 US girls match boys in alcohol, drugs, cigarette use
American girls are puffing more cigarettes and popping more prescription pills than boys， and using as much alcohol and illicit drugs， the White House drugs control czar said on sunday.
The warning was based on an analysis of recent studies which showed girls typically use drugs and alcohol to boost dented self-esteem and self-confidence， as they face the hard choices and questions of early adolescence.
″The trends of substance use among our adolescent girls are alarming.″said John Walters，director of the White House office of National Drug Control Policy.
Though overall drug use among youths in the United States had dipped in recent years，statistics for girls were causing concern，he said，and debunked conventional wisdom that boys were more at risk from illegal drugs.
″But that doesn't appear to be stopping them from using them，″Walters said， urging parents to talk to their daughters about the importance of staying drugs-free. ″Combine this new responsibility with all the stress and pressures in their lives and the result， unfortunately，can be substance abuse.″he said.
双语：美国女孩追求物质享乐 吸毒嗜酒样样来
美国白宫负责药物控制的官员周日表示，美国女孩在抽烟和吞食药丸上超过了男孩，并且还食用大量的烈酒和违法毒品。
上述结论是通过最近的一项研究得出来的，该研究发现女孩在面对艰难选择和早期青少年问题的时候，就会通过喝酒和吸毒来重新找回她们已经失去的自尊和自信。
白宫国家控制毒品研究室主任约翰·沃尔特斯说：“物质享受对青春期的女孩诱惑很大。”他说，虽然在最近几年吸毒的美国年轻总体有所下降，但是染毒女孩的数量却引发关注，男孩是毒品的最大受害者这一传统观念被打破。“但这并不能阻止他们停止吸毒。”沃尔特斯还鼓励当父母的要告诉自己女儿远离毒品的重要性。
“不幸的是，来自生活的压力和紧迫感，以及责任感导致了他们的堕落。”他说。信报记者黄杰／译
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