Teens Respond to Prevention Messages

SAMHSA's Office of Applied Studies (OAS) recently released data showing that youth who reported seeing or hearing media messages on preventing drug and alcohol use are significantly less likely to report substance use.

While 10.3 percent of youth who reported seeing or hearing media prevention messages in the past year reported binge alcohol use in the past month, 12.5 percent of youth who were not exposed to media prevention messages engaged in binge drinking.

Similarly, 10.8 percent of youth who saw or heard media prevention messages reported past-month illicit drug use compared to 13.7 percent who received no messages.

For a copy of Youths' Exposure to Substance Use Prevention Messages: 2003, visit the SAMHSA Web site at www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k5/prevention/prevention.cfm.

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