title: Adolescent substance use. Epidemiology and implications for public policy.
abstract: This article discusses the epidemiology of adolescent substance use, including licit drugs and illicit drugs. The focus is on nationally representative samples of eighth-, tenth-, and twelfth-grade students from both public and private schools. Prevalence rates and recent trends are discussed for subgroups based on gender, geographic region, population density, parental education, and racial or ethnic groups. Some implications for public policy are presented.
authors.affiliation: Survey Research Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: O'Malley
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bachman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology