Introduction: Adolescents with substance abuse is a comprehensive subject area within social work, this group of adolescents are a vulnerable group with widely different needs and conditions. The substance abuse amongst adolescents can cause serious consequences in the shape of mental illness, failures at school and/or social problems. Mental illness, failures at school and difficulties during childhood such as family and relationship problems are the most central risk factors for young people to develop an addiction. Aim: The purpose of this study is to analyze why young people in Sweden develop an addiction and what the consequences the addiction might lead to. Method: This is a literature study that includes various scientific articles that concern the subject area of young people with substance abuse. Results: The results show that there is no single variable that causes an adolescent to develop substance abuse, but that the combination of different factors can affect the development of the problem. The three key variables for development of substance abuse are family problems, school problems and mental illness. These three variables prove to be not only risk factors for developing a substance abuse but are also consequences of the substance abuse itself. Conclusion: In summary, it is the combination of different risk factors that leads to an adolescent developing a substance abuse and that these complex risk factors also are consequences of the problem itself.