Teenage Drug Abuse
A Growing Epidemic
Teens more likely to become drug-addicted than adults.
Most drug-addicted teens will not see a problem with their behavior. Drugs make them feel "wondrous" and are a way to relieve the stress of school, problems at home, disagreements with friends, and other pressures of growing up. Teens can become addicted to substances more quickly than adults according to a study from Yale University. Many people do not realize that teens can obtain drugs very easily, whether it is alcohol from their parent's cabinet or drugs from a drug dealer down the street. In 2000, it was estimated that 54% of American youth tried an illicit drug before they finished high school. More than 50% of 9th graders and two-thirds of 12th graders used alcohol and other drugs in 1998, with alcohol being the drug of choice, followed by marijuana, amphetamines, and illegally obtained prescription drugs. 10th graders report having consumed alcohol and greater than 40% report having used marijuana in 2001 according to a study from Hibell. Drug abuse is a growing dilemma in our nation. Not only does drug abuse affect the United States, it affects teens in many countries as well.
As many as 65 to 75 percent of substance abusers are between the ages of 12 and 29. Furthermore, 33 percent of teenagers experience problems stemming from substance abuse. Consequences for teens who abuse alcohol and other drugs have the increase likelihood of becoming involved with crime, delinquency, and truancy. Also, the abusers have a greater probability of engaging in unprotected sexual activity, experiencing problems at school, and evidencing psychological distress and depression. Other situations can happen such as driving while on drugs, using dirty needles, arrests for disorderly conduct, or stealing to support a drug habit.
People who abuse drugs not only affect their life, but the people close to them. Their family or friends get so worried, that they would do anything just to get the person out of being addicted. They just don’t realize it because they focus only on themselves and not others.
J.P. a freshman at South East High School started smoking marijuana five months ago. Nobody got him into it, he just wanted to try it out for himself. In his first experience J.P. said, "I didn’t feel weird, the weed never hit me, but I got the munchies after." He usually smokes every weekend with his friends in an alley next to his house. He said, "I get the weed from a friend’s friend." J.P. has not been caught by anyone because he says he is "Low Key" about it. J.P. plans to stop later in the future because he said “I can stop whenever I want”, but he does not feel like it right now. So as you can see, teens always say they can stop when they want to. They can say the next day, and the next day turns to the next week, and etc. They cannot see the problem they truly have.
The primary motivation of the teenage brain is to seek pleasure, a thrill, and a rush. Many illicit drugs raise the level of dopamine in the brain producing euphoria which is a feeling of happiness, confidence, or well-being sometimes exaggerated. At the same time, serotonin, the brain’s naturally occurring mood stabilizer, is at its lowest level during the teenage years. Low levels of serotonin causes young people to act impulsively and engage in risky behaviors.
Many teens want to be accepted in high school. They try to get accepted by doing illegal drugs. Peer pressure can also happen when teens choose not to do drugs. It's a problem that can be found in many schools across the nation. If this problem is not solved, then it will escalate into a growing epidemic.
A Growing Epidemic
Teens more likely to become drug-addicted than adults.
Most drug-addicted teens will not see a problem with their behavior. Drugs make them feel "wondrous" and are a way to relieve the stress of school, problems at home, disagreements with friends, and other pressures of growing up. Teens can become addicted to substances more quickly than adults according to a study from Yale University. Many people do not realize that teens can obtain drugs very easily, whether it is alcohol from their parent's cabinet or drugs from a drug dealer down the street. In 2000, it was estimated that 54% of American youth tried an illicit drug before they finished high school. More than 50% of 9th graders and two-thirds of 12th graders used alcohol and other drugs in 1998, with alcohol being the drug of choice, followed by marijuana, amphetamines, and illegally obtained prescription drugs. 10th graders report having consumed alcohol and greater than 40% report having used marijuana in 2001 according to a study from Hibell. Drug abuse is a growing dilemma in our nation. Not only does drug abuse affect the United States, it affects teens in many countries as well.
As many as 65 to 75 percent of substance abusers are between the ages of 12 and 29. Furthermore, 33 percent of teenagers experience problems stemming from substance abuse. Consequences for teens who abuse alcohol and other drugs have the increase likelihood of becoming involved with crime, delinquency, and truancy. Also, the abusers have a greater probability of engaging in unprotected sexual activity, experiencing problems at school, and evidencing psychological distress and depression. Other situations can happen such as driving while on drugs, using dirty needles, arrests for disorderly conduct, or stealing to support a drug habit.
People who abuse drugs not only affect their life, but the people close to them. Their family or friends get so worried, that they would do anything just to get the person out of being addicted. They just don’t realize it because they focus only on themselves and not others.
J.P. a freshman at South East High School started smoking marijuana five months ago. Nobody got him into it, he just wanted to try it out for himself. In his first experience J.P. said, "I didn’t feel weird, the weed never hit me, but I got the munchies after." He usually smokes every weekend with his friends in an alley next to his house. He said, "I get the weed from a friend’s friend." J.P. has not been caught by anyone because he says he is "Low Key" about it. J.P. plans to stop later in the future because he said “I can stop whenever I want”, but he does not feel like it right now. So as you can see, teens always say they can stop when they want to. They can say the next day, and the next day turns to the next week, and etc. They cannot see the problem they truly have.
The primary motivation of the teenage brain is to seek pleasure, a thrill, and a rush. Many illicit drugs raise the level of dopamine in the brain producing euphoria which is a feeling of happiness, confidence, or well-being sometimes exaggerated. At the same time, serotonin, the brain’s naturally occurring mood stabilizer, is at its lowest level during the teenage years. Low levels of serotonin causes young people to act impulsively and engage in risky behaviors.
Many teens want to be accepted in high school. They try to get accepted by doing illegal drugs. Peer pressure can also happen when teens choose not to do drugs. It's a problem that can be found in many schools across the nation. If this problem is not solved, then it will escalate into a growing epidemic.
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