Underage Drinking & Smoking Continue To Decline

Underage dirking and smoking in the U.S. continue in a downtrend, a recent report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) revealed.

As per the report, slightly more than 4 percent of teens between 12 to 17 year of age declared having smoked a cigarette in the month previous to the survey – conducted in 2015. This figure compares to 27 percent of young adults, aged 18 to 25.

More significantly, these figures imply a marked decline from the figures seen in 2002, when 13 percent of teenagers and 40 percent of young adults said they had lit one up in the month the preceded the survey.

Every-day young smokers are also less than in 2002, with only 20 percent of young adults smoking every day, versus 31.8 percent in 2002.

Numbers for alcohol usage among the 12-to-17 age group also fell, from 17.6 percent in 2002, to 9.6 percent in 2015.

This data suggests that public health initiatives to reduce underage substance consumption are working, Kana Enomoto, principal deputy administrator at the SAMHSA, said.

"As cigarette smoking among those under 18 has fallen, the use of other nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, has taken a drastic leap. All of this is creating a new generation of Americans who are at risk of addiction,” Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said a few months ago.

The SAMHSA’s report also looked into the use of illicit drugs, the misuse of psychotherapeutic drugs, substance use disorders and mental health issues, among other subjects. Check out the full note in the link above.

Some companies that are probably not happy with these trends include:

  • Altria Group Inc MO
  • Philip Morris International Inc. PM
  • Reynolds American, Inc. RAI
  • Anheuser Busch Inbev SA (ADR) BUD
  • Heineken N.V. (ADR) HINKY
  • Diageo plc (ADR) DEO
  • Constellation Brands, Inc. STZ
  • Brown-Forman Corporation BF BF

 

Disclosure: Javier Hasse holds no interest in any of the securities or entities mentioned above.

Posted In: NewsEcon #sSAMHSASubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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