WEDNESDAY, July 4 (HealthDay News) -- In the United States, initiation of substance use among adolescents peaks during the summer months of June and July, according to a July 2 report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Researchers from SAMHSA, located in Rockville, Md., used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health to examine periods of heightened risk for substance use initiation for adolescents aged 17 years or younger.

The authors note that first-time use of many substances, including alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco products, peaks during June and July. There were more than 11,000 new young alcohol users on an average day in June, July, or December, compared to about 5,000 to 8,000 new users in other months. More than 5,000 youth smoked cigarettes for the first time on an average day in June or July, compared with about 3,000 to 4,000 per day in other months. There were also more than 4,800 first-time users of marijuana seen in June or July, compared with a daily average of about 3,000 to 4,000 in other months.

"Findings in this report indicate that first-time use of many substances (e.g., alcohol, tobacco products, and marijuana) peaked during the months of June and July," the authors write. "This information could help parents, prevention providers, and communities take positive steps toward preventing use among their children."

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