Drugs and Young People

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Latest News
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials
• Games

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Drug abuse is a serious public health problem. It affects almost every community and family in some way. Drug abuse in children and teenagers may pose a greater hazard than in older people. This is because their brains are not yet fully developed. As a result, the brains of young people may be more susceptible to drug abuse and addiction than adult brains.

Abused drugs include

• Amphetamines
• Anabolic steroids
• Club drugs
• Cocaine
• Heroin
• Inhalants
• Marijuana
• Prescription drugs

There are different types of treatment for drug abuse. But it is better to prevent drug abuse in the first place.

NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Start Here

• Answers to Student's Most Popular Questions about Drug Abuse and Addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• College-Age & Young Adults (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• Dealing with Addiction (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)
• Dealing with Drug Problems: Preventing and Treating Drug Abuse (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
• Drugs: Shatter the Myths (National Institute on Drug Abuse) - PDF
• Drugs: What You Should Know (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• NIDA for Teens (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Latest News

• Opioid Abuse Jumps 6-Fold for U.S. Youth, Too Few Get Treated (06/19/2017, HealthDay)
• Bullied in 5th Grade, Prone to Drug Abuse by High School (05/08/2017, HealthDay)
• Is Your Child Using Drugs? (04/27/2017, HealthDay)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Drugs of Abuse Testing (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Frequently Asked Questions about Drug Testing in Schools (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Drug Abuse Prevention Starts with Parents (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Family Checkup: Positive Parenting Prevents Drug Abuse (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Treatments and Therapies

• Substance Abuse Treatment for Children and Adolescents: Questions to Ask (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
• What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Brain and Addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• How to Identify Drug Paraphernalia (Drug Enforcement Administration)

Specifics

• What Are Bath Salts? (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• What Is Salvia? (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Videos and Tutorials

• Drugs + HIV, Learn the Link (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish
• Why Are Drugs So Hard to Quit? (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish

Games

• National Drug IQ Challenge (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish
• Test Your Knowledge (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Statistics and Research

• Among High School Seniors, Driving After Marijuana Use Surpasses Drunk Driving (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• High School and Youth Trends (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• Monitoring the Future 2014 Survey Results (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• Principles of Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (National Institute on Drug Abuse) - PDF

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Drugs and Young People (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Treating Youths in the Juvenile Justice System.
• Article: Patient-centered Care to Address Barriers for Pregnant Women with Opioid...
• Article: Caring for Young Children Exposed to Marijuana.
• Drugs and Young People -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• National Institute on Drug Abuse Also in Spanish
• Partnership at Drugfree.org (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

Children

• What You Need to Know about Drugs (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Toxicology screen (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish