Drug abuse impacts the individual, family, and community.
Everybody knows someone who is affected by drug abuse.
Individual:
Adolescence: This is a time period of high vulnerability to drug abuse and other risk taking behaviors.
Mental Illness: People with mental illness are particularly at risk for problems related to substance abuse.
Consequences of Substance Abuse: These can include illness, injuries, and death. Each year approximately 40 million debilitating illnesses or injuries occur among Americans as the result of their use of tobacco, alcohol, or another addictive drug.7&15
Deaths: In 2000, approximately 460,000 deaths were attributable to illicit drug abuse and smoking.16