Major findings from the survey indicate that in 1988, 50 percent of youth aged 12 to 17 reported ever using alcohol, 42 percent reported lifetime use of cigarettes, and 25 percent reported ever having used one or more illicit drugs; marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug among this age group (17.4 percent), followed by inhalants and prescription psychotherapeutic drugs; cocaine and heroin were not common drugs of choice among this group of adolescents; the percentage of youth aged 12-17 who reported ever having used one or more illicit drugs decreased from 34.3 percent in 1979 to 24.7 percent in 1988; and the percent of youth who had used drugs in the past month decreased from 17.6 in 1979 to 9.2 in 1988. This report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse presents findings from the 1988 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) regarding drug use among adolescents aged 12 to 17. Data for this report were obtained from a sample of 8, 814 individuals aged 12 and older who were surveyed as part of the 1988 NHSDA. The results of the survey are presented in this report and provide information on the prevalence of use of any illicit drug, specific illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco among youth aged 12 to 17; trends in use from 1972 to 1988; comparison of drug use among youth with use by young adults and older adults; correlates of use; frequency and level of use; patterns of use of illicit drugs and alcohol; problems associated with the use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes; and perceived risks of drug use. Tables, figures, references, and appendixes