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THE facts

Nearly everyone has been affected by the disease of addiction, either personally or by a family member or friend.

CONSIDER THESE FACTS:

• 80% of High Schoolers, 44% of Middle Schoolers see Drugs Used, Kept, Sold, Classmates Drunk, High on school grounds.
  source: National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XII: Teens and Parents 12th annual back to school survey conducted by CASA at Columbia University
• Nearly one in five (19 percent or 4.5 million) teens has tried prescription medication (pain relievers such as Vicodin and OxyContin; stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall) to get high.
  source: 2005 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS)
• The average age of first use of alcohol is 11 years.
• The average brain does not fully develop until the age of 24. Early onset of drug and alcohol use can affect the developing brain.
• Adolescents can become addicted to alcohol in only 6-18 months; for adults this usually takes 5-15 years.
• Of the children who first use alcohol or other substances at the age of 11, 65% are later classified with an addiction.
• Of children who use alcohol or other substances before the age of 15, 40% are later classified with and addiction.
• Of those who use alcohol or other substances after age 21, 10% will develop an addiction

• Children rarely try cocaine, heroin or any other "hard" drugs without first using alcohol, tobacco and/or marijuana.
• The drug teens are most likely to use and abuse is alcohol.
• Students who report experiencing alcohol and other drug use are twice as likely to instigate physical fights, and have trouble concentrating.
• Marijuana use can lead to a host of significant health, social learning and behavior problems, it impairs judgment leading to risky decision making.
• Research shows that Marijuana can lead to addiction; each year more kids enter treatment for Marijuana addiction than all other drugs combined.
• In the state of Florida more than 22 people die from drug related deaths each day.
• The Single leading cause of death among young people is driving under the influence.
• The second leading cause of death among young people is suicide. In 60% of suicide deaths, drugs are present.
• The illegal abuse of legal prescription drugs accounts for the fastest growing cause of overdose deaths.

Sources: Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University; 2005 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, Partnership for a Drug Free America; Office of National Drug Control Policy; Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, 2004; Florida youth Substance Abuse Survey 2006; 2006 Florida MEC Report; Dangerous Drugs, Carol Falkowski