According to the new data released by the department of Health and Human Services, there is a decreasing number of American teenagers that are using drugs, alcohol, and tobacco products. These statistics were included in a report that showed how substance use in this age group has been continually trending downward between 2002 and 2013.
The data from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that, during this period, the rate of tobacco consumption decreased by nearly 50%, while regular alcohol use for adolescents between 12 and 17 years old declined to just 11.6% from the previous 17.6% over the same period. The use of marijuana in teams has also showed significant decline, although this has now become a contentious topic due to the legalization of marijuana use in several states across the country.
The annual NSDUH survey is representative of about 70,000 Americans between the ages of 12 and older. The high scale of the survey makes it one of the most factual resources that account for the nature and scope of alcohol, drug, and tobacco use within the United States. Director of that Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Peter Delany, said that, "We are seeing really exciting numbers in terms of the 12 to 17 year olds across the country. We see illicit drug use down significantly from 2009. We see marijuana starting to trend downward. Hallucinogens and inhalants are also down slightly."
These figures have also led officials of the National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to state that national efforts to reduce alcohol and drug use among the younger members of the population are working. Spokeswoman Cameron Hardesty said that, "We are especially heartened by the decrease in a new initiates [that is, first time use] of prescription drug misuse, which aligns with our prevention efforts."
