Teenage drug abuse statistics have been consistent over the past five years. There have been some emerging trends though. For example, there is an increase in marijuana usage. Use of over the counter and prescription drugs has also been consistent. Alcohol still remains the number one party drug for teenagers.

Statistics Show 41.2% of Teenagers Drink Alcohol

The most popular drug among teenagers is alcohol. This is because it is easily available and does not cost a lot to purchase. 41.2% of teenagers take part in alcohol consumption. In terms of binge drinking, 23.2% of teenagers had five drinks in a row at least once every week.

Marijuana usage is actually higher than cigarette usage. Approximately 21.4% of teenagers have used marijuana in the past week while only 19.2% of teenagers participate in cigarette smoking on a weekly basis. Most cigarette smokers may also experiment with marijuana.

Teenage Drug Abuse Statistics Show 9.5% Abuse Prescription Drugs

Over the counter and prescription drugs are still popular. These drugs account for 9.5% of teenagers. The most popular drugs in this category are Oxycontin, Adderall, cold medicines, Ritalin and Valium. Prescription drugs are predicted to increase in usage among teenagers. This is due to the steady increase in usage over previous years.

Narcotic drugs such as cocaine and heroin remain below the 3% mark for teenagers. This percentage may have experimented with narcotics within the last month. Less than 1% of teenagers may be addicted to a narcotic drug. Ecstasy usage is presently below the 1.1% mark. The percentage of teenagers using ecstasy is predicted to decline. This may be due to adverse effects associated with the use of ecstasy which are undesirable. For more, contact A Forever Recovery.