The adolescent and illegal drugs

Abstract

It is clear that risks to adolescent's health can never be reduced to zero, however, an increase in illegal drug consumption has been occurring in the last decades while the pro-consumption culture increases in society. One out of every 14 to 18 year old adolescents use cannabis, 3% use cocaine and about 1%-2% use synthetic drugs. Even though these are values of concern, the low perception of risk they have and the banalization of the problem are even more so. Prevention must be performed through the family that should exert shared and responsible affective authority, Education for Health in the school, medical office and through the best communication media (Internet is very interesting for this age group) should be improved urgently, since illegal substance consumption is a public health problem that pediatricians should become involved in. Early detection of consumers in the classical and adolescent medical visits, the latter being preferred due to their characteristics, is necessary.