Hispanic teenagers use drugs more often than others

Illegal drug usage is much higher among hispanic teenagers than white and black teenagers.

Photo: Hispanic teenagers use drugs more often than others

The report, "Hispanic Teens & Drugs," warned that while overall illegal drug use among U.S. teens was down, Hispanic teens' use of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine outpaced use by their white and black peers. The report blamed drug use among Hispanic teens, in part, on their adaptation to new culture in America.

Besides the report, which was based on 2005 and 2006 data from academic, federal and nonprofit organization studies, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy also announced an anti-drug ad campaign targeting Hispanic teens and their parents that will begin appearing this week across the United States.

The report found slightly more than 10 percent of Hispanic eighth-graders had used illicit drugs in the month before the survey compared to 7.5 percent of whites and 8.6 percent of blacks in the same grade.

Marijuana was the most commonly used illegal drug among all teens, the report said. Eight percent of Hispanic eighth-graders had used it in the month before the survey; for whites and blacks the percentages were 5.8 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively, the report said.

Higher percentages of Hispanic eighth-graders also used inhalants, cocaine and methamphetamine, followed by their white and black counterparts, the report said.

The report, which did not mention Asians, partly blamed Hispanics' adoption of American cultural and lifestyle habits, called acculturation; acculturated Hispanics were almost 13 times as likely to report using illegal drugs as non-acculturated Hispanics, the report said.

Citing an unnamed study, the report said 7 percent of acculturated Hispanics reported using illegal drugs within the previous month compared to less than 1 percent of non-acculturated Hispanics and 6 percent of whites.

Overall, illegal drug use among eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders was down 23 percent since 2001, the report said.

"We're heartened to see teen drug use declining, but clearly much more needs to be done," said Hector Gesualdo, executive director of ASPIRA of New York, an advocacy group for Hispanic youth.