Good and Bad Teen Drug Statistics

There's good news and there's bad news. First, the good news. According to
a study conducted by the Partnership for a Drug Free America, teen smoking
is down from 42 percent in 1998 to 22 percent in 2005. Even better, teen
drinking is down from 42 percent in 1998 to 31 percent in 2005. These are
indeed very positive developments in the war against teen drug and alcohol
abuse.

Now, for the bad news. Teens are using less alcohol and tobacco, but more
prescription drugs. And, what's even worse is the prescription drugs they
are taking have not been prescribed to them. In other words, teens are
taking other people's prescription drugs.

In fact, one out of five high school kids have tried prescription
painkillers like Oxycontin or Percocet, without a prescription.  Imagine,
they don't think there's anything wrong with this, and some of them don't
even believe it's illegal. (Note: It is illegal to use or even possess
prescription drugs if you don't have a prescription.)

Many of the high school students surveyed said prescription drugs are not
only safer, but non-addictive and there is nothing wrong with abusing
prescription drugs. This is in spite of developments in prescription drugs
that make them more effective than ever. It is also without the advice of a
doctor as to dosage, drug interactions and even allergies to drugs.

Even more frightening is that 62 percent of the students surveyed said
prescription drugs are readily available, even "easy" to find at home.

So, while parents are worrying about drug dealers who mainly sell in big
cities, the worst culprit these days may be right in your own bathroom
medicine cabinet or grandparents' or neighbors'.

Of course, prescription drugs are a lifeline for many patients, so we are
not recommending you throw them all out right now. But, throw out those
you don't need as soon as you no longer need them.  Doctors and
pharmacists have recommended this for years, but now there's even more
reason to follow their advice.  Secondly, all drugs should be kept in a
safe place, under lock and key if you think your teen or adolescent may be
tempted to "see what happens" if they try a prescription drug.  And,
finally, take regular counts of your prescription medications and verify
the amount by the number you have taken to quickly determine if two or
three or more are "missing."

Some prescription drugs to be especially careful of are Oxycontin, Xanax,
Vicodin, Percocet, Percodan, Tylox, Fentanyl, Concerta and Ritalin, as
these are some of the prescription drugs frequently abused, according to
statistics.

So, while there's progress in reducing teen drinking and smoking -- and we
are grateful for that -- the use of prescription drugs continues to be a
serious problem among teens. With a little extra care, however, each of us
can help prevent this problem by cleaning out our medicine cabinet.

Contact us to get a teen help drug rehab that is recommended.  Click Here to get Help Now


Here are some resources from Amazon about teen drug abuse
to help you:



How Many Times Does a Teenager Have To Take a Drug To Become an
Addict?
No one knows how many times a teen can use a drug without changing his or
her brain and becoming addicted.

A person's genetic makeup probably plays a role. But after enough doses,
an addicted teen's limbic system craves the drug as it craves food, water,
or friends. Drug abuse craving is made worse because of down regulation.

Without a dose of the drug, dopamine levels in the drug abuser's brain are
low. The abuser feels flat, lifeless, depressed. Without drugs, an abuser's
life seems joyless. Now the abuser needs drugs just to bring dopamine
levels up to normal levels. Larger amounts of the drug are needed to
create a dopamine flood or high, an effect known as tolerance.

By abusing drugs, the addicted teen has changed the way his or her brain
works. Drug abuse and addiction lead to long-term changes in the brain.
These changes cause addicted drug users to lose the ability to control
their drug use. Drug addiction in teenagers is a disease. [1]


If Drug Addiction Is a Disease, Is There a Cure?
There is no cure for drug addiction, but it is a treatable disease; drug
addicts can recover with proper drug rehab. Drug addiction therapy is a
program of behavior change or modification that slowly retrains the brain.
Like people with diabetes or heart disease, teens in treatment for drug
addiction learn behavioral changes and often take medications as part of
their treatment regimen.

If your teen is having difficulty with drug abuse addiction, we can help. 
Certified Teen Help Organization has resources in place to intervene with
drug abuse issues with a teen. Contact Us Now to Get a Recommended Teen Help
Provider


Treatment Options for Teen Drug Problems
We offer reliable treatment options for a teen with drug problems.  We
provide treatment options for drug issues, defiance, depression, and other
problems for your teen child.  Experimentation with alcohol and drugs
during adolescence is common.  Unfortunately, teenagers often don't see
the problems between their actions today and the consequences tomorrow. 
Teens also have a tendency to feel indestructible and immune to treatment
and the problems that others experience.  Using alcohol and tobacco at a
young age increases the risk of using other drugs later.  Some teens will
experiment and stop, or continue to use a drug occasionally, without
significant problems.  Others will develop a dependency, moving on to more
dangerous drugs and causing significant harm to themselves and possibly
others which may require treatment.

Adolescence is a time for trying new things and this is why treatment is
important.  Teens use alcohol and other drugs for many reasons, including
curiosity, because it feels good, to reduce stress, to feel grown up or to
fit in.  It is difficult to know which teens will experiment and stop and
which will develop serious problems.  Teenagers at risk for developing
serious alcohol and drug problems include those:

 - with a family history of substance abuse 
 - who are depressed 
 - who have low self-esteem, and 
 - who feel like they don't fit in or are out of the mainstream 


Teenagers abuse a variety of drugs, both legal and illegal.  Legally
available drugs include alcohol, prescribed medications, inhalants (fumes
from glues, aerosols, and solvents) and over-the-counter cough, cold,
sleep, and diet medications.  The most commonly used illegal drugs are
marijuana (pot), stimulants (cocaine, crack, and speed), LSD, PCP,
opiates, heroin, and designer drugs (Ecstasy). Teens and the use of
illegal drugs is increasing, especially among adolescent youth.  The
average age of first marijuana use is 14, and alcohol use can start before
age 12.  The use of marijuana and alcohol in high school has become common.
These problems among teens will see the rise of treatment programs
nationwide.  Therefore, treatment for teen drug problems is desperately
needed.

Drug use is associated with a variety of negative consequences, including
increased risk of serious drug use later in life, school failure, and poor
judgment which may put teens at risk for accidents, violence, unplanned and
unsafe sex, and suicide.

Parents can help through early education and treatment about drug
problems, open communication, good role modeling, and early recognition if
problems are developing.

Warning signs of teenage alcohol and drug abuse may include:

 - Physical: Fatigue, repeated health complaints, red and glazed eyes, and
a lasting cough.

 - Emotional: personality change, sudden mood changes, irritability,
irresponsible behavior, low self-esteem, poor judgment, depression, and a
general lack of interest.

 - Family: starting arguments, breaking rules, or withdrawing from the
family and problems at home.

 - School: decreased interest, negative attitude, drop in grades, many
absences, truancy, and discipline problems.

 - Social problems: new friends who are less interested in standard home
and school activities, problems with the law, and changes to less
conventional styles in dress and music.

Some of the warning signs listed above can also be signs of other teen
problems.  Parents may recognize signs of trouble but should not be
expected to make the diagnosis.  An effective way for parents to show care
and concern is to openly discuss the use and possible abuse of alcohol and
other drugs with their teenager and treatment.  We provide the most
credible drug rehab resources for a parent of a troubled teen.

When looking for treatment for a teen drug problem, seek out as much
professional help as possible.  CLICK HERE to get a
Certified Teen Help Recommendation.

Here are some helpful resources to consider when seeking help for a child
struggling with teen drug abuse.

Drug Rehab for Teens
SubstanceAbuse
Rehab for Teens
ResidentialTreatment
Drug Rehab for Teens



The resources provided above gives insight to:  teen drug, teenager,
treatment, problems, teens, drug abuse, addict, addiction, addicted, drug
rehab, prescription drugs, teen smoking, teen drinking





The following teen programs or resources are provided according to
relative searches based on the internet, and does not mean they are
endorsed by us.