Illegal drug use is one of the most common reasons that teenagers face arrest. Simple drug possession charges are often leveled against high school students or college students.
By a significant margin, alcohol is the most common substance that teenagers are going to use. For instance, the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics released a study where 18.5% of eighth graders said that they had used alcohol in their life. The same was true for 32% of 10th graders and a full 48.7% of 12th graders. Binge drinking, known as having five or more drinks in a row, was far more common than daily drinking.
Other types of illegal drugs
That said, alcohol is not the only type of drug young people will use. When college students were asked about drug use, these were the results:
- 39.5% had used marijuana
- 7.5% had used hallucinogens
- 4.4% had used prescription drugs in a nonmedical fashion
- 3.6% had used amphetamines
- 2.4% had abused Adderall
- 2.2% had used cocaine
- 0.3% had used ecstasy or MDMA
The vast majority of these drugs are illegal for use by anyone at any age. Even in states where marijuana is legal for recreational use, the age limit is 21, so many college students are still underage and using these substances illegally, just as they may drink while they are underage.
Legal defense options
When parents find out that their teenager has been arrested on alcohol or drug charges, they are often worried about the impact this is going to have on their future. It is very important for family members to understand all of the legal options that they have at this time.