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Drugs are harmful at all ages.Why do we then specially emphasize that adolescents should avoid drugs?
Good question.

Teens who experiment with drugs put their health and safety at risk.Various factors can contribute to teen drug abuse, from insecurity to a desire for social acceptance. Teens often feel indestructible and might not consider the consequences of their actions, leading them to take dangerous risks — such as abusing legal or illegal drugs.
    Impaired driving. Driving under the influence of any drug can impair a driver's motor skills, reaction time and judgment — putting the driver, his or her passengers, and others on the road at risk.
    Sexual activity. Teens who abuse drugs are more likely to have poor judgment, which can result in unplanned and unsafe sex.
    Drug dependence. Teens who abuse drugs are at increased risk of serious drug use later in life.
    Concentration problems. Use of drugs, such as marijuana, might affect a teen's memory, motivation and ability to learn.
    Serious health problems. Ecstasy can cause liver damage and heart failure. High doses of or chronic use of methamphetamine can cause psychotic behavior. Chronic use of inhalants can harm the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. Abuse of prescription or over-the-counter medications can cause respiratory distress and seizures.

Most illicit substance use by the young is not pathologic or compulsive. Excessive substance use among the young most often involves alcohol. Youthful substance abusers tend to abuse many substances—therefore an understanding of substance abuse requires an awareness of individual motivation and of the person’s social circumstances. Therapy lacking this understanding has proven fruitless. Our best hope for the young—whether or not they have significant histories of substance abuse—lies in engaging the natural processes of maturation, real-world rewards, and the creation of a world worth living in.


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