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Article: Adolescents and Drug Use
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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ADOLESCENTS AND DRUG USE
As individuals pass through adolescence, they undergo many physical, cognitive, social, and emotional changes. Most learn to adapt to these changes in healthy ways. For others, turmoil, conflict, and deviant behavior lead to upheaval and disorganization as they attempt to cope. Drug use as a behavior may serve many functions in this attempt to cope, and it can have many consequences. A single episode of drug use does not necessarily lead to further use
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but several episodes may lead to ever increasing use, with abuse and dependence the result.
Use of a drug, age of first use, and reasons for use are all factors related to continued drug use. Early ...