Exposure to neighborhood violence leads some Denver teens to use tobacco and alcohol earlier, new study shows

Exposure to neighborhood violence leads some Denver teens to use tobacco and alcohol earlier, new study shows

Denver teens who experience violence start using tobacco and alcohol earlier than their peers. BSIP/Getty ImagesHigh levels of neighborhood violence increase the risk of Latino and African American teens in Denver starting to use alcohol and tobacco, according to our recent study. In the U.S., approximately 2 in 10 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 20 drink alcohol. About 1 in 10 smoke cigarettes. For teens living in neighborhoods with high…