In 2002, approximately 1.6 million youths (7 percent) ages 12 to 17 had run away from home and slept on the street in the past 12 months. These runaway youth were more likely to be males (55 percent), and 46 percent were age 16 or 17. The rate of past-year alcohol use was higher among runaway youths (50 percent) than among youths who had not run away from home (33 percent). This difference was evident across age groups and for both males and females. Alcohol use was higher among female runaway youths (55 percent) than among male runaway youths (46 percent). The rates of past-year marijuana use and past-year use of an illicit drug other than marijuana were higher among youths who had runaway from home in the past 12 months than among youths who had not runaway in the past 12 months. Among both male and female youths and across age groups, the rate of illicit drug use was higher for those who had run away from home in the past 12 months compared to youths who had not run away. 2 tables, 2 figures, and 3 notes