Substance use is when you take or ingest any substance, such as alcohol or drugs. Substance abuse is when you take or ingest more than what is recommended of a substance. For teenagers, it is recommended to avoid all substances because your brain is not fully developed.

However, many teens experiment with different substances like vaping, weed, tobacco, and alcohol. Some teenagers may even consider "hard drugs" such as cocaine, meth, or opioids.

Regardless of the substance, if it's not prescribed by a doctor and taken as prescribed, experimenting with substances can have negative effects.