A lot less teens are drinking and smoking, according to new federal data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The data show that 9.6 percent of adolescents, ages 12 to 17, reported using alcohol in 2015, down from 17.6 percent in 2002. That age group also is lighting up less — 20 percent reported daily cigarette smoking in 2015, compared to 31.8 percent in 2002.
The findings come from a survey of 67,000 Americans, both youths and adults.
Kana Enomoto, principal deputy administrator at the SAMHSA, said the decrease shows that public health efforts to reduce smoking and drinking among teens were working, according to The New York Times.
The survey also included data on prescription and illicit drug use. According to the article, data showed that about 119 million Americans 12 and older, or about 44 percent of that population, used prescription psychotherapeutic drugs in the past year.
And, the report states, data also showed about 19 million people age 12 and older, or about 7 percent of that population, misused prescription drugs in the past year, including about 12.5 million people who misused pain relievers.