American Kids Today: Better or Worse?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), teen pregnancy and birth rates in the U.S. have been declining since 1991 and hit a record low in 2019. 


The CDC also indicates that young Americans are less and less inclined to have sexual intercourse during their high school years. This trend makes sense of the drop in teen pregnancy today.


How about drug and alcohol use? The National Institute on Drug Abuse found in 2021 that American teens have continuously been smoking less and drinking less for decades. Indeed, between 1991 and 2019, the percentage (%) of American teens having "ever tried cigarette smoking" came down from 70 to 24. During the same period, there has also been a sharp percentage fall in current smokers (from 27.5% in 1991 to 6% in 2019).


The above findings show that today's American kids are doing better. Prove it if you believe otherwise.


--- by 寒葦

所有跟帖： 

• What a pleasant surprise you've brought us! -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 21:53:13

• I also brought myself a pleasant surprise. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 21:54:12

• Why was it a pleasant surprise to you? -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 21:56:56

• I didn't expect American kids to have done so much better. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 21:58:02

• You're not the only one. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 21:58:38

• It's the trend that's most encouraging. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:00:38

• Right on. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:01:18

• 其實何止是孩子。用文中的1991年比現在，重要的指標，如醫療和社會保障，今天好很多，暴力犯罪率今天低很多。。。他們不信。 -唐宋韻- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:04:19

• 謝謝唐宋君。對呀。當然，那些mass shootings的負麵影響太大了。 -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:11:05

• 與裏根、馬丁路德金、肯尼迪被刺比如何？ -唐宋韻- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:34:02

• 另外，可以查查1970年的五四美國發生了什麽。。。與此同時宇航員也在登月呢。 -唐宋韻- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:48:19

• 唐宋君所說的都是曆史性的震撼事件。現時不時發生的持槍濫殺無辜事件，也震撼人心。不是人人都是大人物，但是人人都有可能受害。 -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:55:28

• 恕我直言，從你的帖子我感覺，你恐怕也是我上麵說的“他們”中的一位，被如今的新聞，特別是社交媒體牽著鼻子走，忘了如今 -唐宋韻- ♂ (398 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 05:55:43

• 其實，簡單地說“昔不如今”或“今不如昔”都不合適。我們今天處於一個完全不同的時代，麵臨著完全不同的 -唐宋韻- ♂ (411 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 06:25:30

• Howdy, everyone? -shuier- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:02:04

• Great. We're sharing some good news about American kids. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:03:28

• Your post is the message. You're the messenger. -shuier- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:05:04

• I'm proud to be the messenger. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:13:05

• BTW,people tend to think that statistical reports are boring -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:15:31

• Maybe we should collect statistics about boredom. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:18:14

• Go ahead. A study of boredom would be super-exciting. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:19:43

• But first, help me to apply for a grant. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:22:35

• Yes, if you're serious enough. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:23:16

• Let me join the fun. -shuier- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:24:41

• Only if you're serious enough. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:25:33

• Fair enough. -shuier- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/21/2023 postreply 22:26:03

• mental heath and substance abuse get worse, especially in last -AP33912- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 05:00:00

• I think a lot of people share your impression. But proof? -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 07:19:02

• i have report/data from my company but can't share here. -AP33912- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 07:53:00

• 兩個分開的問題：1. 近年吸毒總人數不如一兩代人以前；2.現在吸毒造成的死亡比那時多得多。這是因為 -唐宋韻- ♂ (331 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 10:06:31

• 主要是這幾年mental health may have got worse。 -AP33912- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 10:10:00

• Main reason: Fentanyl is cheap and easily available. Much -唐宋韻- ♂ (203 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 10:20:49

• 剛出來：https://www.wenxuecity.com/news/2023/05/22/12331413.html -唐宋韻- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 12:01:19

• 1. I'm talking about teenagers. 2. I'm talking about trends. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 14:32:08

• Keep your data then. Thanks, AP! -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/22/2023 postreply 14:29:55