Current Trends Now » Alcohol abuse

Consumption of Alcohol in America

Stuwartclarck — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 11:55:58 +0000

According, to the report submitted by National Institute of Drug Abuse in 2009, alcoholic beverages have been among the most widely used substances by American young people for a long period of time. In 2009, the proportions of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders who consume alcoholic beverages is 15%, 30%, and 44% respectively.

Among 12th graders, binge drinking was at peak during the period of 1979. It held steady for few years and declined to a low percentage of 28 during the year 1992. By 2009, proportional declines since recent peaks are 42%,28%and 20% for 8th, 10th and 12th graders respectively.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, surveys on different age groups suggest that the elder people consume less alcohol than the younger ones. Married couple with adult children and couples with no children spend about 30% more than the national household average. 60% of the money spent on all alcoholic beverages was for alcohol consumed at home. Abstention in US is inversely associated with social status. The lower the social class the higher the abstention. Similarly, the more the people are educated, the more likely they are to drink.

According to summary health statistics for US adults, during 2009 the overall percentage of adults of 18 years and above who regularly drink alcohol were 52%, 13% were infrequent drinkers, 9% were former in frequent drinkers and 20% were life time abstainers.

Coming to men, 61% were regular drinkers. Among adults aged 65 and above, 39% of them who had insurance coverage are regular drinkers. Adults who are living with their partners were more likely to be regular drinkers when compared to other marital status.

By observing these statistics we can see how many people are becoming victims of their habits.

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After Long Decline, Drug Use Climbs

Philip Amalong — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:45:39 +0000

A report showed that teens in high school taking illegal drugs marijuana, and ecstasy are at increasing rates in 2009. It is the first high increase in teen drug use since 1998.

After a decade of decreasing drug use in US teens, marijuana, and ecstasy use is reported to be increasing.

For drug-prevention advocates, this reversal in trend is surprising. These advocates of drug prevention feel that high-profile media campaigns and parental involvement encouraged to restrict all types of teen drug use between 1998 and 2008. In 2008, use of alcohol and marijuana reduced by 30 percent among ninth and 12th graders from the previous year and methamphetamine abuse was reduced to 60 percent.

This data were published by the Partnership for a Drug Free America and the MetLife Foundation and revealed that teen usage turned back last year for the first time from 1998.

Among the findings reported about teens between the ninth and 12th grades:

Yearly and monthly marijuana use raised to 38 and 25 percent, respectively.
Thirteen percent of teens accept they tried ecstasy previous year, a 30 percent raise from 2008.
Seventy-five percent of teenagers express they have friends who get high at parties, a 9 percent raise from 2008.

Reasons cited for the dramatic reversal are reduction in federal funding for drug-prevention programs in schools and the media, the public questioning about the legalization of marijuana.

Inhalants like glues, nail polish remover, spray paints, and cleaning fluids, present an increasing risk among teens, the use of which increases more in eighth grade. A report made by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recorded from 2006 to 2008, 7 percent of 12-year-olds huffed inhalants. In current years, reports say that teen abuse drugs particularly prescription medicines, as they are easily available.

More susceptible attitudes in teens toward drug use can be repelled using education campaigns in schools and through the media.

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Measures To Raise Drugs Free Teens

Stuwartclarck — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:01:40 +0000

Drug addiction is a serious problem for the teenagers. It is a worst thing for their upcoming future. The following measures have to be taken to steer them away from the drug abuse:

Parents should first have to think about themselves and avoid drug or alcohol abuse because children generally start abusing drugs by seeing them
Parents need to build the child’s motivation to avoid drugs. It could be possible by talking about the realities of getting caught, how it will affect their activities and how they could get kicked off the team or lose their competitive edge
Teach them that drugs addiction is not appropriate and they should walk away from a person who uses drugs or alcohol
Parents should keep talking continually to reinforce this message
Stress the danger of drugs and do not accept any excuses for drug addiction

With all these preventive measures parents can keep their children away from drugs.

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England Helping More Teenagers with Drug Treatment

Philip Milton — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:46:17 +0000

The England government was successful in creating awareness among its youth on drugs and alcohol usage. According to, this result there is an increase in number of teenagers committing themselves towards proper drug treatment in the nation.

According to a report released by the National Treatment Agency, around 24,000 people below the age 18 have received treatment on drug misuse last year. The number has increased compared to 20,643 in 2006-2007 and 17,001 who took drug treatment in 2005-06.

Around three-fourths of these treated were over 15 years. Over half of them were treated for cannabis abuse and with 12,021 (51 percent) and 8,589 (36 percent) were treated for alcohol abuse. Others had treatment for misuse of drugs like heroin, cocaine, and crack.

The increased number does not resemble that the children of England are more in exposure to drugs than other countries. It shows how desperate they are in helping themselves from the claws of substance abuse.