According to this report, youths 12- to 17-years-old who reported participating in violent behavior during the past year were also more likely to report using alcohol or illicit drugs during the past month. Violent behavior was defined as serious fighting at school or work, group-against-group fighting, or attacking others with the intent to seriously harm them. Illicit drug use included the use at least once of marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, or prescription drugs used non-medically. According to the NHSDA, 5 million out of 23 million youths reported fighting at school or work during the past year. Four million youths participated in group-against-group fighting, while nearly 2 million attacked others with the intent to seriously harm them. According to this report, males reported more participation in violent behaviors than did females. Asian youths were least likely to engage in violent behaviors than any other racial or ethnic group. Eighteen percent of youths who reported participating in violent behavior during the past year also reported using illicit drugs during the past month. This compares to 7 percent of youths who used illicit drugs but did not participate in violent behaviors. Thus, according to this NHSDA report, there is a close link between youth violence and illicit drug use. 5 Figures