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Adolescent substance abuse involves the use of legal or illegal substances by minors, with cultural attitudes and laws varying by country. Commonly abused substances include alcohol, cigarettes, prescription drugs, household items, and illegal drugs. Treatment and support resources are available to help address substance abuse in adolescents.
Substance abuse in adolescents is the abuse of a substance by a young person. Even substances that would be considered legal and acceptable when used by adults, such as smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol in the United States, may be considered aberrant and inappropriate when used by children. The age at which a substance becomes appropriate varies by country, and the use of some substances is always considered abusive, regardless of the user’s age. Substance abuse in adolescents is highly defined by the culture in which the abuse occurs, and many cultures have different attitudes regarding what constitutes appropriate adolescent substance use.
Many times, teenage substance abuse is simply the use of a substance that is otherwise legal by law by a minor. Sometimes, as the substance is consumed secretly and without proper knowledge, it causes serious illness or poisoning. Common substances that are abused in this way include alcohol, cigarettes and, in some countries, marijuana.
Prescription drugs, intended to be taken only on prescription, can also be consumed by adolescents with the intention of obtaining an altered experience. These drugs can either be prescribed to the child or someone else, and given to the child or stolen. A wide variety of drugs can be taken to achieve a desired effect, and particularly popular drugs include those intended for attention deficit disorder and those intended for pain. Misuse of drugs that don’t change a person’s mental state, such as antibiotics or birth control pills, is usually not considered adolescent substance abuse, although this is also not a healthy behavior.
Some substances that teenagers are known to abuse are common in households such as paint thinner, gum glue, or whipped cream chargers. There are also over-the-counter medications, such as some cough syrups, that can be consumed in quantities that will cause the user to experience a desirable effect. These substances are popular because they are often less expensive than other drugs and easy to obtain in many stores.
Of course, illegal drugs can also be candidates for teenage substance abuse. Any drug that an adult can abuse, including drugs like heroin or cocaine, can be obtained and abused by children. This is especially dangerous, because small amounts of these drugs can kill babies and can even cause growth problems.
There are many resources for dealing with substance abuse in adolescents. The advantage of catching a child abusing drugs rather than an adult is that a child can be forcibly treated and placed in rehabilitation, while an adult, in most cases, has the right to avoid treatment. Teens who abuse drugs often deal with other problems, and a good way to stop substance abuse is to help your child with these other problems.
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