Teen drug and alcohol abuse is fast becoming a major international issue with more youths falling prey to these addictive substances. One of the major contributing factors to this high rise is the fact that illicit drugs are so easily accessible to young children nowadays. However, statistics have proven that alcohol kills more teenagers than all of the other drugs combined. The main causes of death due to alcohol consumption by teenagers and children alike include accidents, homicides and suicides and usually occur with teens in the age groups of 15-24 years.

A drug addiction statistics also reveal that an estimated 15.9 million Americans aged twelve or older were reported using illicit drugs in the month prior to the 2005 survey. In 2003, there were nearly 20,000 deaths owing directly to both illegal and legal drugs alike. Of the total, 3 percent of the victims were either 21 years of age or younger. Ecstasy, cocaine, methamphetamine and numerous other drugs are the primary drugs used by teens. Marijuana is also another major drug used the word over. In fact, it has been reported that marijuana is the highest contributor to drug addiction among young people.

Addiction news can actually be quite shocking, especially for parents of teens and youths stuck to the habit of drugs and alcohol. When a parent gets inputs on addiction news on alcohol and drugs, this is the time when they tend to panic. It is, therefore, important to be calm and give primary importance to your child. Try to understand what reasons have caused your child to depend on drugs and alcohol and also try seeking professional advice so that you can give your child due treatment.

In the United States, alcohol is used by more young people than tobacco or any other illicit drug and excessive consumption of liquor is directly associated with approximately 75,000 deaths every year. According to study, more than 23 million of 490 million people in the European Union are dependent on alcohol. Alcohol also contributes to nearly one in ten of all cases of illness and premature deaths each year in Europe alone.

Therefore, if you know of anyone suffering from alcohol or drug addiction, it is crucial that you do everything you can to help the person. Consult professional therapists or counselors for advice on what can be done. After all, with the alarming alcohol and drug addiction statistics, there will be a rise in the number of deaths in young people unless something is done.