July 2012

Youth Substance Abuse

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

The leading causes of death among adolescents are motor vehicle crashes, unintentional injuries, homicides, and suicides – all are linked to teen drinking and drug use.

Alcohol is responsible for more deaths than all other drugs combined, yet more than 30 percent of parents provide alcohol to their teenage children.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug among teens. It is highly addictive and affects vision, sensation, coordination, and movement.

Abuse of prescription drugs – stimulants, depressants, and pain relievers – is also high and growing.

Substance abuse by adolescents accounts for almost 60 percent of accidental deaths among teens and poses significant risks to physical and mental health. Alcohol and marijuana are the two most abused substances, with prescription drugs growing in popularity.

via Massachusetts Medical Society’s Physician Focus | Hopkinton’s Television Station.