Teenage Sexual Behavior

Drug and Alcohol Use Is a Factor in Teenage Sex

In today's society teens feel in several ways compromised to use drugs and alcohol. Is common between teens to experiment with drugs and alcohol during their childhood. Unfortunately, with frequency teen do not see the connection between their current action and future consequences. Teens have a tendency to feel indestructible and immune to the problems and consequences that may arise from consuming drugs and alcohol. Consuming drugs and alcohol at such of young age increases the chances of building an addiction, become infected with AIDS, or STD's or have an unplanned pregnancy. During adolescence, teens experiment with drugs, alcohol, and sex for numerous reasons, including curiosity, to feel better, to reduce stress, to pretend to be adults, and to be participant of a social group.

An analysis provided by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, shows that almost 80 percent of high school students have experimented with alcohol and more than half used drugs. This analysis also shows a dramatic increase of 15-year-olds practicing sex. A survey conducted in 1970 reveals that less than 5 percent of 15-year-old girls and in 1972, 20 percent of 15-year-old boys, had practiced sex. CASA's analysis reveals that in 1997, 38 percent of 15-year-old girls and 45 percent of 15-year-old boys practice sex. Among the analysis findings 63 percent of teen who used alcohol have practiced sex compared to 26 percent of those who never drank. Among teens that consume drugs, 72 percent practiced sex to 36 percent who have never used drugs.

Consuming drugs and practicing unprotected sex has serious consequences. The United States has the highest rate of STDs in the world. Teens are not consistent users of condoms with or without alcohol and drugs, which make the consequences of teen sexual activity linked to substance use clear. While is common for teens that drink and use drugs are more prone to practice sex at earlier ages and with multiple partners.