Substance Abuse, A Public Health Challenge: Study From Jizan City, Saudi Arabia

Substance abuse is one of the epidemic diseases, the effects of which are not limited to the individual but extend to his or her family and society at large. It is a critical issue in most societies and is associated with social and economic consequences. Drug-related problems cause huge waste of resources, both human and financial. There is a substantial risk for initiating substance use during adolescence as it is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development. Adolescents are cognitively immature and vulnerable to social influences, thus experimentation with addictive substances often begins in this age. Several studies in adolescent population have reported positive association between knowledge about substance abuse and their attitudes toward substances. [1]