Teens say stress is why they take drugs

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NEW YORK, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- The top reason U.S. teens give for using drugs is to deal with the pressures and stress of school, officials at the Partnership for a Drug-Free America said.

The Partnership Attitude Tracking Study of 6,511 teens said 73 percent of teens reported that school stress is the primary reason for drug use. However, just 7 percent of parents believe teens might use drugs to deal with stress.

Over the past decade, studies have indicated a changing trend in what teens perceive as the motivations for using drugs.

Steve Pasierb, president of the partnership, said that "to have fun" rationales are declining, while motivations to use drugs to solve problems are increasing,

The study confirms that overall substance abuse of marijuana, Ecstasy, inhalants, methamphetamine, alcohol and cigarettes has declined, but many teens mistakenly believe the abuse of medicines is less dangerous than abuse of illegal drugs.

The survey also found that 1 in 5 teens has abused a prescription medication, including painkillers and 41 percent of teens think it's safer to abuse a prescription drug than it is to use illegal drugs.

The survey has a margin of error of plus/minus 1.6 percent.