Drugs and adolescents - Essay Example

The environment where the discussion occurs is calm, quiet and discrete enough to facilitate a fruitful and engaging interview. Drug abuse generally refers to the use of illegal drugs or misuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs with negative consequences (Conner, Bradley, Gerhard, Terry, and Ernest, 178). Our interview however does not dwell on the aspect of drug abuse that pertains to poor dosage from medical prescription and prescriptive drugs, but instead focuses on this use of drugs for such purposes as pleasure and fun among adolescents.

From the onset, the impression I get from my interviewee is that adolescents get entangled in drug abuse for varied reasons, as are their perceptions of the act. A section of adolescents considers drugs abuse safe, depending on how much you consume and how you can handle yourself during and after consumption, others do not see any harm in having a good time anywhere, anyhow and anytime, while others consider drug abuse injurious to one’s wellbeing and long-term health. Some of the most commonly abused drugs amongst adolescents are valium, cocaine, crystal meth, glue, vapors, heroin, marijuana, tobacco, ether, steroids and alcohol.

Students who abuse these drugs often obtain them from friends, fellow students who abuse and /or peddle the drugs or from the streets. Drug abuse among the youth and adolescents is common in un-parented parties and raves, with rates of consumption highest in the evenings and the morning after to lift off the hangovers (Conner, Bradley, Gerhard, Terry, and Ernest, 180). Some adolescents try drugs out of sheer curiosity. “These are the ones who have for instance, heard stories of fabulous experiences that are often associated with drug abuse from friends and acquaintances and so they crave to get a feel of it,” he adds.

Others are not so much influenced by curiosity but by their peers who urge them to take a sip which after all will not kill. Eventually, the initiates are