Reasons for Adolescent Substance Use
Just like adults, adolescents use substances for a variety of reasons.
Reasons why adolescents drink and use drugs include:

To relax

To feel good

Out of curiosity

To heighten their mood

To reinforce gender identity

To feel a sense of belonging

To cope with trauma
The disinhibiting effects of many drugs may also help overcome
shyness with the opposite sex and encourage the development of
relationships.
In a 2004 report by Louise Hayes et al, it was determined that
parental influences can have a major impact on adolescent
substance use. The report concluded that:

Delaying the age of uptake of alcohol may reduce the level of
alcohol-related harm experienced by drinkers and lower the
risk of a young person becoming a harmful drinker later on.

It may help for parents to know that it is more appropriate to
introduce adolescents to alcohol in late rather that early
adolescence.

Parents need to be educated in positive methods of parenting
adolescents and be informed about high levels of risky
drinking among adolescents