Perceptions of Risk from Substance Use among Adolescents. The NSDUH Report

Although many factors may influence the initiation of drug or alcohol use, the perception of risk associated with these behaviors also varies by gender, age, and type of drug. Understanding the different patterns of risk perceptions that emerge during adolescent development may help to better target health communication messages and increase the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) asks persons aged 12 to 17 (i.e., adolescents) how much they think people risk harming themselves physically and in other ways when they use cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs. Response choices are: (1) no risk; (2) slight risk; (3) moderate risk; and (4) great risk. This issue of The NSDUH Report presents information on perceptions of great risk from using various substances; data are examined by age and gender. All findings are annual averages based on combined 2007 and 2008 NSDUH data. The study finds that only 40.0 percent of adolescents perceived great risk from having five or more drinks of alcohol once or twice a week, and just over one third (34.2 percent) perceived great risk from smoking marijuana once a month. Females were more likely than males to perceive great risk from smoking one or more packs of cigarettes per day, from having five or more drinks of alcohol once or twice a week, and from smoking marijuana once a month; males were more likely than females to perceive great risk from trying heroin once or twice. The percentage of adolescents who perceived great risk from smoking one or more packs of cigarettes per day was stable across age groups; however, the perceptions of risk associated with having five or more drinks of alcohol once or twice a week and smoking marijuana once a month decreased with age, while the perceptions of risk increased with age for cocaine use, heroin use, and LSD use. (Contains 4 figures and 1 endnote.)