A Disturbing Trend: Drug Use Among Teenagers Rises for 3rd Straight Year

Teenagers in the United States used illegal drugs--especially marijuana--in greater numbers last year than in 1993, continuing a troubling trend that began in 1992, a national survey has found.

Illicit drugs other than marijuana have also gained in popularity among teenagers in recent years, including LSD, inhalants, stimulants, barbiturates, and--this past year--cocaine and crack.

The annual Monitoring the Future study, conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research and released last month, surveyed about 50,000 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in 420 public and private schools about their...