Strategic Spartanburg

Tobacco and alcohol use among youth is a demonstrated indicator of risk-taking and a likely predictor of future use of other addictive substances. Smoking-related diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, are the leading cause of preventable death in the nation. Studies show that most smokers begin by age 18, so reducing tobacco use among teens is seen as an important factor in reducing adult smoking. According to research by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism adolescents who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21. The three leading causes of death for 15 to 24 year-olds are automobile accidents, homicides and suicides, and alcohol is identified as a leading causative factor in all three. Dependence on alcohol and other drugs is linked with psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, oppositional defiant disorder, and antisocial personality disorder.