Adolescent Substance Use and Addictions: Epidemiology, Current Trends, and Public Policy

Although the proportion of high school seniors who use illicit drugs has declined from 54% in 1979 to 29% in 1991, substance use and addiction are still major problems among adolescents. The authors examine epidemiologic and demographic data for each of the major illicit drugs, focusing on relevant factors such as age, gender, educational plans, socioeconomic status, geographic region, population density, race, and ethnicity. This analysis leads to a discussion of policies that may further decrease the use of illicit drugs.