Parental Involvement and Accessibility of Drugs Affect Adolescent Risk for Substance Abuse, Says Report

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Adolescents with parents who supervise them and impose standards of behavior ("hands-on" parents) are less likely to abuse substance than those with "hands-off" parents, according to a report published recently by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. The report also indicates that the availability of drugs at schools is related to the risk of adolescent substance abuse.

The report findings are based on a survey conducted by QEV Analytics of 1,000 adolescents (ages 12 to 17) as part of the 2000 CASA National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse.

• 61% of the adolescents were at moderate or high risk of substance abuse;



• Compared to adolescents surveyed in 1999, fewer of the adolescents surveyed in 2000 stated that cigarettes were the easiest substance to buy (compared to marijuana or beer), and more said that marijuana was the easiest to buy;



• 28% of the adolescents reported knowing a classmate or friend who had used ecstasy;



• The adolescents with "hands-on" parents had half the average risk of all adolescents for abusing substances, while those with "hands-off" parents had twice the average risk of all adolescents; and



• The adolescents who attended schools in which illegal drugs were kept, used, and sold had twice the risk of abusing substances, compared to the adolescents who attended drug-free schools.

Joseph A. Califano, Jr., President of CASA, stated that, with the survey, "[CASA] seeks to identify factors that increase or diminish the likelihood that teens will use cigarettes, alcohol or illegal drugs in an effort to develop the most effective means of helping teens avoid substance abuse."

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. 2001. National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse VI: Teens. Washington, DC: The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Report available at http://www.casacolumbia.org/publications1456/publications.htm.

CASA Release 2000 Teen Survey February 21 in Washington. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. 2001, February 21. Press release available at http://www.casacolumbia.org/newsletter1457/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=49859.