Caffeine may be the most commonly used drug in the world, but it is not one that requires outside intervention in most cases. Many people who once swore that they would never abuse drugs or alcohol can become addicted merely by trying a drug a friend offers at a party. It can even happen without the person realizing he’s been given a narcotic or a hallucinogenic drug.

It is true that genetics can make a person more likely to succumb drug or alcohol addiction, but the easiest way to avoid becoming dependent on a substance that the body does not normally need to sustain for life it to avoid it in the first place.

The OAS web site that has tables that break down the likelihood of alcohol abuse by state and further breaks the category by age groups. It may seem strange that the earliest age they use on their table it twelve, but people of any age group can develop alcohol and drug abuse problems, with the highest statistics occurring in the over 26 age group on their tables.

The chart would suggest that people over 26 years of age are more likely to be alcoholics, but alcoholism develops over a number of years and is not tied to any specific age group. OAS starting its chart at the age of twelve, as strange as it may seem, should let everyone know that the problem of alcohol and substance abuse crosses age barriers. Even the state a person lives in can affect whether or not an individual is more likely to develop an alcohol or substance abuse problem.

Anyone can develop a drug and alcohol abuse problem, but the good news is that there are many resources and programs available for those who need help in overcoming one when it arises in their lives.