PEER PRESSURE

Drug & Alcohol Use

· "my friends smoke" and "I thought it was cool" are two of the main reasons those between the ages of 12 and 17 start smoking.

· 70% of teens who smoke have friends who smoke or started smoking because of peer pressure.

· Two-thirds of 10th graders and two-fifths of 8th graders have tried alcohol.

· Approximately 30% of 8th graders have used illicit drugs.

· The survey also made three conclusions about the effect of peer pressure on drug and alcohol use:

- Teens with friends who do drugs and drink alcohol are more likely to do the same.

- Teens who do drugs and drink alcohol are more likely to convince their friends to do it too.

- Teens who do drugs and drink alcohol are more likely to seek out other teens who do the same.

· One-third of teenage males feel pressure from their friends to have sex.

· 23% of females feel pressure from their friends to have sex.

· 44% of teens want more information on how to handle pressure to have sex and how to know when they are ready to have sex.

· 46% of parents have not discussed with their teens how to handle pressure to have sex.

· 44% of teens drive better without friends in the car.

· 56% of teens admitted in a survey that they talk on their cell phones while driving.

· 13% of teens also admitted they text while driving.

· Teens with friends who self-injure are more likely to self-injure as well.

· Bullying often leads to suicidal thoughts in kids and teens.

The above information has been extracted and semi-edited from the following website(s): http://teens.lovetoknow.com/Statistics_on_Peer_Pressure