CADCA Responds to National Poll Showing Drug Abuse Ties Childhood Obesity as Top Health Concern

This week, the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital released the results of its 5th annual national poll, in which Americans rated drug abuse and childhood obesity as the top health concerns for our nation’s youth.

“With drug use increasing by 9 percent in one year, it’s only natural that Americans are now waking up to the fact that this is a major public health concern that requires our immediate attention. We’ve always believed that substance abuse can and does have a major impact on children and youth, but this new survey confirms that it’s now on the radar screen of average Americans, said CADCA Chairman and CEO, Gen. Arthur T. Dean, in a media statement.

“This shift in perception is consistent with the findings of various national surveys showing a rise in overall drug use among those 12 and older, and in marijuana use among 12- to 17-year-olds. I hope this sends a message to our nation’s lawmakers that preventing and reducing drug abuse must continue to be a top national priority.”

The poll asked adults to rate 23 different health concerns for kids in our communities, ranging from drug abuse, alcohol abuse and smoking to bullying, internet safety and teen pregnancy. One-third of adults (33 percent) rated drug abuse as “a big problem” for kids, making it the number one health concern along with childhood obesity.

Among the other concerns that ranked in the top ten were smoking and tobacco use (25 percent), teen pregnancy (24 percent) and alcohol abuse (20 percent).