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Illicit Drug Use Among Youths Who Used Cigarettes and Alcohol

NCJ Number
198390
Date Published
December 2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This report studies illicit drug use among youths who used cigarettes and alcohol.
Abstract
The 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse examined illicit drug use among approximately 72,000 youths aged 12 to 17. The data were gathered through questionnaires administered to a representative sample of the population via face-to-face interviews at their place of residence. The illicit drugs included marijuana, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens (including LSD and PCP), inhalants, or any prescription type psychotherapeutic used nonmedically. Approximately 52 percent of youths aged 12 to 17 who were daily cigarette smokers, and 66 percent of youths who were heavy drinkers, were also past month users of illicit drugs. Youths who were daily cigarette smokers or heavy drinkers were more likely to use illicit drugs than either daily smokers or heavy drinkers from older age groups. Youths who were past month users of both cigarettes and alcohol were more than twice as likely to have used illicit drugs than youths who used only cigarettes or only alcohol. Figures, notes