Native Americans and Alaska Natives have significantly very high rates of alcohol and drug abuse and alcohol and drug addiction than other ethnicities, an an issue which has to be resolved for these cultures to endure. While the causes may vary from person to person, most of the factors for the higher rates of alcohol and drug abuse amongst Native American and Alaska Natives related to their culture. In fact, Native American and Alaska Native adolescents appear to have some of the highest rates of alcohol and drug abuse in the country. The most obvious barriers to treating Native Americans and Alaska Natives for addiction are cultural challenges and their language. For this reason it is crucial that Native Americans and Alaska Natives in St. Marys, Alaska obtain rehab treatment in a drug treatment program that is culturally acceptable, but more importantly in a drug rehab program that understand the need to provide alcohol and drug rehab in their native tongue.