Since 1991, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has conducted a survey every two years called the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) that provides data representative of 9th through 12th grade students in public and private schools throughout the United States.

It is important that youth ministers understand their students and the types of problems they face and the risks they take outside of the youth group. Consider the following high school student statistics from 2005:

10.2% rarely or never wore a seatbelt. (When riding in a car driven by someone else.)

28.5% rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol. (In a car or other vehicle one or more times during the 30 days preceding the survey.)

18.5% carried a weapon. (For example, a gun, knife, or club on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.)

35.9% were in a physical fight. (One or more times during the 12 months preceding the survey.)

8.4% attempted suicide. (One or more times during the 12 months preceding the survey.)

23% currently used cigarettes. (Smoked cigarettes on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.)

8.0% currently used smokeless tobacco. (Used chewing tobacco, snuff, or dip on one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.)

43.3% currently used alcohol. (Had at least one drink of alcohol one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.)

20.2% currently used marijuana. (Used marijuana one or more of the 30 days preceding the survey.)

3.4% currently use cocaine. (Used any form of cocaine one or more times during the 30 days preceding the survey.)

46.8% had ever had sexual intercourse.

13.1% were overweight. (Greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for body mass index, by age and sex, based on reference data.)

To see how these problems have changed over the past 15 years of study, look at the 1991-2005 Trends in the Prevalence of Selected Risk Behaviors.