National Study Shows Teens Drinking More and Think It's Not Risky

The Partnership at Drugfree.org and Metropolitan Life's new study of teens and alcohol use found some pretty alarming things for parents. The Worst: Teens view drinking alcohol – even heavy drinking – as less

 risky than using other substances. Here's some data that should get you talking to your kids:

• 73 percent of teens, report having friends who drink alcohol at least once a week.
• 60 percent of teens reported using alcohol is that they think “it’s fun to drink.” Many also reported using alcohol to deal with stress.Wake up - it's about family, school and friend stress.
• 32 percent of teens said they drank “to forget their troubles.”
• 24 percent said they used alcohol to help them “deal with problems at home.”

When do kids start drinking?

Of those teens who reported alcohol use, a 62 percent said they had their first full alcoholic drink by age 15, not including sipping or tasting alcohol.

25 percent of teens who drank, said they drank a full alcoholic drink for the first time by age 12 or younger.

The average age of first alcohol use was 14.

Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org said,  “We are troubled, but not completely surprised, by these numbers because, in schools and communities across the country, support for drug education and prevention programs has been cut drastically due to budgetary pressures.”

For more information go to: http://www.drugfree.org/newsroom/national-study-confirms-teen-drug-use-trending-in-wrong-direction-marijuana-ecstasy-use-up-since-2008-parents-feel-ill-equipped-to-respond