The authors pulled from the annual Canadian Community Health Survey, focusing on 2009 to 2012. Participants were then followed for up to nine years after the initial survey to track any visits they may have had to doctors or emergency rooms or any times they were admitted to hospitals.. The Biden administration has been moving toward rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to the less dangerous Schedule III, which would also acknowledge its medical benefits at the federal level.

Teens who use marijuana are more likely to suffer psychotic disorders, study finds

Adolescents high in impulsivity, hopelessness, thrill-seeking, or anxiety sensitivity face higher risks of mental health difficulties and substance use, so the personalized material helps them practice healthy coping based on their personality type. For example, the PreVenture workshop that targets anxiety sensitivity helps young people learn to challenge cognitive distortions that can cause stress, then ties that skill back to their own goals. One thing not to do is to overly normalize drug use or to imply that it is widespread, Weiner said. Modern prevention programs also acknowledge that young people use substances to serve a purpose—typically either social or emotional in nature—and if adults expect them not to use, they should help teens learn to fulfill those needs in a different way, Weiner said. Part-time mental health care for people who need at least 9 hours of services per week. Lastly, people who start drinking earlier in life have a higher risk of developing alcohol use disorder later in life.

Recognizing the warning signs of teen drug abuse

While drug use can lead to mental health disorders, sometimes it’s the other way around. For some adolescents, however, trying a substance like alcohol, marijuana, or illicit drugs leads to regular use. Once withdrawal and cravings set in, a teen dealing with addiction and dependence may not be able to stop using a substance, even if they want to. Because substance use and mental health are so intertwined, some programs can do prevention successfully with very little drug-focused content. In one of the PreVenture Program’s workshops for teens, only half a page in a 35-page workbook explicitly mentions substances. The programs also dispel myths about how many adolescents are using substances and help them practice skills, such as how to decline an offer to use drugs in a way that resonates with them.

For example, they may not have adults present or younger teens may be relying on peers for transportation. Teens may be more likely to try substances for the first time when hanging out in a social setting. Ultimately, taking a step back to keep the larger goals in focus—as well as staying dedicated to prevention and intervention approaches backed by science—is what will help keep young people healthy and safe, Weiner said. “It doesn’t have to be either prevention or harm reduction, and we lose really important tools when we say it has to be one or the other,” he said. “The longer we can get kids to go without using substances regularly, the better their chances of having an optimal life trajectory,” Weiner said. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988, the free and confidential Suicide Crisis Lifeline.

Delta-8-THC use reported by 11% of 12th graders in 2023

• For the 2022 survey, 48% of 12th grade students identified as male, 47% identified as female, 1% identified as other, and 4% selected the “prefer not to answer” option.
• They found that fewer minors reported having used cannabis in the previous month in states where the drug had been legalized.
• About 14 percent of adolescents who took prescription stimulants for recreational use went on to develop a substance use disorder within one year, compared to just 4 percent of young adults.
• The researchers then used these data to estimate the number of children of the nearly 650,000 people who died of an overdose in 2011 to 2021 based on the national mortality data from the CDC National Vital Statistics System.
• Reported use for almost all substances decreased dramatically from 2020 to 2021 after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related changes like school closures and social distancing.
• So if their friends use substances, your teen might feel like they need to as well.

While the potential change is expected later this year, cannabis is currently legal in 24 states for recreational use. Teenagers in Wyoming are 5.08% more likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen. Teenagers in Wisconsin are 0.05% more likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen. Teenagers in West Virginia are 5.43% more likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen. Teenagers in Washington are 33.36% more likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen.

• Teenagers in South Carolina are 2.69% less likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen.
• The research suggests that young people may be particularly vulnerable to the intoxicating effects of certain drugs, and that early exposure might prime their brains to desire them.
• This data visualization illustrates heavy alcohol use and binge drinking statistics amongst college-age youth to inform colleges and communities.
• When you suddenly stop using a substance, you may experience withdrawal symptoms.
• Often during this period, children are exposed to substances such as cigarettes and alcohol for the first time.

Teen drug abuse: Help your teen avoid drugs