¡¡¡¡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.

¡¡¡¡¡åThe trends of substance use among our adolescent girls are alarming.¡åsaid 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.

¡¡¡¡¡åBut that doesn't appear to be stopping them from using them£¬¡åWalters said£¬ urging parents to talk to their daughters about the importance of staying drugs-free. ¡åCombine this new responsibility with all the stress and pressures in their lives and the result£¬ unfortunately£¬can be substance abuse.¡åhe said.¡¡¡¡£ £