Teen Drug and Alcohol Use in the US: Statistics

Alcohol actually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a person’s perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Seeking help for addiction may feel daunting or even scary, but several organizations can provide support. In addition to discouraging alcohol use, there are several practical ways that individuals, families, and communities can stop alcohol from being available to teens.

What to do if your child develops alcohol poisoning

Alcohol advertising also focuses on positive experiences with alcohol, selling their brands as desirable lifestyle choices. Social media, in particular, can make your child feel like they’re missing out by not drinking or cause them to feel inadequate about how they live their life. Parents may worry that their teens Drug rehabilitation are involved with drugs or alcohol if they become withdrawn or negative. But these behaviors are common for teens going through challenging times. These behaviors may also be signs of a mental health condition, such as depression. Teen alcohol abuse impairs memory, making it harder for teens to perform well in school or retain information.

Alcohol harms the brain in teen years –– before and after that, too

Teenagers in Maryland are 9.76% more likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen. Teenagers in Maine are 43.40% more likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen. Teenagers in Louisiana are equally as likely to have used drugs in the last month as the average American teen. Teenagers in Kentucky are 13.81% less likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen. Teenagers in Kansas are alcohol and teens 3.58% less likely to have used drugs in the last month than the average American teen.

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• If you think you have a drinking problem, get help as soon as possible.
• Express concern for their well-being, and focus on listening to their thoughts and feelings.
• You’ve found bottles of alcohol hidden in your child’s room and regularly smelled alcohol on their breath.
• Positive self-esteem, a supportive family, and positive role models help teens gain confidence to make good choices.
• Some of these are specific to individual families, while others affect whole social groups.

The numbers are staggering, with a significant portion of teenagers engaging in alcohol use, often influenced by peer pressure, media portrayals, and sometimes family behaviors. Parents can help reduce the harmful effects of alcohol on their teenager by setting clear expectations about what is acceptable and unacceptable drinking behaviour during their child’s early teens and beyond. This conversation is one you’ll have to repeat throughout their teenage years. Set good standards that your teen can learn from by role modelling responsible drinking behaviours yourself.