An Overview of Teen Substance Use

As your child approaches their teen years, parents face many new challenges. Parents may be surprised to discover their teen’s experience with drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.

According to HealthyChildren.org, many parents may be unaware of—or even unwilling to face—the reality of their child’s substance use (“Intervention Strategies for Concerned Parents” 2014).

Get educated on the reality of teen substance use, the reasons teens may seek out substances, and what you can do to help.

How Common Is Teen Substance Use?

The National Institute on Drug Use offers data on teen substance use trends. Here are a few highlights from the 2023 data:

• 6% of tenth graders reported using alcohol in the year prior.
• 8% of tenth graders reported cannabis use in the year prior.
• 6% of tenth graders reported vaping with nicotine in the year prior.

One interesting trend to note: while use of illicit drugs has gradually decreased each year, the rates of overdose have risen dramatically since 2010—likely due to fentanyl contamination (“Reported Drug Use Among Adolescents Continued to Hold Below Pre-pandemic Levels in 2023” 2024). We have more information about fentanyl here

Why Do Teens Seek Out Substances?

Teens may experiment with substances for a variety of reasons. Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco may be used to improve mood, relieve boredom, relax, establish independence, fit in with a peer group, or ease the pain of an underlying mental health condition.

New York Times writer Matt Richtel recently reported on research that questions whether teen substance use is a cause or an effect of mental health challenges. The report Richtel reviewed suggests that many teens may be self-medicating to deal with underlying mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, or ADHD (Richtel 2024).

Regardless of which came first—mental health issues or substance use—there’s a high correlation between the two.

Risk Factors for Teen Substance Use

Several factors may make a teen more likely to seek out drugs, alcohol, or tobacco:

• psychological stress, such as school issues or bullying;
• low self-esteem;
• underlying mental health conditions;
• social factors, such as peer pressure or feeling they don’t fit in;
• environmental factors, such as the prevalence of substances in the community;
• a family history of substance use disorder;
• and personal knowledge and beliefs around substance use and its consequences.

What Are the Risks to Teen Substance Use?

• Any psychoactive substances can interfere with a teen’s developing brain. This includes alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, illicit drugs, and certain prescription drugs that may be misused. Choosing to use these substances now can have lifelong effects (Abrams 2024).
• The early use of substances increases the chances for a substance use disorder, a state in which a person struggles to control their substance use. The National Institute on Drug Abuse emphasizes that “delaying the start of substance use among young people, even by one year, can decrease substance use for the rest of their lives” (2023).
• Mind-altering substances alter judgment, which can lead to a range of consequences, such as car accidents, risky sexual behavior, accidents, violence, and academic challenges.
• Drugs purchased illegally come with the added risk of contamination. The rise of fentanyl has caused a number of accidental overdoses in the US. When it’s unclear what’s in the drug, it’s harder to predict its effect (Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency n.d.).
• Alcohol in particular has many adverse effects on the brain and body.

What Parents and Adults Can Do

Educate yourself on the specific substances your teen may be exposed to. Our blog and resources page have many articles and links to help you get started.

Talk often with your child about substance use and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. We discuss this more here

Provide a healthy home environment for your teen. Be aware of what you’re modeling for your child at home. Take stock, too, of how medications and alcohol are stored—ensure that any substances are secured and unable to be accessed.

If you have questions about teens and substance use, contact a LEAF staff member at (607) 432-0090. We can connect you with local resources to support a healthy lifestyle for your family!

Sources:

Abrams, Zara. 2024. “More Teens Than Ever Are Overdosing. Psychologists Are Leading New Approaches to Combat Youth Substance Misuse.” Https://Www.Apa.Org. March 1, 2024. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/03/new-approaches-youth-substance-misuse.

Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency. n.d. “Counterfeit Pills.” GetSmartAboutDrugs.Gov. Accessed April 15, 2024. https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov/sites/getsmartaboutdrugs.com/files/Counterfeit%20Pills%20fact%20SHEET-5-13-21-FINAL.pdf.

Get Smart About Drugs. 2023. “Why Do Teens Use Drugs?” March 31, 2023. https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov/family/why-do-teens-use-drugs.

“Intervention Strategies for Concerned Parents.” 2014. HealthyChildren.Org. July 11, 2014. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/substance-abuse/Pages/Intervention-Strategies.aspx.

“Reported Drug Use Among Adolescents Continued to Hold Below Pre-pandemic Levels in 2023.” 2023. National Institute on Drug Abuse. December 13, 2023. https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2023/12/reported-drug-use-among-adolescents-continued-to-hold-below-pre-pandemic-levels-in-2023.

Richtel, Matt. 2024. “Teen Drug and Alcohol Use Linked to Mental Health Distress.” The New York Times, January 29, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/29/health/teens-drugs-alcohol-mental-health.html.