Drug and Substance Abuse among College Students - Essay Example

Drug and Substance Abuse among College The paper below aims at explaining the harmful effects of drug and substance abuse. It looks at the causes, consequences and effects of drugs and substance abuse. It looks at how college students are affected by this issue and on how the abuse drugs. It looks at the best ways to help reduce this practice. The paper explains more on the attitude of college students towards certain drugs and on what they should do to prevent themselves from engaging in the practice. College student is advised to take a look at it, so that they understand well what can happen to them and the whole society when the engage in drugs and substance use. Drug is any medication that is prescribed to treat an illness or modify the body from its disease at any state. Substance abuse is the use of a certain drug for reasons not specified which can be harmful to them or their colleagues. Teenagers have been reported highly to use certain drugs in their day to day lives certain drugs in their day to day lives. Some of the drugs mostly abused by students include; marijuana, cocaine, tobacco, heroin and inhalants. Alcohol is another socially abused substance. Students take it with the idea of removing stress, yet in the real sense, it does not. Some of the factors that influence students to engage in drug taking are peer pressure, whereby they are influenced by their fellow students to indulge into such actions with empty promises. Availability of the drugs also influences the student to get hold of the drug, so they try their level best to search money to buy the drugs. Even if they do not have money, some may prefer to steal so that they at least buy the drug. Other students can opt to use their school fees to buy the drugs and stay out of classes. Others involve themselves in the drugs out of curiosity and the idea that when one uses drugs, they will have a good time (O’Leary, 2004). All these drugs lead to different effects which are harmful to the person taking it, his family, the community and the whole country as a whole. As an individual, one may develop an addiction to the drug, such that, he will depend to do everything. It will lead to the person using so much money and do things not helpful to him. Class work will not be made well. It will lead to poor performance and the destruction of a person’s future. It will affect his family because handling him will be a problem, he will be using much money. His parents will be paying much school fees and yet he will not be studying. The use of drugs can lead to much crime like theft, rape cases. In general, one can turn up to be the worst individuals in the society. The school will also be affected Using drugs for a long period will lead to addiction, which can be resolved by attending a rehabilitation Centre. Some of these drugs can lead to depression, changes in the brain activity, that is, the way of thinking, loss of movement control. The long term effects might be some diseases like lung cancer, heart disease, and even death. Some of the steps that can be used to help resolve the problem include information about the drugs and their effects should be given to the students because it will help them prevent themselves in indulging in the practice. It can be done through campaigns, giving out of pamphlets to the students for them to read more about drugs. School programs should properly design such that there is time for guidance and counseling for the students. The availability of the drugs should be prohibited mostly near the schools. It can be efficiently achieved if the government issues some laws that are against drug trafficking in their countries. Parent should also take the initiative on educating their children on some issues about drugs (Colby, 2004). Frequent inspections should be made to students in order to identify any student who might be possessing drugs in the school compound. Students themselves should also take a step by not falling into temptations or peer pressure to engage in such practices. It is because change begins from the inside. Any addicted students should be taken to a rehabilitation center, so that they can get back to their normal life. Frequent campaign should be conducted to persuade the fellow students to help prevent this action. The best solution is completely to ensure that there is no drugs available in the area, such that students will not have access to them that there are no drugs available in the area, such that students will not have access to them. School work and grade will go down, hence affecting the overall performance of the school if there will be many students involved in the practice. The use of drugs in school has been an increasing behavior to the students. They smoke weed, they puff cocaine in the school compound. The school can be a harboring place for many drug crimes. It is because the students might be seen as innocents and yet they are the worst in abusing the drugs. Some of the students claim that they are grownups and should be given their freedom to do whatever they want because the decision they make will affect them only. Much counseling should be given to such students because the drugs can affect their health negatively in the long run. Most of the schools have tried to end this action with no fruits, since students still involve themselves in substance taking. Awareness should be raised in all corners of the world about the harm of these drugs. The drugs get to be worse when a person is addicted to it (Monty, 2004). Tobacco is harmful to the person taking it and to those surrounding him. The smoke on puffs out is more dangerous compared to the one who enters in the body of the smoker. Smoking zones should be created at separate zones from the public sphere where by the smokers will be confined to that area alone. The government should also create laws that prevent the trafficking of those drugs in the country. Organization should be created which support the drug initiative, such that, they will continue to create awareness to the individuals or groups about the dangers of drugs. Parents should also participate to help curb this behavior in their children. Advertisements should be put everywhere which address the issue. Schools should enact strict laws and regulations which address the problem and the punishments one can get when found with drugs in the school. Every person should be educated on the importance of not engaging themselves in drug abuse and also on its disadvantages. These actions are very important and will help to reduce the problem of drug and substance abuse. Every person should participate in the campaigns of kicking drugs out of school and in the towns. It will improve their knowledge in almost every way, such that, they will prevent themselves from engaging in such activity. In conclusion, drug and substance abuse is a very crucial topic and need to be handled with care. Organizations and every person concerned should be advice to raise awareness to all people to try by every chance not to engage in such practices. Peer pressure should be avoided among the students and much education should be given to them. The dangers of using certain drugs should be taught to student, that are harmful to the body of the individuals. The achievement of a drug free zone is the expectation of every person. So this issue should be taken with great passion for one handling it. When the students take this steps for trying to kick away the use of drugs, everything will be all right, students will be able to perform in their classes, the will create a bright future for themselves and the whole society will benefit as a whole. References Monty, M., P., Colby, M., S., and OLeary, A., T., (2004), Adolescents, Alcohol, and Substance Abuse: Reaching Teens through Brief Interventions. New York City: Guilford Press Read More