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Study: Teens Who Go To Church Less Likely To Get In Trouble

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RALEIGH, N.C. — A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill backs up what many people already think. Teens who go to church every week are better behaved and less likely to smoke, drink, use drugs or even get a traffic ticket.

Some teenagers claim that church gives them a place to turn when they need help fighting off peer pressure.

"The church is an outlet for me. If I had problems and things I was going through, instead of turning to other stuff, I come to church," said Courtney Moore, a student at Millbrook High School.

"Stuff that you don't know, your advisers let you know or stuff you're scared to talk to your parents about, you could talk to them," said Kendrick Reid, a student at Southeast Raleigh High School.

The study also found that religious teens actually argue less with their parents. Experts say school activities and even volunteering can give teens the support needed to make good decisions.

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