Drug Treatment Articles

Drug Treatment Articles

Parents are a Big Factor in Teen Drinking, Drug Abuse

A new survey by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) reveals that teens are influenced by their parents’ behaviors and attitudes. For instance, according to the study, teens who have seen at least one of their parents drunk are more than twice as likely to get drunk in a typical month (and three times as likely to use marijuana and smoke cigarettes) as their peers who haven’t seen a parent intoxicated.

The 14th annual National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse interviewed about 1,000 children ages 12 to 17 and 452 of their parents. The report also found that teens who believe their father is okay with their drinking are two and a half times more likely to get drunk in a typical month as teens who believe that their dad opposes their drinking.

The Connecticut Post reports that Elizabeth Planet, CASA vice president and director of special projects, said the center wanted more insight into how parental attitudes and behavior affect teen substance use and abuse. "This is the first time we've asked about parental behaviors," Planet said. "Parents need to understand why some kids use and some don't and what they can do about it."

CASA also reports that more than one-third (8.7 million) of teens can get prescription drugs within a day and nearly one in five (4.7 million) can get them within an hour. Parents are also a factor in this speedy prescription drug procurement, Planet said, as the majority of teens are getting these drugs from home. "The medicine cabinet remains a big source" for prescription drugs, she said.

Planet said the survey's biggest message is that parents need to clearly state, and back up, their disapproval about alcohol and drug abuse. "Sometimes, parents think they've said it, but they haven't really said it," she said.
 

RSS Subscribe to RSS

Drug Treatment Categories

Articles