Research shows that for teens ages 12-17, all substance use is related.
This means teens that have used any one substance -- alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine -- in the last month are more likely to have used the other two, and other illicit drugs, compared to their peers that have not used any substances. In other words, when you hear “it’s just a little weed” or “it’s just a little bit of beer” you should be concerned. This pattern holds true for alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine.
The graph at left shows that adults who began drinking before age 21 were much more likely to have an alcohol use disorder in their lifetime than those who delayed drinking until age 21 or later. Among adults who drank alcohol at age 13 or earlier, 47% had an alcohol use disorder. Only 9% of adults in this study who had their first drink after the age of 21 had an alcohol use disorder.
The following graphs were created from a study, conducted by the Institute for Behavior and Health, using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (17,000 youth aged 12-17 in the US).
The left half of the slide shows those who DID NOT use any alcohol in the past month. Among youth who DID NOT use any alcohol in the past month:
3.5% used marijuana
2.5% used cigarettes
2.2% used other illicit drugs
The right half of the slide shows those who DID use alcohol in the past month. Alcohol use is divided into three categories: some alcohol use, binge alcohol use and heavy alcohol use.
Among youth who DID use some alcohol - but not binge or heavy alcohol use - in the past month:
20.0% used marijuana
9.4% used cigarettes
10.5% used other illicit drugs
Youth who engage in binge and heavy alcohol use were much more likely to have used other substances, underscoring the point that the heavier the use of alcohol, the greater the likelihood of using other substances.
