All age groups, including teens, adolescents, and young adults, are affected by alcohol and drug usage across the United States.
Teens use various illicit drugs and prescription medications, including tranquilizers, Ritalin, Xanax, cannabis, marijuana, cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs recreationally.
Like the ever-changing music and fashion culture, drug use and abuse are also evolving. Teenagers come up with innovative ways to use easy-to-access products.
From inhaling household substances to smoking alcohol, many teenagers are willing to go down an adventurous and sometimes fatal path to get a quick high. Today’s parents must remain one step ahead of their teens by staying updated and well-informed on drug fads and trends.
Key Takeaways
Although teen drug use has declined, trends in teen drug use have changed significantly in recent years. Here is what substances teens are using to get high.
- Alcohol, unsurprisingly, remains the top choice for teenagers to get high. Smoking alcohol has also been a trend among teens for some years now.
- Besides alcohol, the teen also uses both legal and illegal drugs occasionally and regularly.
- Vaporizers and e-cigarettes are also one of the most popular drug use trends among users.
- Teens also use household products, such as spices, bath salt, and gasoline, to get high.
- Additionally, digital drugs and cough syrups are among the latest teen drug use trends.
So, if you need help for your loved one to quit using drugs and alcohol, then The Haven Detox-South Florida can help you with that. Contact us today at (561) 328 – 8627!
Statistics of Teen Drug Use
Many teens who abuse drugs will develop a substance use disorder (SUD). The following stats show some of the teens’ most concerning and dangerous trends.
- 1 in 8 teenagers report abusing illegal substances in the past year
- 86 percent of teenagers know someone who abuses drugs, drinks alcohol, or smokes during school
- 50 percent of teens report abusing drugs at least one time
- 8.7 percent of the eighth-graders report using illegal drugs in the last month
- 21.3 percent of teens in the eighth grade have tried an illicit substance at least once
- 62 percent of teenagers have abused alcoholic beverages by their senior year in high school
- 46.6 percent of all teens report that by grade 12, they have used illegal drugs
- 43 percent of college students use one or more illicit drugs
- In 2019, there were 4,777 drug overdose deaths among teenagers (3,315 males and 1,459 females)
- Over 2 million teens reported drug use in the past month
- 11.2 percent of all drug overdose deaths were individuals between the age of 15 to 24
Teen Drug Use Trends
Experimentation with drugs and alcohol during the teenage years is common. Unfortunately, teens often fail to see the connection between their unhealthy behaviors today and the negative consequences tomorrow.
Keep reading to learn about some of the teenagers’ most dangerous trends to get high.
Drinking Alcohol
Alcohol is used by teens more than any other substance, including marijuana and tobacco. Binge drinking (four or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting for females, five or more alcoholic beverages in one sitting for men) is the most often reported—and dangerous—way that teenagers use alcohol.
Teenagers who consume alcohol are more likely to suffer negative consequences such as injury or death, poor performance at school, addiction, and legal issues. Furthermore, drinking might impair brain growth.
Fortunately, general teenage alcohol usage has dropped over the last decade.
Smoking Alcohol
Teens are smoking alcohol, which is extremely dangerous and even fatal. This has been a trend among teenagers for some years now, and each year there are reports of severe consequences associated with smoking alcohol.
Now, you may wonder, “How can alcohol be smoked?” The answer is only a few mouse clicks away. A quick Internet search with the keywords “smoking alcohol” will get you dozens of results, including a step-by-step, Do It Yourself (DIY) guide to vaporizing alcoholic drinks and inhaling the ethanol fumes.
Parents must note: The medical community warns that teenagers who smoke alcohol are at a considerably higher risk of overdose and alcohol poisoning than those who drink alcohol via the mouth.
When teenagers drink too much alcohol, their bodies defend themselves by vomiting it out. However, when alcohol is smoked, it skips the stomach and liver, and the body cannot eliminate it.
Legal and Illegal Drugs
Many teens occasionally experiment with illegal and prescription drugs, and others do so regularly. Teenagers identifying as gay, lesbian, or bi are about twice as likely as heterosexual teens to take illegal substances.
Prescription drug abuse, including opioids, is one of the country’s fastest-growing drug problems. However, overall, teen usage of prescription medications is declining.
Teens who use drugs may have poor health outcomes, and drug use can harm teenagers’ brain development and functioning. Fortunately, various ways can help teens stay drug-free, such as good strong ties with parents, other family members, school, and religion; having parents provide clear limits and regular enforcement of punishment; and limiting access to illicit drugs in the house.
Vaping
One of the most popular trends is the increased usage of vaporizers and e-cigarettes. While many teenagers believe nicotine vaping is healthier than tobacco products, researchers show the opposite.
A Harvard University study discovered that harmful, lung-destroying chemicals are present in the liquids used in vaping devices and e-cigarettes.
Teens who use vaporizers and e-cigarettes are likelier to start smoking tobacco cigarettes than non-smokers teenagers. Furthermore, some teenagers inhale more than nicotine from these battery-powered vaping devices. Many teenagers use these devices to consume synthetic drugs, including marijuana.
Vaping is a new fad among this young generation; thus, vaporizers and e-cigarettes are a trend that all parents should be aware of.
Inhaling Household Substances
Inhalants are teens’ most common type of commonplace items to get high. Inhalant misuse leads to potentially dangerous impacts on teens.
There are several household products readily available in your home that teens might use to embark on a risky trip to get high.
Parents, beware: have a look at the list below and check how many of these standard products you have in your house:
- Cooking spray
- Whipped cream aerosol cans
- Computer cleaning Products
- Paint thinners
- Nail polish remover
- Lighter fluid
- Rubber cement
- Fabric protector
- Felt-tip markers
- Gasoline
- Bath salts
- Spray paint
- Shoe polish
These household items produce potent vapors that can be seriously dangerous when inhaled. If you believe your teen is using inhalants, please get help immediately.
Synthetic “Designer” Drugs
The rise of synthetic substances is one of the most recent teen drug trends. These drugs are lab-created chemical compounds designed to skirt the law while producing effects similar to other medications.
Some examples of street names for synthetic drugs include the following:
- Bloom (synthetic cathinone)
- U47700, also known as Pink (a synthetic opioid)
- White Lightning (synthetic cathinone)
- K2 (a synthetic cannabinoid)
- Spice (synthetic cannabinoid)
Because these drugs are easier to obtain and are legal, many teenagers consider these substances to be a suitable alternative to the drugs.
Cough Syrup
Cough syrup is another way for teenagers to get high. Robotripping has become a frightening fad among teenagers who consume many bottles of cough syrups, such as Robitussin, to get a high from the active component dextromethorphan (DXM).
Digital Drugs
Digital drugs have also been shown to take a severe toll on the health of teens. Digital drugs are audio files that affect brainwaves and disturb listeners’ mental states, producing the same effects as drugs.
While tracks can be purchased online, many are available on YouTube for free. Although this trend among youth may not appear harmful (the track sounds like white noise with spectacular effects), some teenagers have been reported to be sent to hospitals after they experienced bizarre physiological effects as a result of I-dosing, or “Internet overdosing,” on digital drugs.
Air Conditioners
The air conditioner is the last thing you would expect your adolescent to use to get high off. If your air conditioner has been breaking down recently, consider looking into it.
A current trend involves teenagers opening up AC devices with screwdrivers and smoking the Freon that provides ACs with their cooling ability. This could result in slurred speech, frostbite, and possibly brain damage.
Reducing Drug Use in Teenagers
Although you cannot ensure that your teenage kid will never take drugs or consume alcohol, there are strategies to lessen the chances that they will experience as a result of their use.
It can help to:
- Establish rules and agreements regarding what is acceptable behavior around drugs and alcohol
- Develop a trusting and close relationship with your children from an early age, and encourage positive and healthy behaviors
- Have honest and open discussions about the risks associated with alcohol and drug use
- Drinking moderately and not using illegal drugs around them
- Allow your children to practice responsibility
- Encourage a healthy approach to life, including a nutritious diet, exercise, and sports
- Help them develop good decision-making skills from an early age
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are current drug trends?
People’s drug habits are evolving at an alarming rate. Back in the day, we had to worry about the big five: meth, heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and PCP. Now there are a dozen additional harmful drugs on the market.
The current drug trends involve people getting high on substances like “spice,” “bath salts,” “cough syrup,” synthetic heroin that is entirely legal, drugs more strong than PCP, and high-potency cannabis products such as BHO, edibles, and tinctures.
Has drug use increased in 2022?
Drug use has continued to be a widespread problem in 2022. With the opioid epidemic raging, new synthetic substances like fentanyl being pushed to users, and chronic stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, 2022 has given a unique set of issues for those battling addiction.
According to the Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration, 15.4 percent of all adult Americans suffer from a substance use problem each year.
This proportion represents roughly 39 million individuals. The widespread prevalence of SUDs emphasizes the need for high-quality treatment options and resources.
Is adolescent drug use declining?
In the US, teen drug abuse is in decline. According to the most recent Monitoring the Future survey on drug use behaviors and related attitudes among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in the United States, the percentage of adolescents reporting drug use declined significantly in 2021.
The 2021 study found that several substances, particularly those most widely used by young people – alcohol, marijuana, and vaped nicotine – were being used less frequently.
What issues lead youths to drugs?
Teenagers take drugs or alcohol for a variety of reasons. However, some of the underlying causes and influences contribute to teen drug and alcohol use.
As a parent, you must understand these reasons and discuss the dangers of drinking and using drugs with your teenage kids.
- Peer pressure
- Self-medication
- Media
- Boredom
- Instant gratification
- Lack of confidence
What is the effect of drugs on teenagers?
Substance abuse can cause significant health issues at any age, but teens who use drugs are especially vulnerable. Teens who take drugs are more prone to develop an addiction later in life and suffer from chronic and irreversible brain damage.
Some of the common adverse effects of teen drug use include:
- Emotional problems, such as anxiety, depression, and mood swings
- Behavioral issues, such as violence, fighting, and stealing
- Addiction and dependence
- Brain damage
- Car accidents
- Different other diseases, such as HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C
The Haven Detox-South Florida Helps Quit Drugs and Alcohol
Given the current dangerous trends in substance or drug abuse, monitoring the drugs and household items you have in your home and informing your teenagers why they may be hazardous is essential.
However, suppose you are looking for a professional teen program to help your kid develop coping skills to deal with triggers and cravings to use substances. In that case, The Haven Detox-South Florida can offer help.
At The Haven Detox, we offer a comprehensive range of treatment services, such as detox, residential treatment, and evidence-based therapies.
The good news is that we can effectively treat various types of addictions, including alcohol abuse, benzo addiction, cocaine addiction, heroin addiction, opioid addiction, suboxone addiction, methadone addiction, and many others.
Contact our admission counselor today at (561) 328 – 8627 to get more information about our treatment services for different types of drugs.
