Even legal substances can pose a problem

It appears American teenagers are getting the message about illegal drugs. Unfortunately, too many don’t seem to understand some legal drugs also can be dangerous.

Each year, the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research conducts in-depth interviews with about 50,000 teenagers from throughout the country, on a variety of topics. Use of drugs for “recreational” purposes is one of the subjects covered.

According to this year’s study, about 35.9 percent of high school seniors reported using some type of illegal drug during the past year. That’s far too high, but at least progress is being made. The rate in 1997 was 42.4 percent. Only about 1.7 percent of the seniors reported having used marijuana during the past year, compared to 4.7 percent a decade ago.

Survey results for younger children were encouraging, too. Of eighth-graders in the study, 13.2 percent admitted to having used illegal drugs during the past year. That compares to 14.8 percent a year ago.

Again, any use of illegal drugs by teenagers is unacceptable. More needs to be done to prevent them from using such substances.

But, while use of illegal substances seems to be decreasing, abuse of legal drugs is growing. Use of drugs prescribed as painkillers or available over-the-counter as cough and cold remedies is particularly disturbing. It is increasing in some age categories.

Clearly, schools and parents need to convince children even legal drugs must be handled with care.