Real Teens Ask: How Old Are Kids Who Start Using Drugs?
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Lots of teens have questions about drugs. Each year, NIDA scientists spend a day chatting online with high school students and answering their questions.
At the last Drug Facts Chat Day, soccerstar0 asked:
“On average how old are kids who start using drugs?”
Research shows that drug use often starts in the teen years. You might have heard that, but here’s something you may not know—the science shows that the younger you are when you start using drugs, the more likely you are to get addicted later on. Doing drugs can also cause problems with friends, in sports, and in school.
Let’s face it—when someone tells us not to do something, that sometimes makes it seem more exciting. But drugs can really do some not-so-exciting things to your body. NIDA researchers discovered that drugs can literally change the way your brain works. And since your own brain won’t finish growing until you’re 25, you probably don’t want to mess with that process by doing drugs.
Im 13 [deleted, per guidelines] and im a good friendly fun chill person!
My neighbors take drugs and they smoke it at the park with other kids cALLED “pot heads” It is tearing their mom and dad apart as well as ruining their little brother and big sister’s life.They steal thier stuff video games and bikes as well as small appliances for drug money. I just wanted to share that to show others what can happen.
i am doing a report and i need to know whydo kids do drugs
My 5 year old son looks up to my brother who is 19. I found out that my brother stole $700.00 from my son’s biggie bank one day. It took my son a few years to save that money. He’s dad use to take time counting the money with our son and used that time to bond with him and also as a teaching experience. When my son found out that the money was gone, he literately fell on his knees and started to cry. I will never forget this moment! I never told my son that it was my brother who took the money but I will definitely tell him when he starts high school which is a time that drugs will be a popular topic.
@pwms~crazy There is no simple answer to your question, but you are in the right place to research the topic! Several posts here address that question. For starters, why don’t you check out the following: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/so-why-do-people-like-drugs/ and http://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/real-teens-ask-drugs/. You may also want to read Drugs, Brains, & Behavior – The Science of Addiction. Good luck on your report!
thanks you for the information that relly help
tkz 4 the 411 more children need to be more educated on drug abuse and the dangers of drugs like the most common 1……..methanphetamine.some kids do drugs & dont kno it like pop rocks. so, keep up the great work.
Q: has weed ever killed someone
A:no it has not.
just try to prove me wrong
i believe tht doing drugs is wrong and if your 12 you should know better than tht!!!
im doing a report on my teens do drugs and the stuff that the tell me is reall dissapointing
where are people most likely to stat using drugs
@Ricksta That’s a good question – without a good answer. It depends on the person – most people are introduced to drugs by people they know. The “where” could be a party, a friend’s house, or just about anywhere people hang out.