Drug Control and Experimentation with Drugs - Essay Example

Drug Control The most current and most successful campaigns combine alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana only and not other kinds of drugs and focus on a new slogan – “Be Under Your Own Influence” rather than the old “Just Say No” program of the 80s. This new approach typically seeks to bring to mind examples of persons who have used alcohol or soft drugs but experience no obvious problems and emphasize the need for collective resistance to hard drugs that alter ones state of mind and the real-life effects. But even in these new types of programs, the harmful status of marijuana continues to be diminished as it is becomes more commonly recognized among both youths and their parents that marijuana poses at most the no more of physical, psychological and social threat as hard drugs. However, harder drugs such as methamphetamines and cocaine are a different issue and should be viewed as such. All available resources should be used to keep these drugs out of the hands of teenagers, the most vulnerable group because they are easily influenced and suffer a greater potential for lifelong damage. Perhaps a more reasonable approach such as the decimalization of the soft drug marijuana and tighter controls on more dangerous substances should be considered. The teenage years are the time period when people transition from naive children to socially knowledgeable adults. During this part of life, most persons have feelings of insecurity because they are developing at a swift pace both physically and psychologically. A teens need to belong within a group is powerful during this period and, along with the fact that they do not yet have the decision-making judgment of adults, often leads to bad choices including choosing to use hard drugs. Teenagers are naturally inquisitive, one of the justifications given for this age group experimenting with drugs. They also are inclined to become bored easily and experience recurrent emotional highs and lows, all probable factors in teenage drug use. Hard drug use increases the chance that teenagers will contract a social disease, become pregnant, perform inadequately in school and attempt suicide as this paper will examine. Adolescents are in a more vulnerable life circumstance than are adults because teens are still developing in every facet of their lives. Regrettably, it is this same group that has the most access to drugs as schools have become prolific illegal drug stores. Statistics collected by the National Institute on Drug Abuse demonstrate that schoolchildren have easy access to drugs and alcohol. “The average age of first alcohol use is 12 and the average age of first drug use is 13. Almost two-thirds of all American young people try illicit drugs before they finish high school” (Anderson, 1996) The relationship between hard drug use among teens and an increased occurrence of sexual activity is a broadly accepted reality by both researchers and the general public. Many studies have time and again demonstrated an association between unsafe sexual behavior and drug use by teenagers. Drug users are more prone to take risks than do teens that don’t use drugs. This may be an obvious assertion but a tendency to take unnecessary chances with their health combined with a lowering of inhibitions while on drugs and the inherent need of all teens to feel accepted by their peer group leads to increased sexual activity. This problematic circumstance also enhances the chance of teens having multiple sexual partners, having sex at an earlier age and decreases the odds that they will utilize contraception than those that do not use marijuana. “Teens 15 and older who use drugs are five times more likely to have sex than are those teens who do not use drugs and teens who have used drugs are four times more likely to have been pregnant or to have gotten someone pregnant than teens who have never” (The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 1997). Teenagers are more emotionally unstable younger children and adults which explains the higher suicide rate among that age group. A study involving teenagers found that of those who attempted suicide, illegal drug abuse was the most often shared aspect of their lives. Of the teens that committed suicide, 70 per cent were regular users of illegal drugs and/or alcohol. However, this study and current research reveal that drug use alone may not instigate suicide just that drug use and teen suicide is statically related. Teens that experience emotional troubles to a higher degree than their classmates have an even greater likelihood of considering suicide and to use illegal drugs. Additionally drugs could magnify a pre-existing emotional condition and “may impair the judgment of teens considering suicide, making suicide attempts more likely” (Shaffer et al, 1996). The majority and probably all countries of the world face the steady trafficking of illegal drugs across their borders. Countries are increasingly realizing that the illegal importation of drugs, a criminal act, generally involves people of foreign origin, is ultimately more harmful to society than is the use of drugs which is detrimental enough itself. The governments of countries can offer several solutions to the illegal drug use problem but these entities alone cannot battle the social despair caused by drug abuse. It has been demonstrated and widely recognized that the family unit plays a crucial role in determining the behaviors, attitudes and values of teenagers. However, peer influence is as powerful as it is universal and is often more compelling for teens than their family’s influence. Drug use among teens is more likely to be peer-pressure connected than any other. Alcohol comes in second. ” (Kandel, 1972). Unsurprisingly, studies have discovered that the rate of drug use raises among those teens whose friends or parents use the drug. Other studies demonstrate that those teens that come from families with inadequate parental supervision are more likely to use illegal drugs. In these tragic but all too common cases peer pressure has a somewhat smaller degree of influence. “Parents exercising traditional family roles may be able to limit the influence of peer groups on children’s attitudes towards drug use and therefore have a crucial influence on children’s behavior (Blum, 1972). Research provides ample evidence to show that drug users are more likely to commit crimes than nonusers. Studies also confirm that those who are arrested are usually under the influence of an illegal drug when they committed their crime. In addition, the trade of drugs generates violence. However, this research is vague and ill-defined therefore its conclusions are misleading. To credibly explain the characteristics and extent to which influences drugs have on teenager’s propensity for crime requires that reliable information about the offender and offense is known and that definitions are consistent. However, because of problematical and inconsistent data, it is unfeasible to access quantitatively to what extent that drugs promote the incidence of crime. The relationship between alcohol and violence, according to a range of studies, typifies a correlation that is confused by other dynamics such as personality characteristics and socio-demographics of the individual. Comparable analysis of marijuana use and its associated criminal behavior finds that people who used marijuana were more likely to simultaneously engage in non-violent delinquency than those who did not use the drug. However, “prior marijuana use did not increase the risk of later violent or non-violent delinquency.” (Derzon, 1999) Context is everything. Upon studying the degree of association between drug use and crime it must be considered that only a small number of individuals (five percent of the population) are heavy drug users or criminal offenders. Decades of continuing evidence has shown that the trafficking of illegal drugs is a more crucial social issue than drug use and the solution to drugs stain on society is legalization. Prohibition is the cause of criminal activity much the same as in the era of alcohol prohibition. Although marijuana is not considered as harmful and is not as addictive as harder types of illegal drugs, the market for marijuana is an unknown aspect. The increase of cannabis popularity and subsequent increase in its price may produce additional incidents of violence related to trafficking of the drug. Economically motivated crimes of many descriptions will most probably occur because of higher prices increasingly for higher-quality varieties of marijuana. The rate of illegal drug use among teenagers for recreational, social, and experimental reasons is widespread and continues to rise. Most all countries have drug trafficking, use and abuse problems to various extents and most have passed strict laws regarding the importation, consumption and distribution of hard drugs but have loosened the laws regarding soft drug use. The adverse emotional, psychological, physical and mental condition caused by drug abuse is a sometimes hidden yet awful burden to the overall health of a society and the wealth of countries. Drug abuse damages the very structure of society including disrupting families, business relationships and the life of the person using drugs. All addictive substance such as alcohol, cocaine, tobacco, opiates and inhalants (paint, glue, etc,) “alter the function of the human brain and have an impact on behavior; they are widely used throughout the world; and they burden society by increasing social and economic costs for productive enterprises and by drawing upon limited government services” (Frischer et al, 1994: 4). Teenagers who use hard drugs and alcohol attempt suicide more often those who do not and at least a third of all sexually active teens say that they were influenced by drug use the first time they had sex. Nearly one-fourth of teens reported that they had taken part in unprotected sex due to drug and/or alcohol use. Younger teens, those aged 13 and 14, who use drugs will have sex at double rate of that age group which does not. Older teens that use drugs (other than alcohol) are five times more likely to have sex than their non drug using peers. Those who drink are seven times more likely to be having sex than non-drinkers. In addition, “drug and alcohol using teenagers are three and five times, respectively, more likely to have multiple sexual partners” (Hartge, 1999). Parents take much time and effort shielding their kids from all of the evils of the world. When those precious children become of appropriate age, parents send those kids to school appropriately clothed with money for lunch and a kiss on their little forehead. Parents hope their kids will become properly educated therefore become productive, enlightened, happy adults. Ironically, however, these schools have become are safe havens for illegal drugs which are readily available. The vast majority of teens know where to obtain drugs very quickly. Teachers and parents seem oblivious and evidently are incapable of controlling this disturbing situation. Illegal drugs use can cause undesirable effects users of any age but the negative effects to teenager are especially harmful. Experimentation with drugs causes many undesirable effects particularly in the case of developing young persons. People differ on many issues but most all can agree that parents do not want their children to use drugs and that the current policies are not effective. Many argue that legalizing drugs is tantamount to endorsing their use therefore encouraging children to partake in mind-altering substances. The truth, which is seldom a component of drug policy debates, is that decriminalization is a reasonable solution that protects civil liberties and will ultimately reduce the number of children who use. This approach, in conjunction with effective treatment programs, is the only proven method of combating the violent, debilitating, financially draining and socially harmful drug problem. Strengthen laws and intervention techniques for hard drugs using resources drawn from the ineffective prohibition of the soft drug, marijuana. Kids know the difference and the hypocrisy is evident. They understand the realities and resent being told all drugs are the same therefore all drug laws should be too. The current system is harmful to them, society as a whole and to the truth as well. Works Cited Anderson, Kerby. “Teen Drug Abuse” (1996). Probe Ministries April 3, 2011 Blum, Richard. “Horatio Alger’s Children: The Role of the Family in the Origin and Prevention of Drug Risk.” (1972). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Derzon, James H. & Lipsey, Mark W. “A Synthesis of the Relationship of Marijuana Use with Delinquent and Problem Behaviors.” School Psychology International. Vol. 20, pp. 57–68. (1999). Frischer, M.; Green, S. T. and Goldberg, D. Substance Abuse Related Mortality: A Worldwide Review. Compiled for The United Nations International Drug Control Program. (March 1994). Hartge, John. “Teen Drugs, Booze, Sex Linked.” CBS News. (1999). April 3, 2011 Kandel, Denise. “Adolescent marijuana use: Role of parents and peers.” Science. Vol. 181, pp. 1067-1081. (1973). Shaffer, D.; Gould, M. S.; Fisher, P.; Trautment, P.; Moreau, D.; Kleinman, M.; & Flory, M. “Psychiatric Diagnosis in Child and Adolescent Suicide.” Archives of General Psychiatry. Vol. 53. (1996). pp. 339-348. (The) National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. “Substance Abuse and the American Adolescent” The Commission on Substance Abuse Among American Adolescents. New York. (1997). Read More

 

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