Substance/drug abuse is the use of drugs that results in negative consequences, that can include family problems, problems on the job, problems in school, legal problems, financial problems, and health problems. The use of tobacco products, alcohol, illegal drugs, and some prescription drugs can cause a broad range of social, legal, financial, and health problems. Alcohol and illegal drug use are associated with child and spousal abuse, sexually transmitted diseases - including HIV infection, teen pregnancy, school failure, motor vehicle crashes, escalation of health care costs, low worker productivity and homelessness. Alcohol abuse alone is associated with motor vehicle crashes, homicides, suicides and drowning --leading causes of death among youth. Long-term heavy drinking can lead to heart disease, cancer, alcohol-related liver disease, and pancreatitis. Alcohol use during pregnancy is known to cause fetal alcohol syndrome, a leading cause of preventable mental retardation. Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Tobacco-related deaths number more than 430,000 per year among US adults, representing five million years of potential life lost. Smoking is also a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and chronic lung disease - all leading causes of death. .
Smoking during pregnancy can result in miscarriages, premature delivery and sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS. Other health effects of smoking result from injuries and environmental damage caused by fires. Environmental tobacco smoke increases the risk of heart disease and significant lung conditions, especially asthma and bronchitis in children, and is responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths each year among adult non-smokers. .
In the United States, drug and substance abuse by both teens is a serious problem that has plagued our country for many years.