Early Experimentation Leads to Trouble Later
Drugs, Alcohol and Young Teens
Early drinking and drug use can put kids on a path toward long-term problems. A 30-year study of more that 1,000 New Zealanders showed that kids who consume alcohol or abuse drugs before age 15 are more likely than their peers to become adult alcoholics or addicts, have unwanted pregnancies, contract sexually transmitted diseases and commit felonies. These outcomes are consistent whether or not the teens had a history of unacceptable behavior or came from families with substance abuse or mental health problems.
The participants were monitored for 30 years, starting at age 3. At the ages of 13 and 15, they were asked whether they had ever tried alcohol or illegal drugs. Overall, 11 percent of 13-year-olds said they had used alcohol or drugs multiple times. Half of these early starters had no history of serious behavioral problems or family factors likely to put them at higher risk of substance abuse.
Ultimately, the early starters were two to three times more likely than their peers to become drug- or alcohol-dependent, contract a sexually transmitted disease or have an early pregnancy. They were also four times as likely to have had a criminal conviction.
This information should give parents a major heads-up.
Most parents don’t think their young teens use drugs or alcohol, but national surveys indicate that almost half of U.S. teens younger than 15 have done so. This study verifies that teens who use substances multiple times before their 15th birthday are at risk for a wide range of poor health outcomes, and that parents must assume the possibility exists.
Open communication, rules and guidelines, and intervention when necessary could prevent early experimentation from determining a lifetime of challenge. If you suspect your child or a young teen you know is experimenting with drugs or alcohol. Act now. You could change the course of his life.
Visit these websites to learn more:
November 21st, 2008 at 7:01 am
[...] A fellow blogger wrote a fantastic post today on “Early Experimentation Leads to Trouble later | Kate McLaughlin”Here’s ONLY a quick extractDrugs, Alcohol and Young Teens Early drinking and drug use can put kids on a path toward long-term problems. A 30-year study of more that 1000 New. [...]