Age of Substance Use Initiation Among Treatment Admissions Aged 18 to 30

A report from SAMHSA indicates that the risk of developing drug dependence or abuse is greater for individuals who start using substances during adolescence, compared with those who start during adulthood. The report, which draws from a national data system of annual admissions to substance abuse treatment facilities, also shows that people who start using substances at a young age are at greater risk of needing treatment later and are more likely to be using more than one substance when they are admitted for treatment.