ATLANTA — A government study released today says gay and bisexual high school students are more likely than their heterosexual classmates to smoke, use alcohol or do other risky things.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed 156,000 high school students. It’s the largest government study to look at sexual orientation and behavior in kids that age.
Investigators asked about dozens of risky behaviors, ranging from not wearing a bicycle helmet to attempting suicide. Gay, lesbian and bisexual students reported worse behavior in 50 to 90 percent of the risk categories, depending on the survey site.
One CDC official explains that gay, lesbian and bisexual students deal with stigma and disapproval, which can contribute to a kid taking risks.
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