Washington – Teenage girls, having already caught up to their male counterparts in illegal drug use and alcohol consumption, now have the dubious distinction of surpassing boys in smoking and prescription drug abuse.
In the past two years, in fact, more young women than men started using marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes, according to government findings being released today.
The results are doubly disturbing, researchers say, because they run counter to trends indicating an overall decline in teen drug use and because young women appear to suffer more serious health consequences as a result.
Adolescent girls who smoke, drink or take drugs are at higher risk of depression, addiction and stunted growth. And because substance abuse often goes with risky sexual behavior, they are more likely to contract a sexually transmitted disease or become pregnant.
The new analysis is based on the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which interviewed members of 70,000 households.
There’s no single reason why girls are smoking, drinking and popping pills more. Experts and teens report that today’s young women live in an increasingly stressful environment; many are worried about their appearance, eager to date older boys or recovering from physical or sexual abuse. Unlike young men, who often use illegal substances for an adrenaline rush, teenage girls use alcohol or drugs to escape.
