Drugs in Teenagers - Research Paper Example

This research paper deals with matter of the influence of drugs among the teenagers. The brief summary proves that drug addiction affect the growth and development of teenagers in general. The next section proves that drug addiction can be prevented by the help of family oriented programs, school oriented programs and community oriented programs. In addition, scientific ways to confirm drug addiction are essential to provide effective treatment to the needy. Prescription medicine abuse must be considered seriously because it leads to drug addiction in future. Furthermore, combination of different types of treatment methods can save the teenagers from the clutches of drug addiction and related problems. Drugs in teenagers The effect of drugs in teenagers is long-lasting because it leads to addiction and related problems. From a different angle of view, peer-group influence, interest in adventure, family background, and socio-economic status are some of the factors that leads the teenagers towards the clutches of drugs. The influence of drugs create imbalance in one’s mental equilibrium and affect one’s decision making capacity. Teenagers become easy preys to drugs because decision making capacity in teen age is not so strong. The influence of drugs in teenagers must be considered as an imminent threat to the society as a whole because it limits the teenagers from growing to productive and able citizens in future. When teenagers face the problem of drug addiction, the future scope of prosperity is limited to an extent. Besides, the influence of drugs among the teenagers cannot be limited to any national boundary because drug abuse/addiction is an international problem. Thesis statement: The influence of drugs (drug abuse/drug addiction) among the teenagers can be prevented with the help of drug tests and related treatment methods but prescription medicine abuse is an imminent threat to teenagers. Brief summary: Drugs in teenagers The influence of drugs in teenagers must be considered as an important problem because it leads to drug abuse and drug addiction in future. Dillon (2011), states that “We need to acknowledge that many young people will drink alcohol at some time during their adolescence and some may experiment with one or more illegal drugs” (p.7). Nowadays, legal drugs like cigarette, alcohol and illegal drugs like marijuana, meth etc is available to all. Within this context, one can easily identify that unrestricted usage of legal drugs during teenage leads to drug abuse and drug addiction in future. One can easily identify that teenagers are interested in adventure and experimentation. When legal drugs are available, they may use the same to prove that they are matured enough to use it. Besides, social acceptability plays an important role in the influence of drugs among the teenagers. During teenage, teenagers show utmost interest to be with their friends who belongs to their same age. So, peer pressure is an important factor which forces the teenagers to use drugs. Some of the teenagers use drugs to prove that they are able to do something different from their friends. In addition, parents must be cautious about the fact that the teenagers are curious about experimentation with drugs. The availability of drugs (say, whether legal or illegal drugs) leads teenagers towards unlimited usage and addiction in future. Some of the other factors which force the teenagers to be influenced by drugs include low self-esteem, depression, stress, and boredom in day-to-day life. Prevention Prevention of the influence of drugs in teenagers can be broadly divided into three: family oriented programs, school oriented programs and community oriented programs. Family oriented programs: First of all, family oriented prevention programs aims to create strong relationship between parents and teenagers. For instance, development in parental skills can prevent the influence of drugs among the teenagers. Castillo (2009), states that “Hence, parents must refrain from heavy drinking and use of drugs especially in the presence of their teen children” (p.9). To be specific, lack of parenting skills leads the teenagers to seek care and attention beyond family. One can easily identify that bond among family members act the role of a protective barrier which restricts the influence of drugs and beverages. In addition, strict monitoring from the side of parents can identify and prevent drug abuse and addiction. Parents can provide drug education to their children and can prevent future problems related to drugs. School oriented programs: School oriented programs can reduce the scope of drug addiction among the teenagers because most of the teenagers are deeply influenced by their teachers and classmates. Within this context, teachers can monitor peer relationship among the teenagers. As pointed out earlier, peer relationship is an important factor of the influence of drugs among the teenagers. Teachers can easily identify the students who are under the influence of drugs and can take preventive measures. Carroll (2005), states that “Schools could, for example, provide educational programs on the effects of substance abuse” (p.152). Besides, teachers can help their students to develop skills which are helpful to resist drugs. So, teachers can provide proper guidance to reinforce negative attitude towards drugs. Most of the teenagers consider their teachers as their role models. So, teachers must be cautious about their role in the society and must keep themselves away from the influence of beverages and drugs. If not, students may imitate their teachers and will be under the influence of drugs and beverages. In short, next to the parents, schools can act the role of a strong barrier against the influence of drugs among the teenagers. Community oriented programs Community oriented programs can play an important role in preventing the influence of drugs among the teenagers. For instance, community oriented programs can connect the teenagers with their families and schools. Some of the students may be from high-risk families and this may lead them to drug addiction. Brady (2005), opines that “As parents and as a community, we cannot allow teenagers to send messages to other children that drug use is a rite of passage or “cool” ” (p.26). Within this context, community oriented programs can identify drug related problems among the teenagers, take preventive measures and can evaluate the outcome of preventive measures adopted. One can see that isolation is an important factor which leads to emotional problems and the influence of drugs among teenagers. So, community oriented programs can prevent isolation of the teenagers from the mainstream society. The community oriented programs can make use of schools, NGOs and media to create awareness against the influence of drugs among the teenagers. Types of drug tests Drug tests play the most important role in identifying and providing apt help to the needy because it is the scientific way to confirm that an individual is under the influence of drugs. Lumas (2007), states that “ In the meantime, drug testing has become an important apparatus to reduce health-related and workplace costs, to monitor crime, and to implement drug prevention and treatment programs due to drug use and abuse” (p.16). Within this context, some of the most important types of drug tests are mentioned here. Urine test: Among the drug tests, urine test is the most inexpensive and common mode of testing. Besides, urine test creates fewer disturbances to the person who is undergoing drug testing. This test can be done by individuals at home. When one is need of accurate result, one can contact labs for verification of the result. Generally, urine tests are used to detect the usage of drugs within a limited time interval (say, a week). In short, urine test is not so expensive and can be considered as a popular drug testing type. Saliva test: Comparing with urine test, saliva test is a little bit expensive. At the same time, saliva test is less expensive that other tests like hair test and blood test. Similar to urine test, saliva test create less problem in the person who is tested for drug addiction or abuse. Nowadays, saliva test is becoming a common mode of drug testing. Within this context, one can have accurate results with the help of a drug testing lab. Hair test: Within the context of drug testing, hair test is considered as expensive. At the same time hair test is similar to urine test and saliva test because it creates less disturbance among the individuals who undergo drug testing. In addition, hair test can detect the usage of drugs over a long time interval. During hair test, sample (say hair) is collected and made use for testing purposes. Dasgupta (2010) makes clear that “Hair testing is very useful to determine repeated or chronic drug use” (p.80). As hair test is used to detect the usage of almost all drugs including meth, cocaine and cannabis, it can be considered as a common mode of drug testing. Blood test: One can see that blood test is expensive and create disturbance to the person under testing. For instance, sample collecting is a little bit painful to the person under testing. Still, blood test is considered as the most accurate mode of testing to detect the usage of drugs. Pomere (2007) makes clear that “If you are asked to take a blood test, you can expect a doctor or nurse to insert a needle into a vein in your arm and draw a small vial of blood” (p.14). As blood test is considered as costly, it is a less popular mode of drug test. Sweat test: Sweat test is another mode of testing to detect the usage of drugs. Besides, sweat test creates disturbance to the individual who is under the test because a ‘patch’ is used to collect sweat sample for the body. So, sweat test is an uncommon mode of drug test. In addition, the result of a sweat test may not be accurate. Prescription medicine Prescription medicine (drug) cannot be considered as illegal because it is prescribed by doctors. When prescription medicine is misused, it leads to long-lasting addiction and related health problems. When an individual regularly use prescription medicine for a long time, the end result will be similar to drug abuse. Roberts (2000), makes clear that “In other cases, a person might start taking a prescription drug for legitimate reason and then continue to take it long after the original medical problem goes away” (p.8). One can see that drug abuse among the teens shows gradual decline. At the same time, prescription medicine is gradually influencing the teenagers. From a different angle of view, the teenagers do not consider prescription medicine as illegal or threatening to their lives. The abuse of prescription medicine can attract the teenagers to illegal drugs and drug addiction. As the prescription drugs are available to any person with a prescription from a doctor, more and more teenagers are attracted towards the same. One of the most important reasons behind the influence of prescription drugs among the teenagers is peer group pressure. So, parents must be careful about the fact that even painkillers kept at home can attract the teenagers towards prescription medicine abuse. Treatment First of all, hospitalization is the most common treatment for drug addiction. Snyder (1996) makes clear that “Parents can be a resource to treatment and must be involved in helping their youngsters to stop using drugs” (p.121). As the problems faced by teenagers are different from the elders who are under the control of drugs, the scope of hospitalization is limited to an extent. Within this context, outpatient treatment proves to be effective for the teenagers who are under the control of drugs. Besides, detoxification and rehabilitation are essential for the treatment of teenagers. Goldberg (2009), states that “One positive outcome of treatment is that teens who enter treatment do better academically than teens who do not receive treatment” (p.297). From a different angle of view, residential treatment programs prove to be effective to save teenagers from the clutches of drugs. For instance, Therapeutic Boarding Schools, with a number of programs related to holistic education can help the youngsters to be responsible. Wilderness Therapy Programs can help the teenagers to acquire confidence and to keep away from drugs. In addition, Residential Treatment Schools are effective to meet the needs of the teenagers. To be specific, Residential Treatment Schools co-ordinate social skill development, treatment, rehabilitation and academic needs of the teenagers and help them to have easy recovery. So, one can see that group treatment proves to be effective and less expensive. Summing, the influence of drugs among the teenagers is a critical social problem because it prevents the growth and development of the teenagers. Within this context, combination of preventive measures like family oriented programs, school oriented programs and community oriented programs proves to be effective. Besides, abuse of prescription medicine (drugs) must be considered as serious threat because it is similar to drug addiction. In short, parents can play the most important role to tackle the problem of the influence of drugs among the teenagers. References Brady, L. A. (2005). Drug Testing in School without CE Test - Item 7391. Minnesota , USA: Hazelden Publishing. Castillo, K. (2009). The Causes That Lead Teenagers to Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Norderstedt, Germany: GRIN Verlag. Carroll, S. J. (2005). California's K-12 public schools: how are they doing. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation. Dillon, P. (2011). Teenagers, Alcohol and Drugs: What Your Kids Really Want and Need to Know about Alcohol and Drugs. Sydney, Australia: Allen & Unwin. Dasgupta, A. (2010). Beating Drug Tests and Defending Positive Results: A Toxicologist's Perspective. New York, NY: Springer. Goldberg, R. (2009). Drugs Across the Spectrum. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Lumas, K. (2007). Drug Testing in the Workplace: A Pilot Study on Trace Detection Technology. Norderstedt, Germany: Dr. Kay Lumas. Pomere, J. (2007). Frequently Asked Questions About Drug Testing. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group. Roberts, J. (2000). Prescription Drug Abuse. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group. Snyder, W. (1996). Empowering Families, Helping Adolescents: Family-Centered Treatment of Adolescents with Alcohol, Drug Abuse, & Mental Health Problems. Rockville, MD: DIANE Publishing. Read More