Shocking Study Reveals Young Adults Are Addicted to Drugs and Alcohol

While engaging in rebellious behavior is practically a rite of passage for teenagers and children, studies have confirmed that young adults are engaging in risky behaviors with drugs and alcohol – with some users even becoming addicts. These shocking statistics not only highlight the dangers that teenagers are exposing themselves to when engaging in risky substance behavior (such as binge drinking, which involved the consumption of a unit of alcohol more than fives times over a 24-hour period); it also highlights the need for prevention programs to tackle addiction education at even younger ages.

According to the 2007 study conducted by ESPAD, the percentage of teenagers who use illicit drugs has risen steadily since 1995, with some European countries reporting an extremely high percentage of users within the past 30 days (Czech Republic, 46%). Although the United States scored lower than several countries in Europe, it’s still a concerning study, as more teenagers than ever before are exposing themselves to illicit drugs that could lead to addiction. As more research has concluded that addiction is primarily caused by several genetic aberrations, those teenagers who are particularly vulnerable will likely develop an addiction after exposure.

Regarding alcohol, teenagers are starting to drink at increasingly younger ages. According to researchers at the University of the West of England, Bristol, binge drinking is particularly popular amongst 15 to 16 year olds, with similar findings reported back in the United States. This means that substance addiction can start as young as 14, which has a severe impact on the physical, mental and emotional development as the teenager matures into an adult.

This problem is highly serious and chronic, and only serves to highlight the need for early addiction education within European and American schools.

Tags: college substance abuse