As a parent, you probably spend some time wondering if your teen is going to get involved in things like underage drinking or illegal drug use. You know well that peer pressure often plays a role, and you can’t always be there to make sure your child makes the decisions you want them to make. How common are these activities?
One out of five
While there are clearly differences in every child’s own experience, studies have found that roughly one out of five high school seniors admits to using marijuana. The precise figure came in at 21%, which is slightly over that one-in-five mark. These numbers are also based on what teens would admit, so the real numbers could be higher, as it stands to reason that some teens would be afraid to admit it, even anonymously.
A similar drinking rate
Interestingly, the rate for alcohol use seems to be very close to the above rate of pot usage. One study asked young people if they had used alcohol in the last month, and 19.7% claimed that they had. That is just a touch under one out of five. What this shows is that teens often view alcohol and marijuana very similarly, despite the fact that the laws have traditionally been much different.
Teens can face charges
Underage drug and alcohol use could impact your child’s life. If they are facing charges, you need to know what steps to take to protect their future. Parents can best help their children at these times by retaining competent criminal defense counsel for them who can strategize their defense options.
