Teenage substance abuse is the use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs when still a teenager. According to Joseph A. Califano Jr., the President Chairman of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, or CASA, "The road to a drug free America is through our children" (Raphel 1). This quote from Califano suggests that to eliminate the general substance abuse in America, it starts by teaching children at a young age what is wrong and what is right. Parents may have a positive, or a negative effect on their children. Substance abuse from parents can make an impact on children, substance abuse wise. According to the Institute of Addictions at the University of Buffalo, children of parents with alcohol problems are at greater risk for substance abuse (Lessard and Colder). This reference suggests that parents have a large impact on children, one way or another, and odds are that if you're the child of someone that abuses substances, you'll fall victim to the same bad habits they did. To conclude, substance abuse in teens can be traced back to the life provided by their family, whether that is nature or …show more content…
One type of treatment available, of course is rehabilitation centers. There are different types of therapy, such as residential, which is three to six weeks, and therapeutic communities, were one would stay for six to twelve months ("Teen Substance"). This suggests that no matter the extent of your condition, there will always be treatment that will fit your situation and help you get better. Treatments are not all about mental strength, there is medication to help with withdrawal. Medication therapy is used to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal ("Teen Substance"). This is significant because in the recovering process, there is medication to help you not relapse and lose all of your progress. Addiction is a process that can relate to other situations. Bob Love, a former professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls, suffered career-ending injury involving his back. Love had a stuttering problem that had troubled him all of his life. Love later persisted in demolishing this problem, and went on to become a motivational speaker ("Gateway Foundation 1). This is significant because a situation like this could be applied to substance abuse problems. Love strived and with ambition reached his goal. To conclude, with the right attitude along with the right treatment, teens, along with people of all ages, can overcome substance abuse