New Report on Alarming Trends in Girls’ Substance Abuse
FROM: NATIONAL YOUTH ANTI-DRUG MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Girls Are Catching Up With Boys in Use of Illicit Substances and Alcohol, Warn White House Drug Czar, Seventeen Magazine, and Medical Experts.
(New York, NY)—Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) John P. Walters, Seventeen magazine, and teen medical experts today released a new analysis of recent findings on drug and alcohol use trends among girls. Despite commonly held beliefs that boys are at higher risk for using illegal substances, data indicate that girls have caught up with boys in illicit drug and alcohol use and have actually surpassed boys in cigarette and prescription drug use. There are also more girls who are new users of substances than boys.
Although substance use among teens has shown steady declines in the past few years, ONDCP and other experts warned parents at a press conference this morning in New York City that girls display unique vulnerabilities that can lead to substance abuse. Research also indicates that drug and alcohol use has a more profound impact on teen girls, both physically and psychologically.
The findings show that when girls use illicit drugs, marijuana is the most commonly used substance. Marijuana is used more than cocaine, heroin, Ecstasy, and all other illicit drugs combined. And for the last two years that research is available (2003–2004), more teenage girls than boys started using marijuana, alcohol, and cigarettes. (The full report on Girls and Drugs can be accessed at http://www.mediacampaign.org/pdf/girls_and_drugs.pdf)
>>READ THE REST OF THE NEWS RELEASE HERE
Girls Are Catching Up With Boys in Use of Illicit Substances and Alcohol, Warn White House Drug Czar, Seventeen Magazine, and Medical Experts.
(New York, NY)—Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) John P. Walters, Seventeen magazine, and teen medical experts today released a new analysis of recent findings on drug and alcohol use trends among girls. Despite commonly held beliefs that boys are at higher risk for using illegal substances, data indicate that girls have caught up with boys in illicit drug and alcohol use and have actually surpassed boys in cigarette and prescription drug use. There are also more girls who are new users of substances than boys.
Although substance use among teens has shown steady declines in the past few years, ONDCP and other experts warned parents at a press conference this morning in New York City that girls display unique vulnerabilities that can lead to substance abuse. Research also indicates that drug and alcohol use has a more profound impact on teen girls, both physically and psychologically.
The findings show that when girls use illicit drugs, marijuana is the most commonly used substance. Marijuana is used more than cocaine, heroin, Ecstasy, and all other illicit drugs combined. And for the last two years that research is available (2003–2004), more teenage girls than boys started using marijuana, alcohol, and cigarettes. (The full report on Girls and Drugs can be accessed at http://www.mediacampaign.org/pdf/girls_and_drugs.pdf)
>>READ THE REST OF THE NEWS RELEASE HERE
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