Teen Girls Drinking More Alcohol
Drug and alcohol use among teens seems to be on the upswing again, a surprising finding after years of consistent decline.
According to a 2009 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation, both teenage boys and girls in grades 9-12 are increasingly using alcohol (up 11 percent in past year), ecstasy (up 67 percent in past year) and marijuana (up 19 percent in past year).
Read the full Partnership Attitude Tracking Study
Not only is use increasing for all teens, it is especially changing for teenage girls, who appear to be drinking more alcohol and using more marijuana -- almost as much as their male counterparts.
But why?
"Early Show" contributor Dr. Jennifer Hartstein, a child and adolescent psychologist, explained teen attitudes toward drugs and alcohol have changed.
Drugs and alcohol have become much more socially acceptable, Hartstein said.
"There is a perceived positive benefit and acceptability, with teens saying things such as: 'being high makes (me) feel good' and that it 'helps me fit in with my friends.'"
More specifically for girls, they notice and perceive the benefits even more. Up to 70 percent of girls surveyed in the Partnership for a Drug-Free America reported that alcohol helped them cope better by allowing them to forget about problems they are having at home or with friends. Alcohol and marijuana make them feel more at ease and allow them to have more fun in the short-term. Basically, Hartstein said, many girls said alcohol takes the edge off their problems.
Hartstein said it's hard to say exactly why girls are now doing this, but said one reason is that girls haven't been on the radar as much.
"Historically, boys are the impulsive, reckless ones who experiment with drugs," she said. "Parents haven't been looking at their girls in the same way. Additionally, I think that girls have historically been thought to talk about their problems, as they are more socially connected. Using drugs and alcohol is more of an acting out (or avoiding) of problems, which is not always connected with girls."
So how can parents deal with their kids while keeping their own history with alcohol in mind?
Hartstein said it's a very fine line for parents.
"(Your kids) might actually see you doing those things," she said. "You can't be cagey and lie. You also have to protect your kids and say what's appropriate for their age -- you may not say the same thing to a 6 or 16-year-old. You can't glamorize it. You can say, yes I did - here's what I learned."
Hartstein added if your kids are taking drugs, it's not the same potency of years ago. Today, she said, drugs are much stronger and laced with other substances.
She said, "(Kids) are going to be more high, more drunk - more. Everything's more. You have to be really careful. And just educate. The more you get involved as a parent in educating your kid, the better of a protective factor that is."
But what can parents do to help their kids learn?
"If you sense there is a problem, don't be afraid to ask," Hartstein said. "Trust your instincts and act on your concerns. It's important to know what to say, how to say it and when. Find a teachable moment. They are everywhere and allow for many opportunities to talk with your teenager about what she would do in a certain situation, how she expects people to act, etc. Be real, if you are worried that your daughter or son is engaging in substance use, be gentle and direct. Express your concerns and talk about the expectations of not using, consequences if there is use."
Hartstein also recommended these resources for parents and kids: