Alcohol and Drug Abuse

1
Alcohol and Drug Abuse
2
In Brief

• In 2000, almost one in five underage persons aged
  12 to 20 was a binge drinker.
• (drinking five or more drinks on the same
  occasion on at least one day in the past 30 days)

3
In Brief

• The rate of binge drinking among underage persons
  was almost as high as among adults aged 21 or
  older
• Underage persons who reported binge drinking were
  7 times more likely to report using illicit drugs
  during the past month than underage persons who
  did not binge drink. (43 vs 6)

4
Harmful Effects of Alcohol

• Heavy drinking raises the risk for high blood
  pressure, heart disease, certain cancers,
  accidents, violence, suicides, birth defects and
  overall mortality.¹
• Economic costs to society are estimated at 185
  billion annually for 1998.²
• Harmful and hazardous drinking is involved in
  about one-third of suicides, one-half of
  homicides, and one-third of child abuse cases.³
• Alcohol is involved in a large proportion of
  unintentional deaths from falls, burns, and
  drownings.?

5
Drinking Among Teens and College Students

• In 1999, 44 of college students reported binge
  drinking (consuming 5 or more drinks in a row for
  males or 4 or more drinks in a row for females
  during the past two weeks) nearly 23 of college
  students reported frequent binge drinking
  (bingeing three or more times in a two-week
  period).

6
Drinking Among Teens and College Students

• The rate of binge drinking among fraternity and
  sorority members is considerably higher 65 in
  1999. Among those living in a fraternity or
  sorority house, the rate of binge drinking is
  still higher (79), though lower than in 1997
  (82).
• Among college students who consumed alcohol, more
  than 47 in 1999 reported drinking to get drunk
  (compared with 40 in 1993 and 52 in 1997).20
• Young persons who begin drinking before age 13
  are four times as likely to develop alcohol
  dependence and twice as likely to develop alcohol
  abuse as those who begin drinking at age 21.

7
Drinking Among Teens and College Students How
Bad is it ?

• More than 41 of high school seniors perceive no
  great risk in consuming four to five drinks
  nearly every day.
• Approximately 22 of 8th graders, 41 of 10th
  graders, and 50 of 12th graders report having
  consumed alcohol during the past month.
• About 8 of 8th, 23 of 10th, and 32 of 12th
  graders report having been drunk during the past
  month.

8
How Can I Recognize An Alcohol Problem?

• Drinking to calm nerves, forget worries or to
  boost a sad mood.
• Guilt about drinking.
• Unsuccessful attempts to cut down/stop drinking.
• Lying about or hiding drinking habits.

9
How Can I Recognize An Alcohol Problem?

• Causing harm to oneself or someone else as a
  result of drinking.
• Needing to drink increasingly greater amounts in
  order to achieve desired effect.
• Feeling irritable, resentful or unreasonable when
  not drinking.
• Medical, social, family, or financial problems
  caused by drinking.

10
CAGE Screening Tool

• 1. Has someone near you asked you to cut down on
  your drinking?
• 2. Are you annoyed if someone tells you to stop
  drinking?
• 3. Do you feel guilty about how much you drink
  or your drinking habits?
• 4. Do you need an eye opener ?

11
What are the most common types of injuries among
adolescents?

• The largest proportion of adolescent injuries are
  due to motor vehicle crashes
• Adolescents are far less likely to use seat belts
  than any other age group.
• Adolescents are especially vulnerable to fatal
  crashes at night.
• Only 20 of their driving is at night, but they
  have more than 50 of their fatalities at night.
• When adolescents drive after drinking alcohol,
  they are more likely than adults to be in a
  crash, even when drinking less alcohol than
  adults.
• Adolescents also cause a disproportionate number
  of deaths among non-adolescent drivers,
  passengers, and pedestrians.

12
Does alcohol contribute to adolescent injuries?

• Alcohol is involved in about 35 of adolescent
  (15-20 years) driver fatalities.
• Alcohol is involved in about 40 of all
  adolescent drownings.

13
References

• 1. Runyan CW, Gerken EA. Epidemiology and
  prevention of adolescent injury a review and
  research agenda. JAMA 1989262162273-2278.
• 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  Injury mortality national summary of injury
  mortality data 1984-1990. Atlanta, GA Centers
  for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993.