Teenagers Abusing Less Illegal Substances

The proportion of teenagers who reported drinking, smoking or using illegal drugs, including ecstasy, in 2002 fell for the first time in recent years, according to an annual survey conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research.

The institute surveys around 44,000 randomly selected eighth, tenth and twelfth graders from 400 schools across the country each year. The Monitoring the Future survey, which has been conducted every year since 1975, is considered a reliable indicator of substance abuse among teens due to the large number of students surveyed, the study's methodology and the reputation of the university conducting it.

In the survey's results for 2002, the largest decline was seen in teenage smoking, which has been declining since it peaked in 1996 and 1997. Since then, rates for eighth and tenth graders have dropped by half, and for twelfth graders by a quarter to a third. Only 10.7% of eighth graders, 17.7% of tenth graders and 27.7% of twelfth graders reported smoking during the 30 days prior to the survey. This decline corresponds with increases in the percentages of students who believe smoking is dangerous, who dislike being around smokers, and who prefer to date non-smokers. Among eighth graders, 81% said they preferred to date non-smokers, while 76% of tenth graders and 72% of twelfth graders concurred. "It now appears that taking up smoking makes a youngster less attractive to the great majority of the opposite sex," said the study's principal investigator, social psychologist Lloyd Johnston. In explaining the decline, Johnston credited rising cigarette prices, less tobacco advertising aimed at teenagers, and an increase in negative publicity about the tobacco industry.

The survey also showed a decline in the use of illicit drugs at all three grade levels after drug use had held steady for the last few years among tenth and twelfth graders while gradually declining among eighth graders. Ecstasy use declined for the first time ever. The decline followed increases in 2001 and 2002 in the percentage of students who thought the drug was dangerous. "We have found increases in the perceived risk of using a drug to be an important leading indicator of downturns in its use," Johnston said.

And in the continuation of a long-term pattern, alcohol use also declined among teens at all three grade levels. This occurred despite recent evidence that the alcoholic beverage industry is not following its voluntary policy of directing advertising away from people who cannot buy their products. Television commercials for alcoholic beverages are a quarter more likely to be seen by teens than by the adults at whom they are supposed to be aimed, according to a report from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University.

Johnston attributed some of the decline in substance abuse to the effects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, and said he thought "it quite possible that the tragedy of 9/11 had somewhat of a sobering effect on the country's young people. Maybe it helped some, at least to clarify what is and is not important to them." Other researchers did not agree, however. According to Glen Hanson, acting director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, who spoke to the New York Times, the idea "has not been studied" and "you could make the opposite case-that 9/11 made people more anxious and prone to substance abuse." Hanson said he thought it more likely that the declines could be attributed to an increase in awareness among teenagers of the risks involved in smoking, drinking and drug use.

Sources

"Advertising: Alcohol Ads on TV Find Their Way to Teenagers." John Schwartz. New York Times, December 18, 2002, page C6.

"Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Are Declining Among U.S. Teens." Gordon Fairclough. Wall Street Journal, December 17, 2002, page A1.

"Teenage Drug Use Is Dropping, a Study Finds." Fox Butterfield. New York Times, December 17, 2002, page A27.