Teen Alcoholism and Drug Use Linked to Smoking

by Mamata Mohanty    March 17, 2009

A research paper showed that teenagers who smoke are five times more likely to drink and 13 times more likely to use marijuana than those who do not smoke.   The report by Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse presented further evidence linking youth smoking to other substance abuse and spotlighted research on how nicotine affects the adolescent brain.Teenage smoking is not only linked to alcohol or dugs but also may be a cause of mental illness like depression and anxiety.   Smokers ages 12 to 17 are more likely drink alcohol than nonsmokers -- 59 percent compared to 11 percent, the report found. Those who become regular smokers by age 12 are more than three times more likely to report binge drinking than those who never smoked -- 31 percent compared to 9 percent. Marijuana is the most used drugs among the teenagers,most of whom are smokers. The report cited scientific studies showing the nicotine in tobacco products can produce structural and chemical changes in the developing brain that make young people vulnerable to alcohol and other drug addiction and mental illness. Parents and teachers should spread the evil effect of smoking among the teenagers and should keep a constant vigil on their bad company.

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