" (ibid) Another indication of the seriousness of the problem among African Americans is the high number of African Americans who seek help for cocaine addiction in numbers which are "greatly disproportionate to their population". (ibid) Studies attest to this disproportionate situation. For example in the King County area, in the first half of 2004, 33 percent of those admitted for cocaine-involved treatment were Black; while the county is 5 percent African American. (ibid) .

             General health reports also indicate that cocaine as well as alcohol abuse among adolescents in the United States is substantial and alarmingly high. This problem is also accompanied by the fact that drug users are also prone to other health problems and issues which can exacerbate the drug problem. "Substance-abusing teens smoke at higher rates than do those of the general adolescent population, and these adolescents are at increased risk for negative health consequences." (Mainous, Martin, Oler, Richardson & Haney, 1996. p.807) .

             Other factors such as suicide are also strongly related to drug abuse and addiction among teenagers. (ibid) Researchers are of the opinion that the central issues in dealing with and treating drug abuse among the youth in all racial groups, lies in understanding the causes and determinants of this behavior." Consequently, researchers and health professionals continue to search for correlates and determinants of adolescent substance use." (ibid) .

             Public health reports also state that drug abuse and addition among African American youth is a serious issue and is related to a variety of factors and symptoms. There is a general agreement among many researchers that African American adolescents are at greater risk for certain drug-related conditions than European Americans. .

             Alcohol- and drug-dependent African Americans are at greater risk than European Americans for certain alcohol- and drug-related conditions including personal injury and death, (1-3) liver cirrhosis, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C, domestic violence, (4-7) HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, (8) and co-morbid psychiatric disorders.