Drug Abuse among the Youths and Its Development - Essay Example

Specific prevention plan al affiliation) Drug abuse among the youths and its development The utilization of drugs and alcohol by young people brings a lot of risks to personal, academic, health, relationships, safety and the risks of drug and alcohol addiction. One of the most vital risks is the connection between drugs, alcohol and crime. It is often significant for a young person to avoid the legal risks that are often associated alcohol and drugs (Kumpfer, 2012). The three types of drugs and alcohol related criminal offenses include alcohol and drug-using lifestyles, alcohol and drug related as well as alcohol and drug defined offenses. Alcohol and drug defined offenses are violation of laws that regulates or prohibit the possession, distribution, use or manufacture of illegal drugs or alcohol. Examples entails the possession or use of drug or alcohol as well as the production, cultivation, distribution or sales of drugs that are termed illegal including provision of alcohol among the underage children. Alcohol and drug-related offenses entails the violation of laws as a result of an individual being under the influence of drugs or alcohol as well as the trying to get cash in order to pay for drugs or alcohol. It includes crimes that often result from the consumption of drugs and alcohol, violence against rival drug dealing as well as stealing to get money in order to purchase and use drugs or alcohol. Finally, the alcohol and drug using lifestyles entails violation of laws as a consequence of living a lifestyle where an individual may not have income or a job and thereby is exposed to individuals or situations that encourage crime (Sanders, 2010). Research conducted by the national survey on drug abuse that is currently known as the national survey on health and drug use indicates that some children are already abusing drugs at the age of twelve to thirteen years meaning that abuse of alcohol and drugs begins even more earlier in life. Early abuse of drugs includes substances such as alcohol, inhalants, tobacco, marijuana and prescription drugs such as anti-anxiety and sleeping pills. Research has also indicated that drug abuse in late childhood and earlier adolescence is often related to greater drug involvement. Researchers have proposed various explanation of why people become involved with alcohol and drugs which then escalate to abuse. One of the explanations has pointed out to family history of alcohol and drug use (Slawson & Kopacz, 2010). Target area in addressing drug abuse issue The prevention plan will target the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse in communities, schools and other social places that brings many young people together. Young people may learn to abuse drugs from peer groups, family members and other social settings in the communities. Social places such as bars and other entertainment joints have been associated with selling of drugs to young people. All such places will be targeted with an intention on reaching out to many young people with an intention of prevention of drug abuse (Slawson & Kopacz, 2010). Specific groups to be targeted in prevention of drug abuse among the community members The plan will focus specifically on prevention of alcohol use among youths. The prevention plan will focus at reducing the numbers of young people that are increasingly abusing drugs in various parts of the states. The study will target the major factors that promote abuse of alcohol and drug use which includes weak parental control, peer pressure, imitation, and child abuse, truancy among the children, emotional stress, and ineffectiveness of the law targeting drug abuse as well as availability of drugs to the youths (Slawson & Kopacz, 2010). Possible prevention and intervention ideas There are various possible interventions and prevention strategies aimed at reducing the number of youths abusing drugs and alcohol. Educational and environmental strategies will enable members of the community including parents and youths to take an active role in dealing with issues of drugs and substance abuse that affects them. services that are culturally appropriate will be promoted with an intention of reaching out to many youths with an intension of sensitizing them on the effects of drug and substance abuse and alternative activities that they should be involved in to prevent abuse of drugs (Winters et al, 2013). Identification of the risks in the communities and protective factors will enable the community to apply the resilience model that is build on experiences and life skills with an intention of helping youths to abstain from drugs despite growing up in high risk environment and families. Identification of risks will help deal with factors such as weak parental control, peer pressure, imitation, and child abuse, truancy among the children, emotional stress, and ineffectiveness of the law targeting drug abuse as well as availability of drugs to the youths. The plan will also stress on promoting local option laws to enable the communities more control on access to alcohol and drug use. Finally, more the plan will enable the authorities to be more aggressive on purchasing enforcement laws for tobacco and alcohol in order to reduce adult purchasing and teen usage (Kumpfer, 2012). Research support for the effectiveness of proposed prevention or intervention ideas Drug abuse is a pervasive problem that cuts across generational, racial, geographical and economic lines. The effects of drug abuse are straining the judicial and health care resources while at the same time delivering disturbing headlines. Death arising from drugs is currently outnumbering the ones that are traffic related. The need for an effective strategy to prevent the abuse of alcohol and drugs among most of the communities in the country should be emphasized (Slawson & Kopacz, 2010). Many people in the community are facing a lot of challenges when advocating for a drug free community. Million of youths are suffering from the abuse of drugs in the country which includes alcohol dependency, underage drinking and non-medical utilization of the prescribed medication. The office of the national drug control policy has emphasized on the need for communities to be control with prevention strategies targeting the main cause of drug abuse with an intention of enabling individuals to lead healthier lives. According to Kumpfer (2012), Earlier intervention is particularly more significant since it helps reduce the negative consequences of addiction and drug abuse among the youths in the community before it actually takes place. Previous research in the last two decades have supported the need for communities to come up with prevention strategies that are evidence based in order to curb the issue of drug abuse. Establishment of community youth empowerment forums will help creates awareness on the effects of the drugs among the youths and thereby reduces over dependency on drugs (Winters et al, 2013). Universal preventive interventions will target the general population that may not be identified based on individual risks. Universal interventional strategies will target various sections of the communities such as schools, work places and entertainment joints. It entails community based policies that enhance access to early childhood education, enforcement or implementation of anti-bullying policies in school and physician education on prescription drug misuses (Winters et al, 2013). Peer support groups and prevention education among the youths can help reduce the number of youths who are abusing drugs. Strengthening and support of community based organizations with the aim of creating programs that focuses on strengthening individuals, school and family, prevention of youth substance abuse as well as community readiness to increasing and prevention of substance abuse among the youths will help decrease the number of the youths that are affected by abuse of drugs. State agencies should be able to partner with such community based organization with an intention of empowering them to reach more youths and offer advice on prevention strategies (Webster, 2012). According to Slawson & Kopacz (2010), the authorities should remain committed to targeted, aggressive and intergrated services with the aim of preventing and reducing substance abuse and use across the state with an intention of empowering the community as a partner and to begin changing attitudes, knowledge and the behavior of the young people in terms of wellness and the effects of drugs use and abuse. Early use of alcohol and drugs increases the chances of an individual getting an addiction. Drug abuse often affects the human brain and this can give rise to other serious conditions including development of an addiction. Earlier prevention of alcohol and drugs may go into a long way in reduction of the risks associated. Preventing young people in the community from experimenting with the drugs will help prevent addictions (Winters et al, 2013). According to Webster (2012), Risk of drug abuse rises greatly during periods of transition. A loss of a job or divorce may force an adult to engage in drug usage. In adolescent, advancement of children from one level of education to the other may prompt them to experiment drugs as they meet with new friends and older teens who utilize drugs. Therefore community intervention should target such transition periods with an aim of reducing experimentation of drugs through drug prevention education in schools and other social places. References Kumpfer, K. (2012). Prevention of alcohol and drug abuse: What works?. Substance Abuse, 23(sup1), 23-45. doi:10.1080/08897070209511506 Sanders, M. (2010). Community-based parenting and family support interventions and the prevention of drug abuse. Addictive Behaviors, 25(6), 929-942. doi:10.1016/s0306-4603(00)00128-3 Slawson, M., & Kopacz, K. (2010). Community Involvement In Prevention and Control of Drug Abuse. Journal Of Drug Education, 2(2), 139-147. doi:10.2190/g1qn-2dhu-mk8d-tbnb Webster, P. (2012). Prescription drug abuse rising among Aboriginal youths. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 184(12), E647-E648. doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-4258 Winters, K., Lee, S., Botzet, A., Fahnhorst, T., Realmuto, G., & August, G. (2011). A Prospective Examination of the Association of Stimulant Medication History and Drug Use Outcomes among Community Samples of ADHD Youths. Journal Of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 20(4), 314-329. doi:10.1080/1067828x.2011.598834 Read More