Considering Why Young People Begin Using Illicit Substances and How to Reduce Drug Taking Activity - Assignment Example

Why do young people begin using illicit substances? Is drugs education successful in its attempts to reduce drug taking activity?  Drug abuse among the youth is a serious issue for parents, communities and the governments all over the world. Every year thousands of people lose their lives to this evil or become its victim. The use of illicit drugs among youth became common during the late 70s. Although a decline in the use of drugs was witnessed during the 80s, it peaked again in the mid nineties and has been prominently present since then (NDIC 2002). The use of drugs has become a part of growing up, an experience of life; young people take drugs just to see what it is like (Cohen 2000). There are two types of illicit substances, commonly known as soft drugs and hard drugs. Soft drugs include barbiturates, amphetamines and cannabis while heroin and cocaine are highly addictive and are called hard drugs (Keene 2002, p. 78). The soft drugs are not highly addictive while the hard drugs are highly addictive. Although all substances are harmful as they affect a person’s mental and physical health but cocaine is particularly dangerous in fact it is lethal if taken in large amounts. Excitement Youth today is quite well-informed about the harmful effects of drugs and even though they are aware of the potential dangers of using illicit drugs that does not stop them from experimenting. There are various reasons which pull the young people towards drugs; some teenagers try drugs simply out of curiosity. The experimentation which starts with soft drugs often leads the use of hard drugs and consequently criminal activities (Pudney 2003). Studies show that cannabis is the most commonly used drug in the United Kingdom with 42% of the users being teenagers between the ages of 15 and 16 (Keene 2002, p. 76) whereas cocaine is the most commonly used hard drug. Boredom was cited as a reason for taking illicit drugs by young people belonging to middle class families. In such cases, illicit drugs were a means of recreation and a way to enjoy and explore life from a different angle. It added excitement to their lives making it interesting. Some teenagers take drugs for enjoyment and may stop once the novelty is over but this can only happen if they are using soft drugs. The desire to appear cool or be accepted as popular is the reason which gets high school students hooked to drugs. Drugs can have a strong effect on a person’s mind and thinking. Some youth take drugs because it gives them confidence; from the tongue-tied shy person they transform into gregarious bold individuals (Cohen 2000). By taking drugs they communicate with another person easily; however this exciting energy or burst of confidence is short lived and once the effects of the drug wear off, the user feels depressed and irritated. Drugs also stimulate the sexual desires and are taken in order to have a pleasurable sexual experience. Under the influence of drugs, the person feels less inhibited and is more open to sexual experimentations. The use of drugs that lead to a “rocking” sexual experience may either be circumstantial or intentional. Intentional use means that drugs like cocaine and ecstasy were specifically taken to overcome inhibitions and shyness while circumstantial means that drugs were not taken for the purpose of “performing better” but a desire to have sex followed after taking drugs (Sumnall et al 2009). Some groups of young people who are vulnerable and most likely to develop drug problems are those who are neglected at home (Fraser and Seddon 2003). Most drug addicts who do not get love and attention from their homes find solace in the drugs. Many children are criticized by their parents for being underachievers academically. The constant nagging and negativity at home drives them towards drugs as drugs give a feeling of complete relaxation. Drugs help them to deal with their emotional problems. Young people nursing a broken relationship or traumatized because of some unpleasant experience in the past also find an escape in drugs (Drugscope 2005). Peer Pressure High school students may be bullied into taking drugs by their peers. Everybody wants to fit-in the popular group and be considered cool. Most teenagers think that their peers will reject them if they say no to drugs so to be accepted socially, they take drugs (Haley 2009, p. 169). Young people also take drugs to express their defiance and rebellion against parents. Dealing with Day to Day Problems Drug addiction due to social deprivation is common among young people. Although there are no socio-geographic boundaries for the use of illicit drugs but it has been observed that the use of illicit drugs is common in slum areas where there is poor housing and lack of facilities and resources (O’Higgins 1998, p. 6). Illicit drugs serve as self-medication to the young people living in these areas because it helps them to cope with the day to day problems they encounter (O’Higgins 1998, p. 6). Poverty, unemployment, work pressures are some reasons which force the people to take this road to ruin. Under such circumstances drugs help them to relax and overcome tension and anxiety and the feeling of helplessness. The person remains disconnected from his/her surrounding and for as long as he/she is under the influence of drugs. Taking drugs itself is a disturbing factor but what makes it worse is that the illicit drugs taken are more addictive. The method employed is mostly intravenous injections and a direct contact with an affected syringe may lead to HIV/AIDS. The use of illicit drugs when unable to cope with daily pressures is not restricted to the low income group only even celebrities take drugs when they are unable to cope with their success. Lindsay Lohan and Brittney Spears have been in and out of rehab a number of times. McKay reported in the Fox News that the use of cocaine is common in Hollywood and the female celebrities usually take it as it is an effective weight loss drug. Cocaine not only suppressed appetite but also gave a sudden burst of energy (McKay, 2011). Cost and Availability of Drugs Drugs whether soft or hard are easily available and they do not cost much; another reason which has made the use of drugs so common. Drugs are the base of many evils in the society. Crime rate is directly related to the use of drugs and may range from stealing to violent crimes such as rape and murder. Drug addiction is slowly eats away the roots of our society. Almost all the countries in the world are plagued by drug abuse. Although strict laws have been adopted to curb the selling of drugs and anyone found in possession of drugs maybe sentenced to jail for at least seven years in countries like the USA and the UK or may be sentenced to death in countries like Saudi Arabia. But despite these strict laws, the use of drugs has not gone down. Drug Abuse in the UK In an article published in Daily Telegraph by Steele (2007) it was reported that among the European countries the rate of drug addiction was the highest in the United Kingdom and Wales and the second highest rate of death due to drugs. According to a research conducted by the UK Police the use of hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine was the highest among people aged between 26 to 30 years while cannabis was used by 45% of the teenagers (Steele 2007). Half of the present generation of UK has experimented with drugs and a quarter of it is regular user of the illicit substance (Parker et al 1998). Drug Education in the UK In order to control the increasing use of illicit substances among young people and to bring down the crime rate related with it, UK launched the drug education program. It is next to impossible to create a drug free school or college and therefore drug education program is considered to be most suitable to discourage the young people from taking drugs. According to Wilson and Kolander (2011, p. 4), the main aim of drug education is to create awareness about the potential hazards and perils associated with drugs. Drug education involves teaching and communicating to people the harms caused by drugs and why should they be avoided. Although the drug education program is for both young and old users, it is mostly conducted at schools so that the young people can stay away from drugs. Drug education is not restricted to schools only, it can also be conducted in other surroundings such as sports club, youth clubs and other places where children, teenagers and young people often get together. These settings provide children and young people the perfect opportunity to get some real information on drugs besides it being “something that takes you high”. It also teaches them to behave as responsible individuals and protect themselves and their friends from drugs and how to resist its allure. The children and young people are informed about the harmful effects of illicit substances, the risks involved in taking drugs and the dire consequences that follow. Young people are also told about the conditions and circumstances under which people take drugs. They are also told about the sources where they can go for help and advice. Above all the drug education programs are designed to develop social and personal skills in young people so that they can communicate with others, discuss their problems and recognize the choices life offers. The young people are also instructed on recognizing risks and learn risk management and make decisions. The young people are also taught not to give in to temptations or pressure from friends (Ryan et al 2006, p. 20). In Britain drug education is carried out in primary as well as secondary schools. In the primary schools the drug education is carried out in two stages. In the first stage it is conducted for children aged between 5 to 7 years and teaches the basic safety rules to children and the tells them about substances in the house such as medicines which can be dangerous. The stage 2 is conducted to create awareness among 7 to 11 years old about the effects and risks of using tobacco, alcohol and illicit substances. The basic risk management skills are introduced to children and they are taught to say no to wrong things. Stage 3 is carried out in the secondary schools for children aged between 11 and 14 years and instructs them about the hazardous effects of drugs and the laws related to drugs. In this stage resistance to peer pressure is reinforced. They are steered towards making the right choices regarding their health and well being. These young people are also informed about where to seek help in times of need. Stage 4 is the final stage of drug education in the secondary school and targets an audience whose ages are between 14 years to 16 years. The young people are told more about the harmful effects of the drugs and the negative effects it has on the user, his/her family, friends, the community and the society in general. The teenagers are encouraged to discuss the various aspects of drug abuse through debates and discussions (Ryan et al 2006). For drug education to have a deep impact on young people the drug education program organizers invite drug users who can narrate their experiences and feelings. These live experiences leave a deeper impression on the young minds and discourage people from taking drugs. Role of Parents The best place to begin drug education is home. The children learn from their parents; when parents come home from a tiring day and take a drink or two to unwind, this indirectly sends a message that alcohol is a relaxing agent. This later on leads to a gradual acceptance of drugs. Parents’ cooperation is also required for a successful implementation of drug education program. Parents should make their children realize that the safety of their children is of utmost importance to them and if at any point the children think that they are at a risk from their friends then they should inform the parents immediately. Any child who takes drugs needs the love, support and understanding of their parents to get rid of the habit. Instead of chiding the parents must support their child and help him/her to recover. How effective is drug education Education is a powerful tool but it has its limitations too and under certain circumstances, it is not that effective. For instance drug education may help dissuade the young people who have not yet experimented with drugs from not using them and even effectively help the casual users to get rid of the habit of taking drugs but an addict remains an addict in a majority of cases (Gray 2001, p. 166). Drug education can make the young casual users think of it as unattractive, risky and harmful but it hardly has an effect over chronic users. The shock/scare strategy adopted for the drug education programs is ill-advised and has done little to prevent the young people from experimenting with drugs. Nobody likes being lied to and the facts and figures presented in the drug education programs are at times exaggerated and this damages the credibility of the programs to some extent. One objection raised against drug information was that instead of preventing the young people from taking drugs, it actually pushed them towards it by putting ideas into the young heads. However this objection turned out to be baseless as no supporting evidence was found. Education aims at making people more knowledgeable and the aim of drug education should be to introduce ideas and concepts about drugs which would be equally helpful at present and as well as in future. Young people will learn more from drug education based on accurate facts and develop their own decision making skills and make the young people more selective in judging their actions and decisions. However this does not guarantee that the young people will not take drugs at all. The role drug education plays is that of lowering drug related harm but does not prevent the use of drugs among the young people (Cohen 1996). The young people accuse the drug education programs of double standards. According to them id legal drugs such as alcohol, nicotine and caffeine can be accepted socially then why not illicit drugs. The drug education should not give a narrow view of the drugs and its use and instead of the moralistic approach should go for a more accurate and honest approach. The drug education programs should not tell the young people what to think and what to do and question their intelligence by instilling decision making. Because this approach discourages the young people from expressing their understanding of the use of illicit substances and its effects as instead of being more open and honest about one of the most controversial topics, they merely repeat what the elders (parents and teachers ) want to hear and not what the young people actually believe in. (Cohen 1996). Drug education is to narrow the gap between the young people and the adults but this approach only widens it. Drug education should not be focused on whether the young person should use a particular drug or not but rather than on what would happen if they opt to use that drug. Another flaw in the drug education program is that who conducts it. Often ex- drug users, police officers and other outsiders are invited to conduct the program. In Cohen’s opinion this only adds sensationalism in the program. Also these outsiders are not well versed I driving their points home. In Cohen’s opinion the teacher should conduct these programs as she knows the correct methods of reaching out to her students. Is Drug Education Working? The answer to the above question is sadly “no”. Drug education is not as effective as it was meant to be. Although the UK government claims that the program is quite effective, the observers beg to differ and blame the information based traditional methods for not yielding the required results. The goals of the drug education in UK are not realistic as well as it focuses more on promoting a drug free lifestyle (O’Connor et al 1998, p. 50). A lack of rational planning and obscure aims and objectives have somewhat led down the drug education program (O’Connor et al 1998, p. 50). Quoting Kinder, Pape and Walfish’s (1980) study of the drug education program, Haes (1987, p. 435) states that the programs provide knowledge about drugs and their use and misuse and instead of deterring the youngsters from taking drugs, they actually encourage them to experiment with drugs. Another reason because of which drug education failed to make an impact was that the program was designed more on what the people wanted to see rather than what could be realistically achieved (Midford and Lenton, 2000). Botvin and Griffin (2006, p. 48) argues that the causes and issues regarding the use of illicit drugs by young people are too complex and the preventive strategies in the drug education program too simple to be effective. Another reason why drug education remains uneffective is because of the normalization of recreational drugs. Normalization of recreational drug use Parker et al (1998, p. 151) concluded that it is the experience of growing up has changed significantly as the youth today fell less secure at present and are more uncertain of their future. They claim that the rapid increase in the use of recreational drugs is mainly because of the stress and strains of the modern life. Another point that Parker et al (1998, p. 153) noted was that the trying of recreational drugs was more common in youngsters belonging to middle or upper middle class. With reference to the Northern Regional Longitudinal Study conducted by Parker et al (2001), Asthana and Halliday (2006, p. 297) state that according to Parker the use of recreational drugs by the young people became normalized. However only soft drugs such as cannabis, amphitamines and nitrates and to some extent LSD and ecstasy were tolerated and accepted. In Asthana and Halliday’s (2006) opinion the wise spread use and availability of recreational drugs, the tolerance and acceptance showed towards their use and users and the sound economic background of the users were some features which led to the social acceptance and normalization of recreational drugs. Conclusion The use of illicit substance has become common in the United Kingdom. A majority of young people have either experimented with drugs or are regular users. The reasons for which the young people take drugs vary with peer pressure being the most common one among students. Young people also take drugs to escape from the harsh realities of life such as poverty, deprivation, hopelessness, depression and unemployment. The use of drugs among the young people is not restricted to a certain class of the society; the whole society is its victim. Emotionally battered young people as well as those who are looking for fun and adventure try drugs. In order to discourage the use of drugs among youth, drug education programs are conducted in the schools from primary level onwards. These programs revolve around providing information about the drugs. The information concentrates more on the horrific dangers of drugs and relies on the assumption that if the young people know about these dangers, they will not use drugs. The program is designed to inculcate strong moral beliefs and personal responsibilities to encourage a drug free life style. The young people are instructed on refusal skills so that they can resist any peer pressure. The decision making skill approach is adopted in the drug education programs to enable the youngsters to make more rational and reasonable choices. The drug education program introduced in the UK meant well but the approach of the program was faulty and that is why the program has only been partially successful. The drug education program did not prevent drug abuse but only reduced it a bit. The drug education program is more effective for casual users as they are at a lower risk while it is less effective for young people who are chronic users and are at higher risk. The drug education program lost its credibility because of the somewhat exaggerated facts it presented and the stories related by the former drug addicts were also grossly exaggerated. The young people also objected to the social acceptance of drugs like alcohol and nicotine while soft drugs are considered illegal. Drug education should not only be conducted in schools and other social settings but should begin from home as well. The approach towards drug education should be that which gives complete information about the drug and not against it enabling the young people to make their own decisions. References Asthana, S. & Halliday, J. (2006). What works in tackling health inequalities?: pathways, policies and practice through the lifecourse. Bristol, UK: The Policy Press. Botvin, G. J. & Griffin, K. W. 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