The Importance of Family Dinners VII finds that compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five to seven per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are almost four times likelier to use tobacco; more than twice as likely to use alcohol; two-and-a-half times likelier to use marijuana; and almost four times likelier to say they expect to try drugs in the future.

The Importance of Family Dinners VII

(September 2011)

Over the past 17 years, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA Columbia) has surveyed thousands of American teens and their parents to identify factors associated with an increase or decrease in the likelihood of teen substance use. We have learned that a child who gets through age 21 without smoking, using illegal drugs or abusing alcohol is virtually certain never to do so. And, we’ve learned that parents have the greatest influence on whether their teens will choose to use.

Download the full study here »

Our surveys have consistently found a relationship between children having frequent dinners with their parents and a decreased risk of their smoking, drinking or using other drugs, and that parental engagement fostered around the dinner table is one of the most potent tools to help parents raise healthy, drug-free children.

Simply put: frequent family dinners make a difference.

In this report, The Importance of Family Dinners VII, we examine the link between the frequency of family dinners and teens’ substance use, their access to substances, and the quality of teens’ relationships with their parents and siblings.

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five to seven per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are:

• Almost four times likelier to use tobacco;
• More than twice as likely to use alcohol;
• Two-and-a-half times likelier to use marijuana; and
• Almost four times likelier to say they expect to try drugs in the future.

Download the full study here »