Alcohol, Tobacco and Prescription Drug Use Down among Young Adults

Alcohol, tobacco and prescription drug use is down among young adults, even as more individuals aged 12 and older are turning to heroin, a US government study revealed.

Conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the report found that the rate of those between ages 12 and 17 who reported having consumed alcohol within the last month was lower than 2002 and 2009 levels. Rates of binge drinking and heavy drinking among this same demographic were also lower in comparison. Furthermore, the percentage of those aged 12 and older who drove under the influence at least once in the past year in 2012 was 11.2 percent, versus 14.2 percent in 2002.

The 2012 rate of those between 18 and 25 who reported using nonmedical use of prescription drugs, meanwhile, was 5.3 percent, according to the report, compared to 6.4 percent in 2009.

In terms of tobacco use, researchers found a drop in the rate of past-month use of tobacco products among 12 to 17 year olds from 15.2 percent in 2002 to 8.6 percent in 2012. This was mirrored in a drop in the percentage of youth between these same ages with substance dependence or abuse from 8.9 percent to 6.1 percent during this same time period.

However, marijuana use, the survey concluded, is up with 7.3 percent of Americans in 2012 considered current users versus 5.8 percent in 2007. Interestingly, however, even as the rate of past-month marijuana rose in nearly every age group between 2007 and 2012, it dropped slightly from 7.9 percent in 2011 to 7.2 percent for those between the ages of 12 and 17 in 2012.

The same was not true for heroin, which saw a spike in users aged 12 and older from 373,000 in 2007 to 669,000 in 2012.

Importantly, the report showed that out of 23 million Americans aged 12 and older in need of treatment for illicit drug or alcohol use, only 2.5 million received the needed specialized attention in 2012. 

"These findings show that while we have made progress in preventing some aspects of substance abuse we must redouble our efforts to reduce and eliminate all forms of it throughout our nation," SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in a statement. "These statistics represent real people, families and communities dealing with the devastating consequences of abuse and addiction. We must strive to prevent further abuse and provide the hope of treatment and recovery to all people needing help."