Adolescent Substance Abuse Adolescent substance abuse continues to be an epidemic in American society, crossing geographic, economic, gender, racial, and ethnic boundaries. Furthermore, more than a decade of prevention efforts at the national, state, and local levels have been minimally effective. It is a serious problem that continues to escape our control. Nearly 9 in 10 high school students in America report having experimented with alcohol. Within this group, 3 in 10 report alcohol abuse (defined as consuming five or more consecutive drinks at least once in the past two weeks). Three out of four teenagers report drinking regularly, and more than 100,000 children aged 10 to 11 report getting drunk once a week. Between 2 and 6 percent of adolescents are problem drinkers, 8 to 13 percent have an alcohol abuse problem, and 6 to 9 percent have other drug abuse problems. 50% of all adolescents admitted to psychiatric wards admit to moderate to heavy substance abuse. National research reports alarmingly point to both marijuana and stimulants, LSD, inhalants, and ci...... middle of paper...... in need of treatment. This combination of use and abuse, peer group indifference, and lack of traditional inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation facilities for adolescents is significant. It is important to examine patterns of use and abuse, risk factors, treatment issues, and generate effective treatment and prevention strategies for this population. They are sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, neighbors. They will be parents of the next generation, decide issues of war and peace and be the link with future generations. You have to pay attention.