Lots of teens have questions about drugs. Each year, NIDA
scientists spend a day chatting online with high school students
and answering their questions. At the last Drug Facts Chat Day,
soccerstar0 asked: “On average how old are kids who start using
drugs?” Research shows that drug use often starts in the teen
years. You might have heard that, but here’s something you may
not know—the science shows that the younger you are when you
start using drugs, the more likely you are to get addicted later
on. Doing drugs can also cause problems with friends, in sports,
and in school. Let’s face it—when someone tells us not to do
something, that sometimes makes it seem more exciting. But drugs
can really do some not-so-exciting things to your body. NIDA
researchers discovered that drugs can literally change the way
your brain works. And since your own brain won’t finish growing
until you’re 25, you probably don’t want to mess with that
process by doing drugs.