Significant neurological changes take place during adolescence, a time of transition from childhood to maturity. Experiencing trauma at this time of development might be particularly taxing on the nervous system because of how fragile it is. Substance addiction, especially the use of alcohol and psychostimulants, is something that many teenagers go through.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is the United States government’s primary activity for cancer research, defines drug abuse as “The use of illegal drugs or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are meant to be used, or in excessive amounts.”. Further, the agency adds “Drug abuse may lead to social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems ^[1].”