Day to day statistics found at http://www.notmykid.org/

Today...

6,000 kids will try smoking cigarettes for the first time.

1 person under 25 dies from HIV infection.

5 kids commit suicide.

9 youth are homicide victims.

9 youth die from firearms.

34 children die from accidents.

180 kids are arrested for violent crimes.

367 kids are arrested for drug abuse.

1,329 babies are born to teen mother.

2,861 high school students drop out.

4,248 kids are arrested.

7,883 kids are report being abused or neglected.

17,297 public school students are suspended.

2/3 of teenagers who drink report that they can buy their own alcoholic beverages.

People who begin smoking before age 13 are significantly more likely than nonsmokers and those who begin smoking later to have problems with alcohol and other drugs.

First use of alcohol typically begins around the age 13; marijuana around 14.

Teenagers whose parents talk to them regularly about the dangers of drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those whose parents don't, yet only 1 in 4 teens reports having these conversations.

The highest rates of illicit drug use are found among youth ages 18-20 (between 20% and 21%) with marijuana the most commonly used illicit drug.

On average, kids found by parents to be using drugs, have been using for two years prior to discovery.

Average age for kids to begin experimenting with illegal substances is 13.

[h0kie]

Horrifying isn't it? Sadly...I've encountered many of these children while teaching. Makes me wish I could save them all.

((((((((((Petunia))))))))))

[eskielover]

Wow, I guess I was lucky....my 27 year old daughter wasn't one of those kids at all....guess I can truthfully say...."not my kid"......also "not my fault" that she turned out to be one of the good ones....don't think I had that much influence on her, she just seemed to make the right choices considering.

Great posts.....really makes us think. Thanks for the information....really fascinating.
Debbie

[BamaSurvivor]

So very true... I had been drinking, using drugs, smoking cigarettes, and had been in juvenile all by the time I was 15. Still smoke cigarettes, but have straightened my life up greatly since last year. I'm now 18, by the way.

[Miss_A]