Who Is at Risk of an Addiction?

Although with regular use of certain drugs or alcohol anyone risks addiction, some people may have a genetic or environmental predisposition towards the disease. People who may be at greater risk of developing an addiction include:

• People who start using drugs or alcohol at a younger age - People who start drinking before the age of 15 are 5 times more likely to develop an addiction to alcohol than people who wait until the age of 21 to start drinking. ¹

• People with a close genetic relative who’ve had a drug or alcohol addiction (doctors think that genetics play a 40% to 60% role in the development of addiction) ²

• People with mental illness (people with mood disorders are about twice as likely to have a drug abuse disorder) ³

• People immersed in environments that promote or model drug use or heavy alcohol use as normal behaviors – or in areas with easy drug or alcohol availability

• People who have been a victim of abuse, whether emotional, physical or sexual

• People who feel socially excluded or discriminated against because of gender, race or sexual orientation

• People who use highly addictive drugs, such as heroin, OxyContin, cocaine or methamphetamine are at a greater risk of developing an addiction than people who use less addictive drugs like marijuana