children s health issues
Substance Use in Adolescents
Introduction
Substance use among adolescents ranges from experimentation to severe Overview of Substance-Related Disorders . All substance use, even experimental use, puts adolescents at risk of short-term problems, such as accidents, fights, unwanted sexual activity, and In modern Western society, substance use is an easy way for adolescents to satisfy the normal developmental need to take risks and seek thrills. Not surprisingly, substance use is common as adolescents get older, and many adolescents will try alcohol before high school graduation. Recurring or ongoing substance use is much less common, but even occasional substance use is risky and should not be trivialized, ignored, or allowed by adults. Parental attitudes and the examples that parents set regarding their own use of alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, and other substances are a powerful influence. According to national surveys in the United States, the proportion of 12th graders who report they have not used any substances in their lifetime has been steadily increasing over the past 40 years. However, at the same time, a broad range of more potent, addictive, and dangerous products, such as prescription opioids, high-potency cannabis products,fentanyl, and e-cigarettes, has become available. These products put adolescents who do start using substances at higher risk of developing both short- and long-term consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic had a mixed impact on adolescent substance use. During stay-at-home periods, the rate of adolescents who started to use substances decreased, but, at the same time, the rate of heavy use increased because some adolescents who were already using substances increased their use as a mechanism for coping with stress. The substances that are used most by adolescents are alcohol,nicotine(in tobacco or vaping products), and cannabis. (See also Introduction to Problems in Adolescents .) 