1. About 3 million youths between ages 12 and 17 abuse prescription drugs nationwide each year.
2. About 750,000 teens, or 1 in 13, become pregnant every year. 80% of those pregnancies are unintended. Abstinence only programs show no effectiveness whatsoever in reducing sexual activity, but do reduce safe sex practices. --
3. High school graduation rates for major cities are between 34.6% to 46.8% for schools in the city, versus an average of 80% for those same cities in suburban schools.
4. As many as 20 percent of teens/preteens play the choking game, which involves either aphyxiating themselves or having someone else do it for the qUick rush it provides. At least 82 youths ages 6-19 have died during the activity, but probably underrepresent actual numbers as many such deaths are counted as suicides.
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