In 2003, 31.8 percent of 16-17 year olds had drunk alcohol within the last month and 21.2 percent had engaged in binge drinking within the last month.

United States Health, 2005. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Statistics, National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

A large nationally-representative survey in 2004 found that 9.2 percent of 8th graders, 16.0 percent of 10th graders, and 25.0 percent of 12th graders had smoked cigarettes within the previous 30 days; 4.4 percent of 8th graders, 8.3 percent of 10th graders, and 15.6 percent of 12th graders were smoking cigarettes daily.

University of Michigan Survey Research Center, Monitoring the Future. For table, see http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/data/06data/pr06cig1.pdf.

It is estimated that the total annual economic cost of smoking was $157.7 billion for 1995-1999 ($198 billion in 2006 dollars); this averages out to an annual cost of $3,391 per smoker ($4,259 in 2006 dollars).

CDC. April 12, 2002. “Annual Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Economic Costs---United States, 1995-1999.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. There is still debate about whether the lifetime costs of smoking are positive or negative (some scholars argue that since smokers die earlier, they receive less overall health care and pension benefits.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse / Violence Prevention Connections

The youth interviews vividly describe the connections between the experience of depression and violence and substance abuse.  Their stories include academic failures and drop outs that were attributed to substance abuse but rarely recognized as signs of mental health problems. Violent behavior led to discipline responses of suspension or expulsion often without curiosity about the mental health condition of the student. 

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