"Depressed and Anxious"... More Teens Have Tried Drugs Than Have Smoked

A survey has found that more teenagers have tried narcotic-based pharmaceuticals than have experienced smoking.

According to the "Study on the Status of Harmful Substance Use Among Adolescents and Policy Measures," published by the National Youth Policy Institute on April 19, a survey of 3,384 middle and high school students nationwide revealed that 5.2% of respondents had used at least one of seven types of narcotic-based drugs-such as ADHD medication, appetite suppressants, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and anti-anxiety drugs-for non-medical purposes.

Medicine. Photo not related to specific expression in the article. Pixabay

원본보기 아이콘

This figure is higher than the proportion of teenagers who reported having ever smoked a cigarette in their lifetime, which stood at 4.2%.

Among adolescents who had misused medical narcotics or pharmaceuticals for purposes other than their original medical intent within the past six months, ADHD medication was the most commonly abused (24.4%), followed by appetite suppressants (20.0%), sleeping pills (13.3%), and tranquilizers or anti-anxiety drugs (13.3%).

ADHD medication is prescribed for patients with attention deficit and hyperactivity or impulsivity disorders. Among some students preparing for exams, ADHD drugs have been mistakenly promoted as "study enhancement pills." The institute pointed out, "This demonstrates that, beyond mere curiosity or temporary use, some adolescents are now using these drugs in pursuit of improved concentration and academic efficiency."

When asked about their reasons for drug use, 31.1% of adolescents cited "to relieve psychological distress such as depression or anxiety" as the most common reason. This was followed by "to improve concentration or boost study or work performance" (24.4%), and "to improve appearance or control weight" (20.0%) as other leading motives.

A significant number of adolescents also reported consuming coffee or high-caffeine beverages for functional purposes such as "relieving fatigue" or "maintaining concentration." More than half (54.5%) said they had consumed coffee beverages at least once.

For high-caffeine drinks, 61.2% said they drank them at least once a month, surpassing coffee consumption rates, and 10.8% reported drinking them more than 10 times a month. In other words, one out of every ten teenagers falls within the range of caffeine addiction.

The most common reason for drinking caffeinated beverages was "to study for exams or complete assignments" (57.8%), accounting for more than half of respondents. Additionally, 11.2% of teenagers said they found it difficult to get through the day without caffeine. Notably, this response rate was especially high among high school juniors (16.4%) and seniors (15.1%), who face increasing academic pressure.

The institute advised, "It is necessary to ease excessive academic competition and to create an environment where stress can be relieved in a healthy way to mitigate academic stress." They added, "Awareness of the harmful substance problem among adolescents should be raised, and once the issue is recognized, support programs should be provided so that they can seek help from experts and respond constructively."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.