Substance Use in Adolescence

Get information and resources about adolescent substance use and ways to prevent it.

Alcohol Use in Adolescence

Adolescents use alcohol more than any other drug, including tobacco and marijuana. Binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks on one occasion for males, or four or more drinks for females) is the most commonly reported—and most dangerous—way that adolescents consume alcohol.¹ Adolescents who drink alcohol are more likely to experience negative consequences such as injury or death, difficulty at school, addiction, and legal problems. Additionally, alcohol can interfere with brain development. Fortunately, overall alcohol use among adolescents has decreased over the last decade.

Learn more about adolescent alcohol use and how to prevent it

• CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)
• CDC – Underage Drinking
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
• NIDA for Teens
• Rural Health Information Hub – Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator
• Talk. They Hear You. (SAMHSA’s substance use prevention campaign for parents and caregivers)
• Youth.gov - LGBT Behavioral Health

Tobacco and E-cigarette Use in Adolescence

Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, and almost 90 percent of adults who smoke daily first tried smoking by age 18. The good news is that tobacco use by adolescents and young adults has declined substantially over the past 40 years. However, in 2014 and for the first time in history, more teenagers used vaping devices, such as electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes (devices used to inhale nicotine, marijuana, or other flavored vapor), than tobacco cigarettes, and this upward trend continues. These products pose a set of new challenges, as they are known to be harmful but their health impact is not yet fully understood.

Learn more about adolescent tobacco and e-cigarette use and how to prevent it

• FDA – Center for Tobacco Products (CTP)
• CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)
• CDC – Quick Facts on the Risks of E-Cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults
• Office of the Surgeon General – Know the Risks: E-cigarettes & Young People
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
• NIDA for Teens
• Rural Health Information Hub – Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator
• Surgeon General Priority: Tobacco
• Youth.gov - LGBT Behavioral Health

Drug Use in Adolescence

Illicit drug use—which includes the abuse of illegal drugs and/or the misuse of prescription medications or household substances—is something many adolescents engage in occasionally, and some do regularly. High school students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are almost twice as likely to use illicit drugs as those who identify as heterosexual. Prescription drug misuse, which can include opioids, is among the fastest growing drug problems in the United States. However, overall use of these types of drugs among adolescents is decreasing.

The most commonly used illicit drug is marijuana. Young people who use marijuana may experience poor health outcomes, and marijuana use can negatively affect adolescents’ brain development and functioning.²

Fortunately, many factors and strategies can help adolescents stay drug free: strong positive connections with parents, other family members, school, and religion; having parents present clear limits and consistent enforcement of discipline; and reduced access in the home to illegal substances.

Learn more about adolescent drug use and how to prevent it

• CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
• NIDA for Teens
• NIDA - Marijuana
• NIDA - Opioids
• Rural Health Information Hub – Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator
• Surgeon General Priority: Opioids and Addiction
• Talk. They Hear You. (SAMHSA substance use prevention campaign for parents and caregivers)
• Youth.gov - LGBT Behavioral Health

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