Protecting the Youth from Drugs - Essay Example

Protecting the Youth Affiliation Protecting the Youth Prevention is most promising when it is directed to perusable youngsters. We advise the youth and our children to stay away from drugs, but of course we know that they will test substance no matter what they are told. The issue that I took upon to write about is protecting the youth. The reason I chose this topic is because it is a very sensitive topic for me. Growing up as a youth I was very lost. My mom was a single mother who worked eighty hours a week just to make ends meet for my brother and I. I had esteem issues I was not focused in school my grades were beyond poor. My classmates made fun of me being African, they said my hair was short, I thought I was very dumb and very ugly. And because of that I started hanging out with bad crowds of people that made me feel like I was wanted and cool. Which lead me to peer-pressure. I smoked marijuana faithfully every day and drank alcohol as if I was drinking water. But I was okay with doing so because I felt like I was finally fitting in. Young people especially those in high schools and colleges are always advised to keep away from drugs and alcohol. However despite the fact that young people are on numerous occasions advised to stay away from these harmful drugs they most often opt to use the drugs at some point in their life. The government has opted for the policy of zero tolerance to drugs and in most cases drug testing is always done in school (Bateman, 2003). All this policies are in actual sense very ineffective and unrealistic; these policies have even gone to the extent of being harmful to students as far as drug use is concerned. It will be of vital importance if parents and educators appreciated the problem of drug use among teenagers, and thus they should provide them with the most appropriate knowledge on the harmful effects of drug use and the resulting consequences. With such genuine education on drugs young people will be able to make wise decisions on the use of drugs (Reddy, 2013). Preventing or detaining use of psychoactive drugs and alcohol among the youth is a critical and national public health goal. The most cost – effective way to lower the youth from drugs and alcohol is to prevent it from happening in the first place. This article gives demonstrations ways to help protect the youth from abusing drugs. Drug education is a planned provision which gives information, resources, and skills material to living in a world where drugs widely used for both medical and non- medical purposed. I strongly believe that every high school should give a drug education course. Effective drug education is very crucial because youths are faced with many influences. Engaging youths in drug education activities and workshops can help them make better and safer choices. Drug testing is one area I am not fond of; although it sounds good youths can feel like they’re being pressured and violated by taking weekly or random drug tests. However, if youths are in any extracurricular activity clubs, or working than it will make sense as to why drugs tests should be permissible. According to the National Association of School Nurses, That article vigorously supports my logic. For example the article indicates that “The Supreme Court has ruled that random student drug testing (RSDT) – often referred to as “suspicion less testing” – is allowed in the public school system for all middle and high school-age students involved in extracurricular activities (Pottawatomie Cty. v. Earls, 2002).  Initially, courts allowed public schools to conduct random testing only on student athletes (Vernonia School District v. Acton 1995)”. (NASN). When it comes to the work place and any benefits I believe that Drugs testing is so necessary. Drug- free Workplace Act Of 1988 endured a commitment to provide a safe drug free environment. Drug policy alliances help prevent families from harmful drug policies. Parents who wait to guide their child about abusing drugs usually are more readily influenced by peers or may have started using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, decrease their ability to positively influence children, The earlier the better. Parental example to their child is more dominant. Nonetheless, DPA is committed to ending the drug war assaults on families. One thing that I found compelling about this article was student loan access. I never knew that if you were ever drug convicted you can will not receive financial aid. That caught me by surprised. I personally find that to be unfair because people do change and baby do go through things that are beyond their control which causes them to depression and they use substances to help them. As I justified earlier, Growing up I was one of those kids who people made fun of often, I thought I was dumb and very ugly and I started smoking and drinking to make me fit in and be cool. I had absolutely no care in the world. I graduated with a very low accumulative GPA and ended up getting pregnant at the age of eighteen. And that’s when I knew I had to change my life. I started attending Trinity Washington University and then I got a good job at this IT Company. And I am only twenty three years old. I am the youngest at my company with no degree. So there is always room for people to make changes in their life. According to HEA college students who get convicted will lose their aid and most of them will end up dropping out. According to SSDP, There are programs for drug convicts to regain eligibility for financial aid.  Previously, students had to complete a government-approved treatment program, which are often more expensive than tuition at state universities or community colleges.  Now, students have to pass two unannounced drug tests administered by a government-approved treatment. Young people should also be taught the various ways in which they should handle any drug or alcohol related problem. This will go a long way in enabling young people to seek the right advice when they are faced with such problems. In regards to this the Drug Policy alliance has gone ahead to support and promote reality-based drug policy and education in schools. This policy has enabled teenagers to be treated with a lot of respect and it has also enabled the acknowledgement that a certain level of drug use is in most cases is inevitable for young people. This is the reason why the organization is working towards the elimination of drug testing, since it has denied many young people the chance of having an enriching life (Tan, 2014). References Tan, M. (2014). Effects of Drugs on Education. Australian Journal Of Management, 40(1), 114-134. Reddy, W. (2013). Drugs and Teenage. Journal Of Property, Investment & Finance, 31(5). Bateman, H. (2003). Regulation Drugs in Africa. The Australian Economic Review, 36(1), 118-127. Read More