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Alarming Trends in Teen Substance Use: What Parents Need to Know

According to recent surveys and reports:

  1. Vaping/e-cigarette use has become increasingly common among teens, with about 20% of high school students reporting use in the past month.
  2. Alcohol remains the most widely used substance among youth. Approximately 29% of high school students report drinking alcohol in the past month.
  3. Marijuana use is prevalent, with about 22% of high school students reporting use in the past month.
  4. Prescription drug misuse, particularly of stimulants and opioids, continues to be a concern.
  5. The use of “study drugs” or “smart drugs” (often prescription stimulants) to enhance academic performance is an emerging trend.

Some key trends you should be aware of:

  1. Poly-substance use (using multiple substances) is becoming more common.
  2. Social media plays a significant role in normalizing and promoting substance use.
  3. The potency of some substances, particularly marijuana, has increased over time.
  4. New synthetic drugs continue to emerge, often marketed as “legal highs”.

Statistics on drug use

Among Americans aged 12 years and older, 37.309 million were current illegal drug users (used within the last 30 days) as of 2020.

  • 13.5% of Americans 12 and over used drugs in the last month, a 3.8% increase year-over-year (YoY).
  • 59.277 million or 21.4% of people 12 and over have used illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs within the last year.
  • 138.543 million or 50.0% of people aged 12 and over have illicitly used drugs in their lifetime.
  • Usership among people aged 12 and over is down 0.4% YoY.
  • 138.522 million Americans 12 and over drink alcohol.
  • 28.320 million or 20.4% of them have an alcohol use disorder.
  • 57.277 million people use tobacco or nicotine products (vape).
  • 25.4% of illegal drug users have a drug disorder.
  • 24.7% of those with drug disorders have an opioid disorder; this includes prescription pain relievers or “pain killers” and heroin).
  • Drug abuse and substance disorders are more likely to affect young males
  • 22% of males and 17% of females used illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs within the last year.
  • 5% of people in non-metropolitan, rural counties used illegal drugs compared to 20.2% of people in larger metropolitan counties.
  • Drug use is highest among persons between the ages of 18-25 at 39% compared to persons aged 26-29, at 34%.
  • 70% of users who try an illegal drug before age 13 develop a substance abuse disorder within the next 7 years compared to 27% of those who try an illegal drug after age 17.
  • 47% of young people use an illegal drug by the time they graduate from high school; other users within the last 30 days include:
    • 5% of 8th graders.
    • 20% of 10th graders.
    • 24% of 12th graders.
  • For more information, see our report on teen drug use.

Parents: Practice

  1. Open, non-judgmental communication with teens about substance use
  2. Setting clear expectations and boundaries
  3. Monitoring social media and online activity
  4. Being aware of their child’s friends and activities
  5. Modeling healthy coping mechanisms and responsible behavior
  6. Seeking professional help if concerned about substance use


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Game over? Nah! Just hit the pause on your gaming addiction

So, gaming’s kinda become the new obsession for us kids. It’s wild – over 90% of us aged 2 and up are into it. We’re talking consoles, PCs, phones, you name it. 🎮📱

Gaming’s got its perks. It helps some of us chill out and feel good about ourselves. Like, beating a tough level? Total confidence boost. 💪 Plus, it can actually make us smarter – problem-solving, teamwork, all that good stuff.

But here’s the thing – it’s getting a bit out of hand for a lot of us. Some kids are so into it they’re forgetting about school, friends, and even basic self-care. Not cool. 😬

couple hands love sitting
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Check out these stats:

  • Over 90% of mini-humans aged 2+ are on that gamer grind. It’s like, EVERYONE’S doing it – consoles, PCs, phones, even that trippy VR stuff.
  • 50% of teens feel addicted to their mobile devices (Common Sense Media, 2016)
  • Average teen spends 9 hours a day on digital media (CNN, 2022)
  • 86% of parents think their teens spend too much time gaming (Pew Research, 2023)

Too much screen time can mess with our heads – stuff like depression and anxiety. It’s like we’re forgetting how to deal with our emotions without a screen in front of us.

So what can our parents do?

  1. Talk to us about it. Like, actually listen to why we like gaming.
  2. Set some fair limits. Maybe tie game time to getting stuff done? Like, “2 hours of Fortnite if you crush that math test!” 📊
  3. Show us some cool stuff to do offline. We might surprise ourselves!
  4. Help us make a schedule that includes everything – homework, chores, and yeah, some game time too.
  5. Parents gotta practice what they preach. If you’re always on your phone, we’ll notice.
  6. If it’s getting really bad, maybe talk to a pro who knows about this stuff.

It’s all about finding that sweet spot, you know? We can still game and have a life. It’s possible!

(Sources: childrenandscreens.org, nbcnews.com, digitalwellnesslab.org)


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SUGAR VERSUS SUGAR SUBSTITUTE FOR KIDS

QUESTION: Doctor: You often say avoid “Added Sugar”. It is bad for a growing child. What is your view about Products made with sugar substitutes? How about Diet Soda? Which sugar substitute is good for my child?

MY VIEWS:

Children generally love sugary foods, and chances are the processed or packaged food your child eats has some amount of added sugar. The American Heart Association (AHA) recently released new guidelines limiting the amount of added sugar considered acceptable for a healthy diet. Per AHA,

  • Preschoolers with a daily caloric intake of 1,200 to 1,400 calories shouldn’t consume any more than 170 calories, or about 4 teaspoons, of added sugar a day.
  • Children ages 4-8 with a daily caloric intake of 1,600 calories should consume no more than 130 calories, or about 3 teaspoons a day.
  • As your child grows into his teen years, his caloric range increases to 1,800 to 2,000 a day, and the maximum amount of added sugar included in his daily diet should be 5 to 8 teaspoons.

However the reality per AHA study is

  • children as young as 1-3 years typically consume around 12 teaspoons of sugar a day!!
  • By the time a child is 4-8 years old, his sugar consumption skyrockets to an average of 21 teaspoons a day!

Obesity rates tripled in 30 years, and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among children more than doubled in the last 2 decades of the twentieth century. Many children drink more sugar-sweetened beverages than milk. Sugar-sweetened beverages represent the largest category of daily caloric intake (7%–12%) for many demographic groups. Evidence suggests that increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages raises weight and obesity rates.

This is why I recommend against “Added Sugar” in your child’s diet.

Now let’s look at Sugar Substitutes

Sugar substitutes provide sweetness to food without the calories of sugar. The FDA has approved five artificial sweeteners: saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, and sucralose. It has also approved one natural low-calorie sweetener, stevia. How the human body and brain respond to these sweeteners is very complex. Of the above only Stevia is a natural sweetener. But just because something is natural does not always mean that it is safer. Sugar substitutes are found in most of the “light,” “reduced calorie” or “sugar-free” foods and drinks available today.

As the name says, Sugar substitutes are just as the name says – chemicals masquerading as sugar!

What does research say?:

  • Research suggests that Sugar substitutes may prevent us from associating sweetness with caloric intake. As a result, we may crave more sweets, tend to choose sweet food over nutritious food, and gain weight.
  • Animal studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may be addictive. In studies of rats who were exposed to cocaine, then given a choice between intravenous cocaine or oral saccharine, most chose saccharin.
  • Aspartame is also often anecdotally linked to brain disorders based on small animal studies, but human studies have not shown an association.
  • A lot of studies show that diet soda is linked with being overweight but there isn’t a clear answer as to why.

Due to limited studies in children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has no official recommendations regarding the use of noncaloric sweeteners.

So the best advice I can give is probably to

  • avoid artificial chemicals in general (which is high in processed food);
  • limit both regular and diet soda consumption for optimal health, especially for children.

Also check out:

· HOW DOES SUGAR AFFECT YOUR BRAIN?

· SUGAR PER DAY – GUIDANCE

· SUGARY DRINKS – POUNDING YOUR YOUNG

· POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION FROM THE FOOD INDUSTRY

· HOW SAFE IS ARTIFICIAL SWEETNER FOR YOUR KID?


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ALCOHOL IS MORE DEADLY THAN OTHER ILLEGAL DRUGS

An authoritative 2010 study led by former UK drug czar David Nutt found alcohol to be the most dangerous drug in the country. The research rated 20 drugs based on 16 criteria: nine related to the harms that a drug produces in the individual and seven to the harms to others.

This chart from Nutt’s study showed the overall rankings:

The Lancet

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/another-look-at-why-alcohol-may-be-more-dangerous-than-heroin-2014-9#ixzz3DOPbdKr9


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NEWS FLASH: E-CIGARETTES REPLACING DRUGS

First the good news:

Drug use among America’s youth is dropping. The rate of illicit drug use among children and teenagers 12 to 17 years old dropped to 9.5 percent, down from 11.6 percent a decade earlier, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) latest national survey.

Then the Bad:

However electronic cigarettes are gaining favor among U.S. teenagers. Per CDC, last year, 10% of high school students say they tried e-cigarettes, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey. It seems to be fueled by an uptick of slick new marketing, which includes celebrities including Jenny McCarthy, Stephen Dorff and Courtney Love for the pitches. E-cigarette advertising, unburdened thus far by regulation, has ballooned from zero in 2008 to $3.7 million in 2011 and $19.9 million last year.

E-cigarettes heat a solution containing nicotine, which is derived from tobacco leaves, into a vapor that users inhale. An electronic cigarette can contain as much nicotine as a regular cigarette — or more. The amount of nicotine an electronic cigarette delivers depends on the content of the liquid-nicotine cartridge installed in it. Many e-cig manufacturers sell the products online, along with the required cartridges, batteries and other accessories.

Studies so far are mixed. Some cite potential hazards, including a secondhand effect from the vapor, and a small Greek study last year said e-cigarettes may damage the lungs. Cobb, the Georgetown pulmonologist, says because almost all are imported from China, there have quality-control issues, contamination concerns and widely varying nicotine levels. Some individuals, particularly those with health conditions that make them sensitive, have reported that the vapor is irritating to their eyes, noses and throats, and that it affects their breathing and makes them nauseous. The FDA is in the process of having e-cigarettes labeled as a drug-delivery device so they can be regulated [source 1=”FDA” language=”:”][/source]. Regulations vary, but some countries, including Australia, Canada, Israel and Mexico, have banned electronic cigarettes [source language=”:NPR”][/source].

TAKEAWAY: Don’t underestimate the long-term effects of these novel tobacco products. Avoid them and teach your kids to avoid them.

Source: multiple including CDC, howstuffworks.com and USAToday.com


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A NEW TREND IN ADDICTION AMONG KIDS

A NEW TREND IN ADDICTION AMONG KIDS

STUDY:

A study from Drugfree.org suggest that only 14% of the parents have discussed abuse of prescription drugs with their kids. One in four teens in the study said they had misused or abused a prescription drug at least once. One in eight teens report misusing or abusing the drugs Ritalin or Adderall. Some parents didn’t see a significant risk in teens misusing prescription drugs. More shockingly, some kids are having “skittles parties,” where the teens throw all the pills they poach from home into a big bowl, mix them up and then take a few without knowing exactly what they were ingesting.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Talk to your kid about the dangers and risk of prescription drugs. They are just as potent and in some cases, more deadly a chemical than street drugs.

Lock away unsafe drugs in a cabinet and keep track of it.

Keep an eye on your kid’s habit and know their friends. As the famous saying goes “You are, the company you keep”.

For more read “The Partnership at Drugfree.org”


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ASTHMA CIGARETTES

THE DANGER OF BELIEVING IN ADS

This classic advertisement from the early 20th century shows how crooked companies have exploited people.

It is an ad. for a tobacco cigarette and they sell on its “Asthma curing abilities.”

Ooh! But they are considerate …. It is not recommended for children under 6!

And the kicker: It is called DOCTOR BATTY’S. Exploiting the trust consumers place on the word “Doctor”.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Don’t trust commercial speak.

Know their motives.

And on the same vein, if you come across a study, check out who funded the study.


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1 SODA – ONE SWEET DEATH SENTENCE

European Study confirms earlier American study results that 12 Ounces of Sugary Soda a Day Raises Diabetes Risk by 22%!!!

STUDY:

The finding in the journal Diabetologia is based on an analysis of data collected from more than 28,000 people in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The study found an association between consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and heightened risk of type 2 diabetes. Consumption of pure or diluted fruit juice was not significantly associated with diabetes risk, according to the report.

The 22 percent increased risk of diabetes among Europeans who drink sugar-sweetened soft drinks is similar to previous research showing that North Americans who consume these types of beverages have a 25 percent increased risk of diabetes, the researchers said in a journal news release.

SO WHAT?

Diabetes is very serious disease. Ask someone suffering from it and you will hear horror stories of its effect on blood vessels, lungs, eyes and wound healing. Additionally, since it is non reversible (in most cases) one has to live with-in limits for the rest of the life. Would you ever wish that on your worst enemy?

No! So why do we let our children knowing or unknowingly consume so much sugar.

Do you realize that there are 16 stacks of sugar cubes in one soda?

ACT:

a) Avoid Soda. In fact cut out soda from any parties or restaurant meal and replace it with water or fresh fruit juices instead. This is what we do in our family.

b) Check the labels on your food items to find the level of sugar. To learn more, check out: http://www.sugarstacks.com/

c) Minimize use of white sugar and substitute with natural sweeteners like honey, dates etc.

But before we go preaching to our kids, let us start by cutting soda and refined sugar out from our own diet.

A journey of a thousand mile, Lao Tzu says, starts with one step.