2007 Maine Marks


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Why This is Important

Alcohol use by adolescents is linked to a host of physical and social problems, including motor vehicle crime and fatalities. Early onset of use decreases potential economic productivity as an adult and results in a disproportionate share of health care services for those affected. Use of drugs is a preventable behavior that, when established in youth, may develop into chronic drug dependency and severe illness. Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Marijuana use has both health and cognitive risks, and it is one of the most abused illicit drugs.

Where We Stand

According to the 2006 Maine Youth Risk Drug and Alcohol Use Survey (MYDAUS), about 43% of high school aged youth had at least one alcoholic drink on one or more of the past 30 days (up slightly from previous surveys), 16% reported smoking cigarettes at least once in the past 30 days (notably down from the 2003 survey), and 22% said that they used marijuana one or more times in the past 30 days (also notably down). Interestingly, in 2003 boys were more likely to report smoking cigarettes (22% versus 19%), but in 2005 girls were more likely to report smoking (18% versus 14%). However, boys were more likely to use marijuana (25% to 20%). The same percentage of boys and girls reported drinking alcohol (43%).

Since 1997, the trend is in a positive direction for Maine youth use of tobacco, dropping 23% in eight years. Youth marijuana has also declined from 30% to 22% in those same years. Although alcohol use declined significantly between 1995 and 2003 (dropping 10%), it increased very slightly between 2003 and 2005 (42% versus 43%).

Data Source and Context

This information comes from the Maine Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), and the Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey (MYDAUS). The data source is the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System maintained by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data from the Maine YRBS is available on-line at http://www.mainecshp.com/survey.html. National YRBS figures can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/yrbs. MYDAUS data can be accessed at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/osa/data/mydaus/index.htm.