Talking About Alcohol and Drug Use

Whenever we talk to family members or friends about alcohol and illegal drugs, we should ask ourselves: “Why do people abuse alcohol and use illegal drugs?” Even though the legal drinking age in the United States is 21, nationally about 30 percent of young people between the ages of 12 and 20 report that they have consumed an alcoholic drink during the last 30 days. When asked about marijuana use, about 21 percent of 12 to 17 year olds report that they have used marijuana in their life. For young adults (18 to 25 years of age) this number is 54 percent (National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, 2002).