The Shocking Facts Abouts Addiction

Youth - Adolescents, Teens and Young Adults

Nearly everyone has been affected by the disease of addiction, either personally or by a family member or friend.

CONSIDER THESE FACTS:

80% of High Schoolers, 44% of Middle Schoolers see Drugs Used, Kept, Sold, Classmates Drunk, High on school grounds.
source: National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XII: Teens and Parents 12th annual back to school survey conducted by CASA at Columbia University
Nearly one in five (19 percent or 4.5 million) teens has tried prescription medication (pain relievers such as Vicodin and OxyContin; stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall) to get high.
source: 2005 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS)
The average age of first use of alcohol is 11 years.
The average brain does not fully develop until the age of 24. Early onset of drug and alcohol use can affect the developing brain.
Adolescents can become addicted to alcohol in only 6-18 months; for adults this usually takes 5-15 years.
Of the children who first use alcohol or other substances at the age of 11, 65% are later classified with an addiction.
Of children who use alcohol or other substances before the age of 15, 40% are later classified with and addiction.
Of those who use alcohol or other substances after age 21, 10% will develop an addiction
Children rarely try cocaine, heroin or any other "hard" drugs without first using alcohol, tobacco and/or marijuana.
The drug teens are most likely to use and abuse is alcohol.
Students who report experiencing alcohol and other drug use are twice as likely to instigate physical fights, and have trouble concentrating.
Marijuana use can lead to a host of significant health, social learning and behavior problems, it impairs judgment leading to risky decision making.
Research shows that Marijuana can lead to addiction; each year more kids enter treatment for Marijuana addiction than all other drugs combined.
In the state of Florida more than 22 people die from drug related deaths each day.
The Single leading cause of death among young people is driving under the influence.
The second leading cause of death among young people is suicide. In 60% of suicide deaths, drugs are present.
The illegal abuse of legal prescription drugs accounts for the fastest growing cause of overdose deaths.

Sources: Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University; 2005 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, Partnership for a Drug Free America; Office of National Drug Control Policy; Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, 2004; Florida youth Substance Abuse Survey 2006; 2006 Florida MEC Report; Dangerous Drugs, Carol Falkowski