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More People in Drug Abuse Treatment Began Drug Use Before Age 13

More people in treatment for drug abuse, other than alcohol abuse, began using at least one of their problem drugs prior to the age of 13.  The data over the past decade show that in 1993, 12 percent of admissions to treatment for drugs (114,462 people) began using their substances before age 13.  By 2003, 14 percent of admissions (162,708 people) began using drugs prior to age 13.  These findings were released today in a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) from continued analysis of the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS).

The report, “Age of First Use Among Admissions for Drugs: 1993 and 2003”, notes that the percentage of treatment admissions that initiated drug use before age 13 increased between 1993 and 2003 for marijuana and opiates.  Opiates include prescription pain medications and heroin.  Initiation of marijuana use prior to age 13 increased from 20 percent to 23 percent of marijuana admissions from 1993 to 2003.  For opiate admissions, the percent initiating drug use before age 13 increased from 4 to 5 percent.  There was a decline for cocaine admissions (from 5 percent to 4 percent) and for stimulant admissions (from 10 percent to 9 percent).  Stimulant admissions include methamphetamine.

“Age at first use is an important predictor of the potential for serious substance abuse problems later in life,” said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie.  “The increase in the proportion of admissions for drug use before age 13 should be a wake-up call to parents to speak with their children early and often about the dangers of drug use.”

The report notes that for some admissions, initiation into the drug lifestyle may have started even earlier, with a first drug that was abandoned for another drug or drugs introduced later on.

The percentage of admissions starting drug use before age 13 increased for both females (11 percent in 1993 rising to 12 percent in 2003) and males (13 percent in 1993 compared to 15 percent in 2003).  The percentage using drugs before age 13 increased among Black admissions from 8 percent in 1993 to 11 percent in 2003.  Among Hispanics, the percentage of admissions that began using drugs before age 13 increased from 10 percent in 1993 to 13 percent in 2003.  The percentage also increased for Asian and Pacific Islander admissions (16 percent in 1993 compared to 19 percent in 2003) and American Indian/Alaska Native admissions (21 percent in 1993 compared to 23 percent in 2003).  The percentage for White admissions remained the same at 15 percent.

TEDS collects data on the approximately 1.8 million annual admissions to substance abuse treatment facilities, primarily those that receive some public funding.  The report is available on the web at www.oas.samhsa.gov. 

SAMHSA, is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation’s substance abuse prevention, addictions, treatment, and mental health services delivery system.

SAMHSA is An Agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Service