Substance use in adolescence

Abstract

Adolescent-specific differences in psychosocial factors, behavioral responses, and neurobiological alterations influence the initiation and progression of substance use during adolescence. Adolescent substance use is characterized by excessive intake and a higher prevalence of drug use compared to adulthood. Additionally, exposure to drugs during this developmental period increases the likelihood of developing a future substance use disorder. In this chapter, we review the age-dependent differences in the short- and long-term consequences of three of the more commonly used drugs during adolescence: nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana. Although drug experimentation is relatively common during adolescence, permanent changes occur that make adolescence a period of enhanced vulnerability to substance use. These age-specific consequences are important to recognize and consider in the treatment of substance use that was initiated during adolescence.