When parents' or care givers' use or abuse alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, it significantly increases childrens chances of using, using early, and being dependent on the substance.
Parents who involve youth in their own use or misuse of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs also increase the youth's chances of using earlier than other children. Such involvement may include giving the youth a "sip," of a drink or beer or asking the youth to get a beer or light a cigarette.
The parent's attitude and parental permissiveness toward the youth's use is a key factor in teenage drug use, as much as or more so than peer pressure.
One 1993 study conducted by the Johnson Institute in Minneapolis found that when school-age youth are allowed to drink at home, they not only are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs outside the home, but also are more likely to develop serious behavioral and health problems related to substance abuse. 
Here is a selection of teen drug addiction articles from around the internet:
Sue Scheff: Help Prevent Teen Drug Addiction
Discover The Causes Of Teenage Drug Addiction Posted By : Jessica …
May 20, 2008 Drug addiction News
Is Your Recovery Bullet-Proof? At The Recovery Club, we address the undlerlying issues of addiction. I invite you to claim your free mini-course"5 Avoidable Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Recovery"
Click On: The Recovery Club
2 responses so far ↓
1 deepani // Jul 26, 2008 at
Parents who give up alcohol are good.They can guide their teenagers to give up it.
2 Meredith // Aug 26, 2008 at
I do not personally have addiction problems, but my beautiful, wonderful daughter became a heroin addict and alcoholic. She has been in jail twice for DUI and was down in the worst slums in Atlanta buying heroin off the street. Her whole life was one of achievement and joy … until she went to college and started dating a boy who is nice enough but from a very unfortunate background. The two of them seem to bring out the worst in each other. A comment on this site truly hits home with me: "Really grasp that there is nothing you can do about other peoples' actions, you can only control your own. " It has taken me years to grasp that since I've done everything I know how to do to help. She SAYS she's off the drugs now and has cut way down on the alcohol, but after years of hell my trust in her is shaky, to say the least. I really wish everyone well who is on this site and wish I had found you years ago. God bless.
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