When we look at statistics on addiction, one might assume that these refer to adults only. However, addiction statistics in the United States focus on all people who are at least 12 years old.
The reason for tracking illicit drug and alcohol use starting at age 12 is because tweens and teens often start with one type of substance before moving on to another. These “gateway” substances can help in developing effective treatment programs and identifying potential gateway behaviors long before the person is addicted or develops a substance abuse problem.
For example, most tweens and teens tend to start with tobacco or marijuana and often want to try alcohol. This initial experimentation could potentially lead them to want to try other types of drugs like hallucinogen, cocaine, inhalants, and methamphetamine.
To check out the statistics on addiction as of 2017 and learn other interesting facts about addiction, we encourage you to continue reviewing the following infographic. If a loved one or you are struggling with addiction and are ready to start your journey on the path to recovery, remember that help is available from BriteLife Recovery.
We offer various programs that are tailored to the individual needs of the person, including addressing co-occurring conditions. To learn more about our treatment programs or how to enroll, please feel free to contact us at 888-224-7424 to speak with us today!
