Family Life

03.02.10 | FL News Team

Teen drug and alcohol abuse is on the upswing in the U.S. A study released Tuesday by the MetLife Foundation and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America found 39 percent of high school students reported drinking in the past month. That's an eleven-percent jump from 2008. Also gaining popularity were the party drugs Ecstasy and marijuana. The Partnership/Metlife Foundation Attitude Tracking Study found past-year teen Ecstasy use shot up 67 percent from 2008, while past year pot use jumped 19 percent. The numbers show a reversal from the past decade, when teen drug and alcohol use dropped off dramatically. The number of U.S. high schoolers using methamphetamine went down by over 60 percent from 1998 to 2008. Past-month alcohol and marijuana use fell 30 percent over the same period. Researchers say the study shows a critical need for parents to pay attention to their kids' social interactions and take immediate action to stop suspected substance abuse. The full study and resources for parents are available on the Partnership for a Drug-Free America website at drugfree.org.