Types

• The list of drugs with which teens experiment is almost endless, but according to the 2009 Partnership for a Drug-Free America Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), the most common drug used by teens is marijuana, though that report showed that marijuana use by teens is down by about 24 percent since 1998. Other drugs include methamphetamines, "speed," that affect the central nervous system. Versions of these drugs can be smoked, swallowed or injected. And while these aren't technically "drugs," hairspray, markers, cleaning products and other household chemicals are among the most commonly abused substances by teens, who breathe in the fumes given off by these products in a practice called "huffing." The PATS report also noted that prescription-drug abuse by teens is holding steady, with one in five teens admitting to abusing a prescription drug at least once in their lives.
  
  

Effects

• While the desired effect of most drugs is a feeling of euphoria or "a high," some drugs have different purposes. Teenage athletes may be tempted by steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs, while other young people may turn to drugs to help them lose weight. Both types of drugs can have long-lasting health effects. Steroids can do damage to the liver and other organs, and weight-loss drugs act as stimulants and can lead to serious and even life-threatening problems with the central nervous system. Those substances, along with recreational drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy affect the brain, not just in releasing "feel good" chemicals and interfering with judgment, but in triggering responses that can lead to addiction and even brain tissue death. Impaired judgment resulting from drug and alcohol use can often lead to sexual activity. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that teens under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol are less likely to use a condom, thus raising the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The CDC also notes that HIV/AIDS is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. among those 15 to 20.
  
  

Warning

• Drug use can have multiple impacts on the body and behavior. Those effects include problems with short- and long-term memory, learning problems in school, impaired judgment and coordination, increased heart rate and heart rhythm distortions. Meth, for example, can also lead to mouth and skin sores, while smoking marijuana and other drugs can lead to lung damage. But one of the more subtle, yet undeniable facts about drug use is that it leads to personality changes, which all to often result in damaged relationships within families and ruined friendships.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• The best way to avoid drug problems is to avoid taking drugs in the first place, obviously. And because drug use among teens tends to be part of social behavior, one the best things you can do to avoid the temptation of drug use is to find a social circle made up of teens who do not drink or do drugs. A school nurse, your personal doctor and other health care professionals can answer specific questions about drugs, but the most important person to talk drugs with is a parent or guardian.
  
  

Misconceptions

• The biggest single misconception about drugs is that "one time can't hurt." The truth is, one time can get you killed. Being high while driving a car, for instance, can lead to a fatal car accident and distorted judgment may make you more likely to take chances that can result in personal injury. There have also been documented cases of drugs affecting vulnerable teens who had unknown medical conditions that could not tolerate the unnatural speeding up of the heart or central nervous system.
  
  

Considerations

• Be aware that alcohol is a drug and that alcohol interferes with your judgment. In other words, while you may not want to try ecstasy or other drugs when you're sober, you might be more inclined to try other substances after you've had a few drinks.