ATLANTA, GEORGIA – A recent analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that the majority of teenagers who use drugs are doing so in an attempt to find calm and alleviate stress. The study found a direct correlation between mental health challenges among teens and their misuse of drugs, prompting a call for greater education on harm reduction and an expansion of mental health treatment to reduce the number of overdose deaths.
The study, which utilized data from over 15,000 health assessments of 13- to 18-year-olds seeking treatment for substance use disorder between 2014 and 2022, revealed that 73 percent of adolescents reported using drugs and alcohol to feel calm, relaxed, or mellow. Additionally, 44 percent used drugs to stop worrying about problems or forget bad memories, and 40 percent used substances to cope with depression or anxiety.
Notably, 60 percent of assessments documented recent alcohol, marijuana, or other drug use, with marijuana being the most commonly used substance at 84 percent. The data also indicated that 81 percent of respondents used drugs or alcohol with friends, while 50 percent reported using them alone. Furthermore, over 50 percent of those misusing prescription drugs stated that they did so alone, raising concerns about the risks associated with fake pills and the danger of overdose.
In light of these findings, researchers are recommending increased access to substance use treatment and mental health resources for teens. They also emphasize the need for tailored harm reduction education to teach teenagers how to recognize and respond to overdoses, ultimately aiming to prevent fatal overdoses.
According to CDC data, overdose deaths among adolescents have increased by 109 percent between 2019 and 2021, with counterfeit pills contributing to nearly 25 percent of these deaths. Critically, two-thirds of the adolescents who died from overdose had a bystander present, yet most received no response, highlighting the need for comprehensive education and resources to address this alarming trend.