Adolescent substance use increases the risk of experiencing greater dependence severity and morbidity across both male and female groups [43]. According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted in the United States, 9.3% of youths aged 12 to 17 were currently using some sort of illicit drug (not including marijuana, hallucinogens, or inhalants) in the past month [44]. Earlier onset of substance use may confer neurobiological complications on the rapidly developing brain, and further research is needed to determine the effects of early opioid use on the likelihood of later use in life [8, 43].
