The increase in alcohol and drug use by teenage girls is not just a problem for the United States, it is a national multicultural problem. Separating by race, Native American adolescents reported the highest level of drug use, with nearly 48% reporting substance use in the past year. This group is followed by 39% of White teens, nearly 37% of Hispanics, 36% of multiracial teens, 32% of Blacks, and nearly 24% of Asians. “There is certainly still a myth out there that black children are more likely to have drug problems than white children, and this documents as clearly as any study that we are aware of that the rate of drug-related disorders among African American youth is significantly lower,” (Dan Blazer of the Duke Department of Psychiatry, a senior author of the study, told the Raleigh News & Observer). Teens reported using marijuana more than any other drug, with 13% of respondents reporting marijuana use in the past year, followed by 7% reporting using prescription painkillers (drug use and teen drinking is lowest among blacks and Asians). Lack of cultural competence is identified as a serious gap, as insensitivity to cultural differences can limit the ability to treat and retain minority adolescents, the researchers write in their report. Taken together, these findings call for efforts to identify and expand prevention, assessment, and treatment measures that are culturally effective and address the quality and acceptability of treatment for adolescents with substance use problems. A separate report released in June supported previous research that early substance use affects the likelihood of abuse in adulthood. The study... half of the document... consideration, such as your age, family lifestyle, religious beliefs, socio-economic and cultural differences, in conducting our assessment. Making a young girl feel the need to use substances as a response to life is a difficult challenge. To move forward with help, the adolescent must have a desire to move away from the drug atmosphere. The implementation of the necessary measures also begins with the family, their cooperation and willingness to do what they can is another key to the recovery process. The adolescent and his family working with social care are crucial to the social worker using all available resources to start them on the path to recovery. Works Cited Meyers, R. J. & Smith, J. E. (1995). Clinical guide to alcohol treatment: The community reinforcement approach. New York: The Guilford Press.