Use of Drug among young people - Essay Example

?Topic – Use of Drug among young people Introduction The youth in America is really in trouble and the reason for this is their habit of drug abuse. The young people’s experimentation with drugs in on rise and the critical question is what could be the reason behind this rise in drug use among teenagers? The studies show that the use of marijuana is particularly high among teenage population of America. Teenagers between 12 years and 17 years of age had been most widely using drugs since 1992. Often young people turn to drugs as a means of coping up. Mostly, they turn to drugs when they are encountered by new stresses in the communities and families they live in. These children are not getting better coping skills and as a result are getting addicted to drugs. However, drugs have managed to destroy many lives of young generation and drugs needs to be eradicated from the society at all cost. The use of drugs among teenagers is also a pop culture and glamorization of their lifestyle. Since it is shown widely in movies and hip hop culture music, teenagers observe it as a fashion trend. Peer pressure and influence also is another reason that leads to drug use among teenagers. Teenagers also think that marijuana is harmless and hence they can use it without fear. Even the teenagers are using prescription drugs more than marijuana and illegal drugs. They are turning away from street drugs and resorting to prescription drugs to get the same type of high. Many young people are under the notion that prescription drugs are medically safe unlike other drugs. The bad consequences of drugs The young generation gets addicted to drugs in an attempt to socialize with other youngsters. The addiction from drug like heroin is the hardest addiction to break. Drugs affect almost every part of the body from the brain, lungs, eyes, voice box, muscles, reproductory system, digestive system and the immune system. Drugs can change the brain chemistry and so withdrawal becomes a harshest side - effect. Some lethal drugs can also cause death among young people. The overdose of drugs can lead to mental illness and even heart failure. Apart from this, the cognitive ability of the drug user can also be impaired and he can turn less productive in life. According to (Sussman 89) “Recurrent drug use may result in failure to fulfill major role obligation at school or home”. People who are under drug addiction are lazy, fatigue and poor performers. They can also be violent and end up in fights and gang violence. Drugs can also lead to social and interpersonal problems and acting inappropriate in from of others. It can lead to legal problems, social problems, and dangerous actions and decreased energy level in a person. Drug addict can even progress to an excessive alcohol drinker in the future. He may even have a tendency to steal in order to obtain drugs which are normally expensive substance. Teenagers in their age are supposed to spend time on leisure and recreational activities which are healthy for their mind and body. But a drug addict will only spend his time in acquiring drug and using it. Prevention of drug abuse among youth A substantial amount of money and effort is expended on youth drug abuse prevention for youth in the United States. Despite this attention, recent findings indicate that young people’s negative attitude towards drug use is lessening, and there had been an increase in the use of illicit drugs among youth in past few years. From a social and public health perspective, it is important to monitor the trend and pattern of drug use among youth because drug use have been linked with numerous problems including delinquency, family dysfunction, poor academic achievements, truancy and school drop outs. For many youth drug use is a part of syndrome of unconventional behavior that involves marijuana use, early sexual activity, drinking, and risk taking. It is essential to monitor health risk behavior among youth, including the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. One of the approaches is the family strengthening approach which can reduce the drug abuse among youths. As per (Sloboda 56) “The effective of family intervention should come as no surprise, since many blame the weakening of the American family for the increase in substance abuse and delinquency”. Positive parental – child relationship, parental monitoring, and disapproval of inappropriate behavior and of drug use are the major ways to control drug abuse among teenagers. The community based intervention is also an effective way to combat drug abuse among youth. Effective implementation of comprehensive strategies by government, school, media and community can go a long way to reduce drug abuse among teenagers. Conclusion It is found through research that problem of drug abuse among teenager is a symptom and not a cause of personal social maladjustment. It is important to realize that, because serious drug abuse usually is the result of emotional instability, consequences of the underlying disorder may be expressed with chemical dependence making diagnose and treatment more difficult. The undesirable consequences of drug abuse may include self -destruction, risk taking or negative group behaviors. It is also a common practice for teenagers under drug abuse to commit suicide. Besides posing a serious health threat it can hamper the career and future of growing teenagers. In his book (Siegel 35) writes that “Clearly many teenagers who abuse alcohol and other drugs possess a self - destructive attitude”. Drug abuse is not a simple issue as it is related with the future generation of a country. A combined effort from government, school, media and parents can wipe out the drug abuse habit among teenagers. The damage caused by drugs to the youth can be most of the times irreversible. Youth is a stage when an individual learn and progress in his life and this precious time should be used in the most beneficial manner. Drug is a silent killer, and many a time, teenagers as well as their family members are not aware of the dangers underlying it. Taking in to consideration its harmful effects on youth, serious steps needs to be taken by government and community to eradicate this social evil. References Sussman, Steven Y. Drug abuse : concepts, prevention and cessation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. 89. Print. Sloboda, Zili. Handbook of drug abuse prevention. Akron: Springer Publisher Company, 2006. 56. Print. Siegel, Larry J. Juvenile delinquency ; Theory ,practice and law. 2ndnd ed. Belmont: Cengage Learning, 2011. 35. Print. Read More