|
Real
Stories from Pennsylvania on Teen Alcohol Abuse
Information provided in this page is information administered
in the fall of 2007, by PAYS (Pennsylvania Youth Survey and
sponsored by the Pennsylvania Commission
on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), in collaboration with other
state agencies, including the Department of Education, Department
of Health, Liquor Control Board, and Department of Public
Welfare.
All together, 16,547 students out of 24,537 eligible students
or 67.4% in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 participated in the survey.
All participating students came from 115 schools statewide
out of a random sample of 226 schools or 50.9%. School participation
in PAYS is voluntary and not state mandated. It is important
to point out here that beyond the random sample nearly 125,000
volunteer students participated in the 2007 PAYS. Results
from the voluntary effort are not included in this report.
ALCOHOL, OTHER DRUG USE IN PENNSYLVANIA
In 2007, with a few exceptions, alcohol, tobacco, and other
drug (ATOD) use by Pennsylvania teens was
lower than ATOD use measured by Monitoring the Future (MTF),
a 2007 national representative survey of adolescent
drug use.
In addition, nearly all 2007 PAYS ATOD prevalence rates were
down compared to rates from previous PAYS administrations.
IMPORTANT ATOD HIGHLIGHTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
• Teen Alcohol Use in Pennsylvania
Alcohol, including beer, wine and hard liquor, is
the drug used most often by adolescents today. Findings from
the Monitoring the Future study highlight the pervasiveness
of alcohol in middle and high schools today. In comparison,
cigarette use (the second most pervasive category of ATOD
use) is only about half as prevalent as alcohol use. Given
the national pattern, it is not surprising that alcohol is
the most used drug among students in Pennsylvania.
Teen Lifetime Use of Alcohol in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of alcohol use ranges
from a low of 23.9% for 6th graders to a high of 78.4% for
12th graders. Overall, 55.4% of Pennsylvania
students have used alcohol at least once in their lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported higher rates of lifetime alcohol use.
Past-30-Day Use of Alcohol by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of alcohol use ranges from a low of
3.3% for 6th graders to a high of 44.8% for 12th graders.
Overall, 23.2% of Pennsylvania students have used alcohol
at least once in the last 30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th graders reported a lower
rate of past-30-day alcohol use and 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of use.
• Teen Binge Drinking in Pennsylvania
Binge drinking (defined as a report of five or more drinks
in a row within the past two weeks) is extremely dangerous.
Several studies have shown that binge drinking is related
to higher probabilities of drinking and driving as well as
injury due to intoxication. As with alcohol use in general,
binge drinking tends to become more pervasive as students
grow older.
Across grades, the prevalence rate of binge drinking ranges
from a low of 1.4% for 6th graders to a high of 25.7% for
12th graders. Overall, 12.5% of Pennsylvania students
have reported at least one episode of binge drinking
in the past two weeks.
Compared to national findings, 8th and 10th graders reported
lower rates of binge drinking and 12th graders reported a
similar rate of use.
• Teen Marijuana Use in Pennsylvania
During the 1990s, there were notable changes in trends of
marijuana use throughout the United States. Results from the
Monitoring the Future study show increases in both lifetime
and past-30-day prevalence rates through the early and mid
1990s (Johnston et al., 2007). For 8th and 10th graders, the
past-30-day rates more than doubled during this period. Since
1996 and 1997, when past-30-day marijuana use peaked, rates
have declined.
Teen Lifetime Use of Marijuana in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of marijuana use ranges from a low of
0.9% for 6th graders to a high of 35.7% for 12th graders.
Overall, 16.4% of Pennsylvania students have
used marijuana at least once in their lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported lower rates of lifetime marijuana use.
Past-30-Day Use of Marijuana by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of marijuana use ranges from a low
of 0.2% for 6th graders to a high of 19.2% for 12th graders.
Overall, 8.5% of Pennsylvania students have used marijuana
at least once in the last 30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th and 10th graders reported
lower rates of past-30-day marijuana use and 12th graders
reported a similar rate of use.
• Use of Inhalants by Teens
in Pennsylvania
Inhalant use is more prevalent with younger students, perhaps
because inhalants are often the easiest drugs for them to
obtain. The health consequences of inhalant use can be substantial,
including brain damage and heart failure. Inhalant use was
measured by the survey question “On how many occasions
(if any) have you used inhalants (whippets, butane, paint
thinner, or glue to sniff, etc.)?” Comparisons with
the Monitoring the Future study (national results) should
be made carefully because there are differences in survey
questions for this class of drugs.
Teen Lifetime Use of Inhalants in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of inhalant use ranges from a low of 6.6%
for 12th graders to a high of 11.0% for 10th graders. Overall,
8.6% of Pennsylvania students have used inhalants at least
once in their lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported lower rates of lifetime inhalant use.
Past-30-Day Use of Inhalants by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of inhalant use ranges from a low of
1.7% for 12th graders to a high of 3.7% for 8th graders. Overall,
2.9% of Pennsylvania students have used
inhalants at least once in the last 30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of past-30-day inhalant use.
• Use of Cocaine by Teens in
Pennsylvania
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that directly
affects the brain. Users may develop tolerance and need more
and more of the drug to feel the same effects. Cocaine use
can cause a variety of physical problems, including chest
pain, strokes, seizures and abnormal heart rhythm.
Teen Lifetime Use of Cocaine in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of cocaine use ranges from a low of 0.3%
for 6th graders to a high of 5.7% for 12th graders. Overall,
2.5% of Pennsylvania students have used cocaine
at least once in their lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported lower rates of lifetime cocaine use.
Past-30-Day Use of Cocaine by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of cocaine use ranges from a low of
0.0% for 6th graders to a high of 1.8% for 12th graders. Overall,
0.8% of Pennsylvania students have used cocaine at least once
in the last 30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of past-30-day cocaine use.
• Use of Crack Cocaine by Teens in Pennsylvania
“Crack” is the street name given to the freebase
form of cocaine, which has been processed into a less expensive,
smokeable drug. Because crack is smoked, the user experiences
a very quick, intense, but short-term high. Smoking large
quantities of crack can cause acute problems, including cough,
shortness of breath, and severe chest pains.
Teen Lifetime Use of Crack Cocaine in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of crack cocaine use ranges from a low
of 0.4% for 6th graders to a high of 1.8% for 10th graders.
Overall, 1.2% of Pennsylvania students have used crack cocaine
at least once in their lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of lifetime crack cocaine use.
Past-30-Day Use of Crack Cocaine by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of crack cocaine use
ranges from a low of 0.2% for 6th and 8th graders to a high
of 0.9% for 10th graders. Overall, 0.5% of Pennsylvania
students have used crack cocaine at least once in the last
30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of past-30-day crack cocaine use.
• Use of Heroin by Teens in Pennsylvania
Heroin is a highly addictive drug with rapid effects. Processed
from morphine, heroin is usually injected, snorted or smoked.
Physical dependence on the drug often develops among users.
Long-term health problems caused by heroin use include collapsed
veins, kidney or liver disease and bacterial infections.
Teen Lifetime Use of Heroin in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of heroin use ranges
from a low of 0.2% for 6th graders to a high of 1.5% for 12th
graders. Overall, 0.8% of Pennsylvania students
have used heroin at least once in their lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th and 10th graders reported
similar rates of lifetime heroin use and 12th graders reported
the same rate of use.
Past-30-Day Use of Heroin by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of heroin use ranges from a low of
0.1% for 6th graders to a high of 0.5% for 12th graders. Overall,
0.3% of Pennsylvania students have used heroin
at least once in the last 30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th and 12th graders reported
similar rates of past-30-day heroin use and 10th graders reported
the same rate of use.
• Use of Hallucinogens by Teens in Pennsylvania
Hallucinogenic drugs can have short- and long-term effects
on perception and mood. For instance, users of LSD, the most
potent mood- and perception-altering drug, may have unpredictable
experiences (known as “trips”) ranging from pleasant
hallucinations to terrifying thoughts and feelings. LSD can
also cause physical complications, including increased blood
pressure and heart rate, dizziness, loss of appetite, nausea
and numbness. For the purposes of the PAYS, hallucinogens
were defined as “hallucinogens (acid, LSD, and ’shrooms).”
Teen Lifetime Use of Hallucinogens in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of hallucinogen use ranges
from a low of 0.2% for 6th graders to a high of 7.3% for 12th
graders. Overall, 3.4% of Pennsylvania students
have used hallucinogens at least once in their lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th graders reported a lower
rate of lifetime hallucinogen use and 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of use.
Past-30-Day Use of Hallucinogens by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of hallucinogen use ranges from a low
of 0.0% for 6th graders to a high of 2.4% for 12th graders.
Overall, 1.2% of Pennsylvania students have used hallucinogens
at least once in the last 30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th and 12th graders reported
similar rates of past-30-day hallucinogen use and 10th graders
reported the same rate of use.
• Use of Methamphetamine by Teens in Pennsylvania
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant with effects
similar to cocaine. Use of methamphetamine can cause physical
and psychological problems, such as rapid or irregular heart
rate, increased blood pressure, anxiety and insomnia.
Lifetime Use of Meth by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of methamphetamie (meth)
use ranges from a low of 0.2% for 6th graders to a high of
1.6% for 10th graders. Overall, 1.0% of Pennsylvania
students have used methamphetamine at least once in their
lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of lifetime methamphetamine use.
Past-30-Day Use of Meth by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of methamphetamine use ranges from
a low of 0.2% for 6th graders to a high of 0.6% for 10th graders.
Overall, 0.4% of Pennsylvania students have used methamphetamine
at least once in the last 30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of past-30-day methamphetamine use.
• Use of Ecstasy by Teens in Pennsylvania
Ecstasy (also known as MDMA) has both stimulant and hallucinogenic
effects. After showing an increase in use nationwide from
1998 to 2001, use of Ecstasy appears to have declined in recent
years, while the proportion of young people perceiving it
as dangerous has increased (Johnston et al., 2007).
Teen Lifetime Use of Ecstasy in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of Ecstasy use ranges
from a low of 0.1% for 6th graders to a high of 4.1% for 12th
graders. Overall, 2.2% of Pennsylvania students
have used Ecstasy at least once in their lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th and 10th graders reported
similar rates of lifetime Ecstasy use and 12th graders reported
a lower rate of use.
Past-30-Day Use of Ecstasy by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of Ecstasy use ranges
from a low of 0.0% for 6th graders to a high of 1.1% for 10th
graders. Overall, 0.6% of Pennsylvania students
have used Ecstasy at least once in the last 30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of past-30-day Ecstasy use.
• Use of Steroids by Teens in Pennsylvania
The primary use for steroids in humans is to raise inadequate
levels of testosterone. However, some athletes misuse the
drug to “improve” their appearance or athletic
performance. Improper use of steroids can prematurely stop
the lengthening of bones as well as cause infertility and
liver tumors.
Teen Lifetime Use of Steroids in Pennsylvania:
Lifetime prevalence of steroid use ranges
from a low of 0.7% for 6th graders to a high of 1.6% for 10th
graders. Overall, 1.3% of Pennsylvania students
have used steroids at least once in their lifetimes.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of lifetime steroid use.
Past-30-Day Use of Steroids by Teens in Pennsylvania:
Past-30-day prevalence of steroid use ranges from a low of
0.3% for 6th graders to a high of 0.7% for 8th and 10th graders.
Overall, 0.6% of Pennsylvania students have used steroids
at least once in the last 30 days.
Compared to national findings, 8th, 10th and 12th graders
reported similar rates of past-30-day steroid use.
TOLL FREE TEEN DRUG REHAB HELP LINE:
1-888-757-6237
or e-mail
us.
|
|
•
