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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce the proportion of lesbian, gay, or bisexual high school students who have used illicit drugs — LGBT‑07

Status: Getting worse

  
Getting worse
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Most Recent Data:
27.8 percent (2019)

Target:
16.1 percent

Desired Direction:
Decrease desired

Baseline:
23.1 percent of sexual minority students in grades 9 through 12 reported that they had ever used illicit drugs in their lifetime in 2017

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Reduce proportion of sexual minority (lesbian, gay, or bisexual) high school students who have ever used illicit drugs in their lifetime

Target-Setting Method
Minimal statistical significance

Data Source:  Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), CDC/NCCDPHP

Learn more about data measurement for this objective

Summary

High school students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are almost twice as likely to use illicit drugs as those who identify as heterosexual. Using illicit drugs is linked to risky sexual behaviors, violence, health issues, and problems in school. Interventions to increase family acceptance of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents can help reduce the rate of illicit drug use in this group.

Topics:  LGBT, Adolescents , Drug and Alcohol Use

Workgroup: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Workgroup

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