Youth Substance Use

Adolescents use alcohol more than any other drug, including tobacco and marijuana. Binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks on one occasion for males, or four or more drinks for females) is the most commonly reported—and most dangerous—way that adolescents consume alcohol. Adolescents who drink alcohol are more likely to experience negative consequences such as injury or death, difficulty at school, addiction, and legal problems. Additionally, alcohol can interfere with brain development.

Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, and almost 90 percent of adults who smoke daily first tried smoking by age 18. The good news is that tobacco use by adolescents and young adults has declined substantially over the past 40 years. However, in 2014 and for the first time in history, more teenagers used vaping devices, such as electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes (devices used to inhale nicotine, marijuana, or other flavored vapor), than tobacco cigarettes, and this upward trend continues. These products pose a set of new challenges, as they are known to be harmful but their health impact is not yet fully understood.

Illicit drug use—which includes the abuse of illegal drugs and/or the misuse of prescription medications or household substances—is something many adolescents engage in occasionally, and some do regularly. Prescription drug misuse, which can include opioids, is among the fastest growing drug problems in the United States.

For more information on youth substance use, visit the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Use in Adolescent website.