Drug Addiction & Teenagers - Research Paper Example

? Drug addiction & Teenagers and number Introduction Drug addiction is a major social issue facing teenagers, and it occurs when one experiences a compulsive drive to take a drug despite the serious adverse effects of the drug. According to the recent studies on drug addiction, experts agree that the repeated use of a drug or drugs eventually lead to long lasting changes within the brain, which with time undermine the voluntary control of the brain (Jansen, Glynn & Howard, 1996). Teenagers have been found to be the most affected group by drug addiction because of the various reasons ranging from exposure, peer pressure, and adolescence curiosity among others. In this study, teenagers are taken as subjects, and they include all adolescents between thirteen to nineteen years. This paper is an evaluation of a significant difference that exists between drug users and non-drug users among teenagers where drug users are disadvantaged in all spheres of life compared to non-drug users. The Population, Major Social Issues and Statistical Background to the Social Issues Facing Teen Addicts According to a report released by the teendrigabuse.us (2003), the drug use among the teenagers cannot be denied. Use of drugs incapacitates the ability of the victims to manage their life as well as relate well with other people. The differences between drug addicts and non-addicts are in regards to both the negative and positive outcomes owing to the drugs effect. For instance, drug addicts are likely to drop out of school, indulge in risky behaviors, and portray unacceptable forms of behavioral or cognitive weaknesses. These outcomes are notably absent among the non-addicts because they are able to differentiate between the right and wrong. A study carried out by teendrigabuse.us (2003) among the high school and middle school teenagers on the drug abuse revealed that 33.3 percent of the eighth grade used drugs, 44.9 percent in the tenth grade abused drugs and 52.8 percent from the 12th grade abuse drugs. The statistics shows that drug abuse among the teenagers costs the United States over $58 billion per year. Further, the report revealed that by the time of the study, 50 percent of teenagers reported drinking with 32 percent reporting having drunk at one occasion for the previous 30 days. These statistics are troubling and are a call for more study on the impact of drug use among the teenagers. Drug addiction among teenagers causes substantial mortality and morbidity, and this leads to significant societal economic losses. This was the culmination of a study to compare the behavioral pattern of teenagers on drugs and those not on drugs. Behavioral Differences between Teen Addicts and Non-Addicts There are significant behavioral differences between teen addicts and non addicts. Continued use of drugs leads to development of addiction and eventual relapse if drug addicts attempt to quit. Drugs impair the capability of teenagers; for example, teen addicts have a lower concentration and focus compared to non-addicts. They also have a higher probability of engaging in illicit sexual activities compared to non-addicts. As a result, teen addicts have higher records of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, in addition to loss of self dignity than non-addicts. Moreover, drug abuse masks many emotional problems that culminate into disastrous acts like suicide. Drug addict teens have a higher probability of contemplating suicide than their non-addict counterparts. Drug abusers among teenagers have been noted to exhibit improper time management and engage in uncouth behaviors such as school truancy or ignorance of the societal norms. This leads to school dropout and poor performance among the teens who abuse drugs unlike the performance of non-drug users who are alert. Therefore, the negative academic outcome is a product of direct effect of drugs on cognitive skills and behavioral risk factors among the teen addicts. Non-addicts stand a better chance of excelling in their academic work because their cognitive focus is not deterred by drugs. Moreover, drug addicts associate with antisocial groups, which compromise the victim’s school engagement and increase the probability of involvement into behavioral or social problems. Occasionally, they spend most of their savings on drugs and would be involved in theft or bad debts in a bid to generate the resources necessary to buy drugs. On the other hand, non-addicts form performance oriented groups that promote their academic performance and maintain their ethical standards through discipline. People possessing a low self esteem have a higher probability of indulging into drugs than the ones who have a higher self esteem. Victims of drug addiction refuse to recognize authority, lack inhibitions, act violently towards the society and destroy other people’s property. Non-users uphold societal virtues and respect the laws and rules that guide the public institutions such as schools. Therefore, there is a lot of damage that drugs cause on the persons of a drug addicted teenagers and society at large. Compared to teenagers who are non addicts, addict teenagers depict behavioral patterns, which are not consisted with the social, moral and ethical expectations hence killing their dreams of ever becoming responsible people in the life. Social and Cultural Factors Contributing to Drug Addiction among Teenagers There are various factors that make teenagers to indulge in drugs. One major social factor is the social background whereby adolescents from higher economic backgrounds and social status have a higher probability of indulging into drug abuse compared to those from poor backgrounds (Yaz?c? et al., 2004). The prevalence of drug use among teenagers is higher among those whose mothers possess higher educational status and their fathers are drunkards (Simons and Robertson, 1999). Peer influence is another social factor that has enormously led to drug addiction among teenagers. Most teenagers are in secondary school or college where they meet their colleagues from different backgrounds and make friendship (Hansen et al., 1987). This friendship can either become productive or destructive because if an innocent teenager befriends a drug addict, he or she is likely to indulge in drugs. Moreover, most teenagers fall in the adolescence stage, which renders them curious and wanting to discover many things in life. This can as well make a teenager test with drugs and in the process engage in drug abuse and addiction. Drug abuse can also be introduced at the cultural rites and festivities. There are cultures that encourage drug use in communal festivals like good harvests, initiations and circumcisions. When teenagers take these drugs and discover something they have never experienced before, they prefer retaking the drugs later again and again, which eventually exposes them to drug abuse and finally addiction (Maddahian, Newcomb & Bentler, 1988). The rate of addiction is less pronounced in communities whose culture discourages the use of addictive substances. Furthermore, Mass media has extensively contributed to drug addiction among teenagers. Advertisements, for instance, depict drug use as a yardstick to civilization and fashion, which creates curiosity in teenagers and pressurizing them to take drugs. For instance, some advertisements depict cigarette smokers as modernized and heavily bodied. Very few of these advertising agencies put an effort to inform teenagers and other drug abusers on the negative side of drugs. The Political, Economic, Legal, Practical, and Ethical Aspects of Drug Addiction among Teenagers Most governments are fighting drug addiction among the teenagers because it has contributed to irresponsibility and teen addicts grow up as wasted citizens compared to their counterparts who are not addicted to drugs (Maddahian, Newcomb & Bentler, 1988). For instance, teenagers who are addicted to drug cannot develop the country economically. They cannot operate businesses, engage in agriculture or any other income generating activity because their minds are distorted, and they see no sense in their future lives. These teenagers depend on their parents and other people for their needs. Secondly, drug addicts are not allowed to vote in most countries because they are considered to be insane mind hence cannot make informed decisions. In addition, these teenagers cannot be allowed to vie for leadership positions because they are not sane. Moreover, most countries in the world have illegalized use and trafficking of hard drugs, and if one is found trafficking drug or in possession of illegalized drugs, he or she is charged in a court of law and heavy punishments are imposed. Most countries have very strict laws and legislations concerning hard drugs, and those caught in violation of such laws attract heavy punishments ranging from fines, life imprisonment to capital punishment. Drug addiction is costly to teenagers because it deprives them of the ability to live their lives to the fullest; which in addition extends to affecting the society at large. Some drugs like cocaine have been ethically contentious and among the issues raised are whether parents will be in a position to notice its adverse effects in their children after using it and how to access inexpensive interventions after use (Kandel, & Adler, 1982). It is also advised that any trials on cocaine use should be preceded by extensive clinical experience from willing patients and public debate on the negative consequences the drug. The multiple levels contributing to and/or Perpetuating Drug Addiction among The Teenagers (i.e., Individual, Group, and Societal Levels)? At the individual level, a drug addicted teenager can persist in drugs if he or she finds no reason of coming out of the situation. For instance, individuals becomes addicted to drugs due to unemployment, they may persist in drugs until they are counseled. A drug addict can only be saved if he or she is made aware of the consequences of drug addiction and how to come out of the situation. A teenager can continue in drugs if he or she started in drugs because of hopelessness. Some teenagers enter into drugs after loosing hope maybe because they are orphans, poor or infected with HIV/AIDS (Hawkins, Catalano & Miller, 1992). Some groups can contribute to teenagers staying in drug addiction. For instance, some religions may perceive drug addicted teenagers as sinners. This eventually makes these teenagers develop low self esteem, and they continue in drugs (Hansen et al., 1987). Moreover, their families may decide not to receive their teenagers back. Other families may even send their teenager away after realizing that he or she happened to be taking drugs. As a result, the rejected teenagers persist in drugs and become perpetually hopeless and helpless. At the societal level, most societies reject these teenagers and consider them to be outcasts. When these teenagers see how the society treats them, they resort to remain in drugs. When teen addicts are exposed to these situations, they feel rejected and decide to go into drug abuse in full swing as a way of hitting back the society. The Personal, Professional, and Ethical Implications of Drug Addiction among Teenagers in the Society The personal implication of drug addiction among teenagers in the society is that when one teenager is unhealthy, the whole society is unhealthy. Drug addicted people are often in unhealthy conditions. Prolonged use of drugs like cigarettes damages the liver, the brain, the kidney and other organs of the body (McKee et al., 2004). So a society with teenagers who are addicted to drugs is a sick and weak society; a society that cannot develop economically, politically, and socially. The professional implications of drug addiction among teenagers in the society are; a society with teenagers addicted to drugs will never have its teenagers in any profession because most drug addicts are of insane minds and do not pursue education. Every profession requires an individual with a sane mind (Irvin, & Maag, 1993). Therefore, if a society has no members in various professions like teaching, nursing, and engineering among others, that society will never develop. Furthermore, for one to be absorbed into a certain profession, he or she must have completed school and passed. Drug addicts often drop out of school or even if they complete school they perform poorly because of their unhealthy conditions. According to Kandel (1982), a society with teenagers addicted to drugs depicts a picture of an irresponsible society, which has no values and norms to govern and protect its members. Two of the Most Significant Challenges Facing the Teenagers Addicted To Drugs Poor health is one of the challenges facing teenagers addicted to drugs (Rozmus et al., 2005). This study found out that cigarettes, alcohol and bhang are the most abused by teens with 45%, 38% and 17% respectively. As a result, 56% of students who abuse these drugs were found to have poor memories and consistently performed poorly in class, 9% were found to develop respiratory complications, while 4% being at a risk of developing liver damage. The poor health brought about by these drugs exposes one to regular medication, which drains off family finances and leaves the teenager weak and less productive. The study found out that 43% of drug addict teenagers were neglected by their families because they could not support their medication or the families had exhausted their funds in teen addict’s medication. The study also found out that over 80% of the teenagers who abused drugs neglected their hygiene and were disorganized in school. For example, most teen addicts reported forgetting to brush their teeth and wash their clothes. Another concern is that drug addicts are exposed to high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS because of sharing syringes among themselves when using injected drugs (Rozmus et al., 2005). In this study, 52% of teenagers who abused alcohol, cigarettes and bhang reported skipping their lunch or eating very little in favour of drugs because they lack appetite. The remaining 48% of teenagers who abused cocaine reported skipping their meals or not eating at all until they are extremely hungry. This exposes them to malnourishment and low immunity systems, which expose them to high risk of contracting diseases of all kinds. In general, out of the 50 percent of the teenagers involved in the study, 20 percent had skin disease, 35 percent suffered malnutrition, 25 were requiring critical medication due to various complications and 20 percent were HIV/AIDS positive. On school performance, only 1% of students who addicted drugs scored above pass mark in class. Teachers and statistics revealed that 89% of students who break school rules are drug addicts. Once a teenager is addicted to drugs, he or she develops low self esteem and poor social relationship with other members of the society (Towberman & McDonald, 1993). The study revealed that 40 percent of teenagers who abused drugs had very low confidence and self esteem compared to non-addicts. In fact 78 percent of the teenagers who abused drugs were aware that drug abuse is a social evil and preferred being left alone with their problems. Majority of teenager agreed that they only feel confident when around their fellow drug addicts. This poor social relationship costs teenage good social health because they always avoid conversation with people who can help them get out of drugs. In the study, only 5 % of the teenagers who addicted drugs shared their problems with people away from their drug rings, but 94% of non-drug addicts shared their problems with teachers, their parents and colleagues. The remaining 95% of teen addicts did not find it easy to share their problems with their relatives, or other friends who did not use drugs because they feared being intimidated, punished or secluded. PART II: RESEARCH PROPOSAL Topic: The health problems associated with drug addiction among teenagers in the society Background to the Study Globally, teenagers have been diversely affected by drug addiction. This has triggered a concern in the society due to the various health problems cropping up from the same, which need to be addressed urgently. This study is going to assess the health problems of drug addiction among teenagers in the society. Statement of the Problem Drug addiction among teenagers remains a societal issue and a public health problem because drug abuse and addiction can increase the risk of violence, HIV/AIDS infection, and injuries among other social evils. Some of the health problems caused by drug addiction among teenagers include: convulsions, mental deterioration, and lack of alertness, which exposes one to accidents, damage of body organs and liver, retardation of the developing fetus for pregnant drug users, severe psychological dependence, and death in extreme cases (Kandel, 1982). Objectives of the Study 1. To find out the problems associated with drug abuse and addiction among teenagers 2. To examine the, social, political, economic, and ethical implications of drugs abuse among the teenagers Justification of the Study This study is significant because, drug addiction among teenagers in the world today is alarming. Teenagers are considered to be the leaders of tomorrow hence if the society fails to raise morally upright teenagers, in the future we are not going to have unhealthy leaders who lack the capacity and energy to lead. It is, therefore, significant to study the health problems associated with drug addiction among teenagers in the society and look out for means of curing the problems and preventing future problems associated with the same. Scope and Limitation of the Study This research will be undertaken in some selected secondary schools in Clinton County because most teenagers are at secondary school, and it will be easier reaching them in school instead of going from one household to another searching out for teenagers. This sample will represent the whole population of teenagers in the United States. The limitation of this study is that some teenagers who are already in drugs may not be willing to disclose it but the researcher will assure them that the information will not be used to intimidate them. Realistic Timeline for Completing the Proposed Project This project will take six months because the researcher will use only base the study in Clinton County in Iowa to represent all other teenagers in the United States. Six months will be enough time for the researcher to go to the field, collect data, analyze data and report the findings. The Number of People Needed To Conduct the Research Project from a Staffing Perspective The researcher will need to hire three staff members to assist him in the research because it will be tedious for the researcher to collect the data for the research alone. This will ensure efficiency because research assistants will enable the researcher to complete the research according to the set time frame. Statistical analysis method to be used in the project This study will use descriptive statistics whereby it will summarize the data collected and further describe the features observed in the sample either graphically or numerically (Babbie, 2003). Numerical descriptors like standard deviation, mean, and mode will be used as well as frequency and percentages whereby categorical data like age will be described. The Number of Subjects Required for the Study This study will use a sample of 234 subjects from a total population of 600 who will be identified through random sampling method from all the secondary schools in Clinton County of Iowa. This roughly means that for the six months allocated for this research, three months will be spent in the field collecting data, and three other months will be used to code, analyze, and preparing the report and disseminating the findings. The importance of this Study This study is important because it will highlight the health problems of drug addiction among teenagers and further investigate their impact ethically, socially, emotionally, economically, and politically. After the study the researcher will make recommendations that will be useful for the government and other interested stakeholders in preventing future drug addiction among the teenagers. Relevant stakeholders and organizations like United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and National Institute On Drug Abuse (NIDA) will as well benefit from this study if they adopt it because they will get to understand better the health problems associated with drug addiction among teenagers and the effects of these problems as well as the recommendations on what can be done to do away with drug abuse, which leads to drug addiction. Conclusion The results of the conducted study reveal that there are various social, behavioral, and health complications associated with teen addicts, and which are not exhibited by non-addict students. These differences inhere from the effects of drugs and the damage is far reaching. Behavioral outcomes are for instance indulgence in uncontrolled sex, engaging in crime and other unethical traits that are not displayed by non-addict students. Drug addiction also contributes to poor health and vulnerability to diseases. Therefore, drug users are generally disadvantaged in life and they are unlikely to lead quality lives. Factors such as family background, drug perception in their culture, peer influence and mass media are among the factors that influence teens to take drugs. These factors are backed by personal, group and social forces that act on the drug addicts. Drug abuse has personal, professional and even ethical implications, which contribute to challenges that teenagers face while in drugs. According to the study results, most teenagers who abuse drugs display redundant psychological development that results to poor health, behavioral change, social seclusion and moral decadence that renders their lives hopeless compared to non-addicts. References Babbie, E. (2003). The Practice of Social Research (10th ed.). Wadsworth, Thomson Learning Inc. Hansen, W. B., Graham, J.W., Sobel, J. L., Shelton, D. R., Flay, B. R., & Johnson, C.A. (1987). The consistency of peer and parent influences on tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use among young adolescents. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 10, 559-579. Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F., & Miller, J. Y. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: Implications for substance abuse prevention. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 64-105. Irvin, D. 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