Approximately ______________ people in the United States are alcoholics.

_____of high school seniors report some experience with alcohol.

____  of high school seniors report using alcohol within the past month.

Reasons for Teen Experimentation with Drugs & Alcohol

n      Curiosity

n      Reduces stress & anxiety

n      Feels good

n      Fit in socially

n      Feel grown up

More Statistics …

n      By age thirteen 40% of children have at least experimented with alcohol

n      Children experimenting with drugs before age 16 are more likely to develop an addiction  … making early intervention very important

Teens at Risk for Drug & Alcohol Abuse

n      Family history of drug or alcohol abuse

n      Anxious and/or Depressed

n      Low self esteem

n      Feeling they don’t fit in

n      About ____ of high school seniors are daily smokers & ___ have tried at least one illegal drug

Negative Consequences & Increased Risks

n      Serious drug use later in life

n      School failure

n      Poor judgment leading to:

¡     Accidents

¡     Violence

¡     Unplanned & unsafe sex

¡     Suicide