How significant is teen drug use?

What is the correlation between age of 

first drug use and dependence?

Drug use among teenagers in the 

United States is a serious concern. In 

2003 more than 7.5 million individuals aged 12 to 17 reported having 

used an illicit drug at least once in 

their lifetime. In the same year students in grades nine through twelve 

indicated that 40.2 percent of respondents had used marijuana, 12.1 

percent had used inhalants, 11.1 

percent had used MDMA (also known 

as ecstasy), 8.7 percent had used 

cocaine, 7.6 percent had used methamphetamine, 6.1 percent had illegally used steroids, 3.3 percent had 

used heroin, and 3.2 percent had 

injected an illegal drug one or more 

times during their lifetime.

Furthermore, 9.9 percent of student respondents nationwide tried 

marijuana for the first time before the 

age of 13, 28.7 percent had been 

offered, sold, or given an illegal drug 

on school property during the year 

preceding the survey, and 5.8 percent 

had used marijuana on school property one or more times during the 30 

days preceding the survey. 

Adults who first used drugs at a 

younger age were more likely to be 

classified with illicit drug dependence 

or abuse than adults who initiated 

use at an older age. 

For example, among adults aged 18 

or older who first tried marijuana at 

What are some risks associated with the 

use of other illicit drugs?

Any illicit drug use by adolescents 

can have immediate and long-term 

health and social consequences. 

Overall, mental health problems 

including depression, developmental 

lags, apathy, withdrawal, conduct 

problems, personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, 

suicide, and other psychosocial 

dysfunctions are frequently linked to 

substance abuse among adolescents. 

Drug abuse has been shown to 

increase the likelihood of psychiatric 

disorders.

Abuse of specific drugs exposes 

users to a range of serious consequences. Cocaine use is linked with 

health problems including eating 

disorders, disabilities, and death from 

heart attacks and strokes. 

Hallucinogens can affect brain chemistry and result in problems with learning new information and memory. 

Methamphetamine can cause rapid 

heart rate, increased blood pressure, 

and damage to the small blood vessels 

in the brain that can lead to stroke. 

Heroin use can result in slow and 

shallow breathing, convulsions, coma, 

and even death.

Young people who inject drugs 

expose themselves to additional risks, 

including contracting HIV (human 

immunodeficiency virus), hepatitis B 

and C, and other blood-borne viruses. 

Chronic injection drug users also risk 

scarred or collapsed veins, infection of 

What are some of the risks specific to 

marijuana use?

age 14 or younger, 13.0 percent were 

classified with illicit drug dependence or 

abuse compared with only 2.8 percent 

of adults who had first used marijuana 

at age 18 or older. 

Teens who first used marijuana 

before age 17 were shown to have 

smaller brains and to be physically 

smaller in height and weight than teens 

who first used marijuana after age 17. 

Exposure to marijuana and other drugs 

at certain critical periods, such as early 

adolescence, may alter normal patterns 

of development.

Marijuana use, which is prevalent 

among youth, has been shown to interfere with short-term memory, learning, 

and psychomotor skills. Motivation and 

psychosexual/emotional development 

also may be affected. 

Early adolescent marijuana use 

increases the risk in late adolescence of 

not graduating from high school, delinquency, having multiple sexual partners, 

and not always using condoms. Such 

marijuana use can result in perceiving 

drugs as not harmful, having long-term 

problems with cigarettes, alcohol, and 

marijuana, and having friends who 

exhibit deviant behavior. 

In addition, early adolescent marijuana use is related to later adolescent 

problems that limit the acquisition of 

skills necessary for employment and 

heighten the risks of contracting HIV and 

abusing legal and illegal substances.

What are some of the risks specific to 

marijuana use?
NDIC Product No. 2004-L0559-011

National Drug Intelligence Center

a component of the 

U.S. Department of Justice

113004

Other products of interest:

For more information on illicit drugs 

check out our web site at:

www.usdoj.gov/ndic 

Call 814-532-4541 

to request NDIC products

Other products of interest:

For more information on illicit drugs 

check out our web site at:

www.usdoj.gov/ndic 

Call 814-532-4541 

to request NDIC products

, Huffing—The Abuse of Inhalants

, Prescription Drug Abuse and Youth

, Drugs,Youth, and the Internet

National Drug Intelligence Center

319 Washington Street, 5th Floor

Johnstown, PA 15901-1622

Telephone: 814-532-4601

FAX: 814-532-4690

NDIC Washington Liaison Office

8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1001

McLean, VA 22102-3840

Telephone: 703-556-8970

FAX: 703-556-7807

NDIC publications are available on the following web sites:

ADNET http://ndicosa

LEO home.leo.gov/lesig/ndic

RISS ndic.riss.net

INTERNET www.usdoj.gov/ndic

Cover photo © Rubberball Production, 1998.

Teens and

Drugs

What are some common signs of teen 

drug abuse?

the heart lining and valves, 

abscesses, pneumonia, tuberculosis, 

and liver and kidney disease. 

Substance abuse among youth 

has also been strongly linked to 

delinquency. Arrest, adjudication, 

and intervention by the juvenile 

justice system are eventual consequences for many youths engaged in 

alcohol and other drug use.

Sudden and extreme changes in 

personality, physical appearance, 

social activity, or school performance 

may signal teen drug use. 

Personality changes may include 

becoming disrespectful and verbally 

or physically abusive, extreme mood 

swings, paranoia, confusion, anger, 

depression, and secretive behavior. 

Teens who abuse drugs may lie 

about what they are doing and where 

they are going. They may also steal, 

claim to lose possessions they once 

valued, have a lot of money, ask for 

money, and withdraw from family 

and family activities. With regard to 

physical effects, teens using drugs 

may exhibit a lack of hygiene and 

grooming, weight loss or gain, hyperactivity or lethargy, and insomnia or 

excessive sleeping. These teens may 

also drop old friends and activities, 

skip school, lose interest in school, 

receive low grades, sleep in class, 

lose concentration, and have trouble 

with memory. 

What are some common signs of teen 

drug abuse?

Fast Facts

Questions 

and 

Answers