Alcohol abuse continues to be the number one drug abused that Oregon teens abuse. A recent state survey indicates that 18 percent of Oregon’s eighth and eleventh graders admitted to having at least one alcoholic drink within a month of responding to the questionnaire.
The survey asked teens about their health habits, covering topics including body image, sexual behavior, and substance abuse.
Other drugs that teens reported using lagged far behind alcohol, with marijuana ranking second.
Rusha Grinstad with the Oregon Health Authority says surveys like this are helpful.
“The way the state and communities benefit from them is that we will have a healthier state,” Grinstad says. “And a healthier state is made up of many healthy communities together.”
Grinstad says the findings help guide how resources will be allocated.
The statewide numbers show less than 1 percent of teenagers admitted to using heroin or meth.