Research Shows More Facts That Addiction Begins Early In American Society

New research has discovered that 90% of Americans who have tobacco, alcohol and other substances addiction started using those substances as early as when they were 18 years old.

The study has discovered too, that while a quarter of those who have substances addiction issues used the substances before they were 18 - only one in 25 got addicted when they used the substances later past 21.

Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) reported that currently, almost half of all high school students in America drink, smoke and use other substances.

Adolescence, according to them, is the most significant period that could influence later life - in terms of substance abuse and the ensuing effects.

In a CASA news release, CASA's vice president and director of policy research and analysis, Susan Foster said that addiction is like a disease that starts in adolescence so it is important that delaying or preventing teens from using tobacco, alcohol and other drugs as long as possible would prove to make a huge difference to their safety and health. She further discussed that most people would normally worry about health problems like obesity or issues like depression or bullying - and in turn, would tend to ignore the more complicated and deadly issue which could actually be prevented.

The authors of the study explained that teenage brains are not yet fully developed, and therefore offer the most chances for ingesting substances that could cripple the development of their brains, damage their judgement and leave them addicts - like using drugs and other addictive substances.

The study has discovered that 10 million (or 75%) of American high school students have tried using tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and 20% of them are currently classified as addicts. Today, 6.1 million (or 46%) of high school students are using those substances and at least one-third of them medically meet the symptoms and criteria of addiction.

There are varying factors that point to the high chances of early addiction in American teens, as the study authors have discovered. Some of them include the blatant advertising of the substances, the social acceptance of substance use by schools and families - and the depiction that using those substances is not dangerous, and even glamorous.

Also, substances like alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and prescription drugs can be easily accessed by teens.

The study has further discovered that teen substance use is the biggest preventable and most expensive health issue in the US today. More or less $68 billion is spent on underage drinking measures, and $14 billion goes to juvenile justice cases related to substance use.

The total national cost of substance use by people of all ages is at least $468 billion per year, or nearly $1,500 for every person in the nation, the report indicates.

The report also revealed that almost $1,500 is spent on every American in the whole country due to substance use. And, on a national scale, more or less $468 billion annually is spent.

A CASA board member who also chaired the report's National Advisory Commission - Jim Ramstad, said in the news release that there are too many compelling facts; that science is too clear; that the social and health consequences are too appalling; and the costs are just too high - which should serve as as a wake up call that adolescent substance should be seriously addressed and not be considered as a petty bad behaviour.