Substance abuse in teenagers. Trends and consequences.
BACKGROUND
Over the past few decades there has been growing concern about the use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs by adolescents.


OBJECTIVE
To outline the trends in and consequences of adolescent substance abuse.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol and tobacco remain the most often used drugs in adolescence, and are the drugs associated with greatest morbidity and mortality, but there is some evidence that the use of illicit drugs is increasing. Morbidity and mortality from substance abuse can occur directly from the effects of the drug, from the mode of administration or from environmental factors associated with drug use. Drug related deaths compromise 24% of all deaths in the 12-24 year old age group. This is likely to be an underestimate as alcohol related traffic accidents are excluded from this figure.
Kang
Melissa
M
NSW Centre for the Advancement of Adolescent Health, Department of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales. MelissaK@chw.edu.au
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality