Juvenile alcohol and drug abuse is a major health concern, because both can eventually lead to accidents, diseases, mental problems, overdoses and physical disabilities. In fact, young people who abuse substances have a higher risk of dying due to an accident, illness, homicide or suicide than their peers who do not abuse substances, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Significance
Abusing alcohol or drugs is not the same as being addicted to alcohol or drugs, although the difference is small, according to TeensHealth. Juveniles with abuse issues either use legal substances incorrectly or use illegal substances. Illegal substances include cocaine and marijuana, and legal substances that some juveniles abuse include glue and medications available in stores. Addiction is a dependency that occurs when initial abuse develops into an uncontrollable need and urge to use a certain substance.
Effects
Juveniles who abuse alcohol or drugs often develop academic problems and have troubled relationships with relatives and peers, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Academic signs that a young person is abusing alcohol or drugs include absences from school and regular activities, decreased interest in school and declining grades, all of which can contribute to dropping out of school entirely. Young people with substance abuse issues may also feel estranged from their family members and peers, and are more likely to commit crimes and be arrested.
Statistics
Juvenile drug use in the United States has decreased as of 2008, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Yet nearly half of 12th-graders, more than a third of 10th-graders and about a fifth of eighth-graders reported using an illegal drug at least once in 2008. Moreover, abusing alcohol or illegal drugs caused approximately 8 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds--about 2.1 million of them--to require some form of treatment in 2006. As a result, almost 8 percent of the new patients at U.S. alcohol or drug treatment facilities were 17 years old or younger in 2006.
Considerations
Young people who abuse substances do not always choose alcohol or more well-known drugs such as marijuana. Drinking cold or cough medicine to achieve a fast yet inexpensive and legal high is not new among juveniles, and KidsHealth reports the practice has increased as of 2007. Often abbreviated DM on consumer labels, dextromethorphan is the active ingredient in such nonprescription medicinal products, and young people can obtain it easily from stores or medicine cabinets in their home. The easy access causes some juveniles to incorrectly think dextromethorphan is harmless. However, the drug can cause numerous potentially dangerous side effects, including high blood pressure, high fever, hyperthermia and irregular heartbeat.
Warning
Alcohol and drug abuse can become a problem for any young person, even when parents do their best to provide adequate guidance and support, according to KidsHealth. Some factors can help juveniles avoid substance abuse problems, however. For example, having a close and open relationship with family members at home makes young people comfortable discussing important issues, which can help prevent them from turning to people outside the home who may give them poor advice about things such as drugs. Parents should remain aware of whom their children spend time with, since juveniles are at higher risk of using drugs if their friends do.
