Right to health of adolescents 2016, para. 96

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Paragraph text: Outside of high-income countries, data relating to adolescent substance use and related health harms are poor. Important differences exist among and within countries, between adolescents and their older counterparts and among groups of adolescents. For example, heavy episodic or binge use, especally of alcohol, is more common among young people. Adolescents' access to services is limited in comparison to adults, for example, being under the legal age of majority can block adolescents from accessing certain services. Those identified at greatest risk of drug-related harms are those who are street-involved, excluded from school, have histories of trauma, family breakdown or abuse, and those living in families coping with drug dependence. Adolescent girls are at a higher risk of certain kinds of harm than boys, including HIV infection due to both sexual transmission and unsafe injecting practices. These factors demand concerted efforts to gather appropriately disaggregated data to better understand patterns of vulnerability so that services can be targeted and properly budgeted.

Body: Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

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Person(s) affected