Teenage Illegal Drug Use
THESIS OUTLINE
Young people using illegal drugs.
Reasons for why teens use drugs.
Enhance pleasure.
Instant gratification.
Lack of confidence.
Common risk factors associated with drugs.
Family history.
Mental or behavioral disorder.
Impulse control problems.
Risk of accidents and deaths due to drug overdose.
Poison deaths.
Statistics about drug misuse.
Increase in road accidents.
Drug affects family relationships.
How drugs affect parents and siblings.
Destructive behavior of parents.
Effects of drugs on Academics.
Statistics and facts of teen use drugs and alcohol in colleges.
Drop out from schools.
Maintain gangs.
Peer pressure.
Prevention tips.
Build emotional ties.
Confront problems quickly.
TEENAGE ILLEGAL DRUG USE
THESIS STATEMENT:
Teenage illegal drug use is a problem in the world today, using drugs increases risk of accidents, ruin family relationships, job prospects and academic failure.
TEENS USE ILLEGAL DRUGS:
Teenage illegal drug use is common in today’s world. Not every teen uses drugs; there are several risks by using drugs, which include an increase in accidents, ruining family relationships and academic failure. Drug addiction or use is highest among teens and late 20’s, according to the national survey by national survey on drug use and health NSDUH (2013), the drug usage among teenagers varied in people aged between 12-18, most of them are using illegal drugs. Teens are addicted to drugs to enhance pleasure, fun, self-medication, lack of confidence, to vary their conscious experience, relive pain, to promote and enhance social collaboration by Larsen, (n.d). From the book, drug abuse sourcebook (2013), teens take drugs to maintain gang, to escape or relax, to relive boredom, rebel and peer pressure. Illegal drugs are very hazardous used by teens (p.100). According to Dasha (2014), 60% of Canada teenagers use illegal drugs between ages 15 to 24. Teenagers also use drugs on an occasional basis and used as a part of a social life that can include parties and dating. In India, teenagers few teenagers are addicted to drugs, in villages most of them use marijuana. Europe has less number of teenagers compared with American teenagers. Drugs can affect very quickly and without knowing them, the length of time that it effects varies, it depends on how much quantity of drug taken, some drugs are legal when lawfully used for medical purposes. However, that does not mean drugs are safe. As per the survey UNODC in 2014 countries like Australia, United States of America, Spain, Urban Afghanistan and Pakistan, the illicit use of drugs is more common among the men and women.
The most common risk factors associated with drugs in teenage are family history, mental or behavioral disorders and impulse control problems. Mostly, the problem starts from family history. Especially when teen parents are having drug problem, this affects the child has or teen behavior and can increase the risk to try drugs (NIDA, 2012). Depression and anxiety or deficit hyperactivity disorders in teenage can increase more risk with the use of drugs. Those who are addicted to drugs would likely going to have mental disorder problems; they suffer often from mood and anxiety disorder. This may cause physical illness or disability, brain damage. The most common factor that teens affected by impulse control disorders, this involves chronic problems in one’s ability his or her emotions and behaviors. Due to lack of self-control, teens suffer from these disorders and experience disruptions in social, personal, family and academic aspects. Using drugs, exposure to violence, family history are most common risk factors faced by teens.
Parents should take care of the children’s health and behavioral problems; they should be vigilant on drug use. In the article “Young people and illegal drugs” the Australian government (2013), parents can make children healthy and safe role model, teach them how to make good decisions-get the facts, find out the risks and plan family events they can take part in. they have to keep eye on behavior and feelings. Sometimes young people who are depressed or have mental illness use drugs to help them cope with feeling bad, as per south Australian government (2013). Teens might be unusual behavior, silence, anger towards, change of friends and change in physical appearance in teens who use drugs by Australian government in the article young people and illegal drugs (2013).
RISK OF ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS DUE TO DRUG OVERDOSE:
The majority of the accidents and deaths in teenage are caused due to drug overdose. From the book drug abuse Larsen, (n.d.), explained about the risk of accidents and deaths are due to drug over dose. Every drug is a poison; a large amount of drug can kill the person due to accidents and poison. The legal and illegal drugs root the vast majority of poisoning deaths; According to the 2013, national survey on drug and health (NSDUH) and NIDA (2014), an approximate 9.9 million-teenager aged 12 or older are driving under the influence of illicit drugs during the year prior. This is the lower compared with 2012 by National Highway Traffic Safety and Administration (NHTSA). Vehicle accidents are lead to cause poisoning deaths from injuries among the young people between ages 16 to 19 statement by (NIDA) Drug driving; nearly 9 out of 10 deaths caused by illegal drug usage; in past four decades the motor vehicle traffic deaths increased due to poisoning by drug uses that are unintentional, suicides, undetermined intent. The comparison between boys and girls, the ratio is 2:3 compared from 1999. According to international statistics in 2005, over 4.4 million teenagers in the US admitted taking prescription painkillers and almost 50% of teens believe that prescription drugs are much safer than illegal street drugs. Up to 60 percent to 70 percent of prescription drugs used as source of drug for teenagers by drug free world by Goldberg, C. (2013, April 22). According to the World drug report (2013), few countries as Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are the mostly affected in Asia related deaths using illicit drugs. In Africa, around 17,500 numbers of people including teenagers are drug related deaths (WHO, 2012).
Overall, drugs can increase to accidents risk regardless of the presence of alcohol; the contribution of drugs was significantly higher than that produced by alcohol. Use of drugs while driving tends to fatal and serious injuries.
DRUG AFFECTS FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS:
When a child gets addicted to drugs, the entire family unit suffers of physical and mental health (Beth Covelli, 2014). According to American government survey, one in 10 teenagers between 12 and 17 years of age are illicit drugs (2009).
Parents and siblings have a key role in modeling and the reinforcement of drug use by teens. Most of the Drug abuse has a lot of stress on parents and siblings declined in their health related to stress of living with the child’s drug problem by Laura (n.d). Drug use can compact parent-child relationships to prevent drug use and the family conflicts might increase, when teen take drugs they may forget because their focus is on getting and taking drugs and they may lie or steal money to purchase drugs by Nefer, B. (2005). The teen drug user might do anything that upsets neighbors and friends and make the family ashamed. Some teens who are addicted are out of control and do not see about the problems causing by themselves in drug facts by NIDA. Younger siblings of drug users can identified as at increased risk of drug exposure and intention. If the parents or brothers who addicted to drugs they may spoil the relationships in family. Most of the siblings exposed to drugs because they share the same room or house (Larsen, n.d). Drug use has a major impact on relationships; it effects the emotional, financial and psychological of the entire family and friends.
The drug use tends to blame on others in families, the situations may cause negative effects on younger siblings.
EFFECTS OF DRUGS USE ON ACADEMICS:
Drug use on campuses is universal. According to Health study, 90% of teens have used drugs and many of their classmates are using illegal drugs stated by co-students in the schools and colleges. Students usually dropout from schools or colleges due to illegal drugs, about 17 percent of students, 2.8 million are abusing drugs in school days in United States of America. Most of the schools are like hubs for drug activity with 44 percent of high school students who sells and use drugs by Reinberg, S. (2011, November 7). Private school students reported 54 percent of drugs available in schools and 61 percent of students are drug infected in public schools. In the article, “Effects of drugs and alcohol on Academic life”, 95% of the college campus violence related to drugs, over 60 percent of all college women intoxicated using drugs.
Teenagers feel pressured to use drugs at parties and social gathering; they use drugs to get relieved from work related stress, financial worries or relationship problems and for feeling of shyness. Illicit drug use among dropouts was higher than for those in school (31.4 percent vs. 18.2 percent). Teenagers who use drug are more likely than non-users to drop out of school and less likely than non-users to graduate from high school. According to research at Colorado State University, teen drug abuse increases the risk of failure at schools. Poor academic performance can lead to increase truancy and dropout rates. The drugs are the main factor for teen violence; students with violent tendencies are likely to resist authority by (university of Illinois).
Drug use can cause teenagers more vulnerable to depression and suicidal behavior. The symptoms of depression can manifest themselves in the form of being late to class and unable to complete assignments and other activities (Turner, 2009). Most of the teenagers maintain gangs to protect themselves (Lares, n.d). Some youth attend schools where violence is all too familiar and physical fighting is frequent relied upon to settle disputes (OSWALT, 2011) in Exposure to Violence.
The influence of social media and electronic media can be negatively affecting the young people in many ways like exposing them to violence, reinforcing the importance of money. A staggering three quarters of teens between ages of 12 and 17 years old admitted that seeing photos of fellow classmates using drugs on social media encouraged them to do the same from the article “The influence of social media and teen drug use”. They are exposing them to extreme violence, which can desensitize them to reality, reinforcing the importance if money, consumerism and status symbol in Australia (2015). The main reason for the gang violence are the use and sale of drugs in campus, disputes over gang territory, gang rivalries and fights among members of the other gang.
PREVENTION TIPS:
The best know fact about prevention about the illegal drug use is “Not to take drugs”. To live a healthy life and drug free life there are few prevention tips for parents, faculty and teenagers:
Parents have to keep time for kids to know about the kid’s schedule of the day. They should be vigilant about their children’s, make family dinner as often, spend time, and share the views, know about the friends. This can build emotional ties between parents and children’s (Phoenix house, 2012). Students will experience freedom and this may result with drug use, the use of illegal drugs is always dangerous. Faculty and university should change behavior of the student even he refuse your help and they should interact with students to avoid the drug culture.
CONCLUSION:
To conclude, illegal drug use will be impact on the teenagers and increase the risk factors including accidents, crimes, academic failure. All of these issues are very significant to the individual teen, the family and society. Teenagers should know the facts and knowledge about the drug use and its effects and they can live drug free life.
REFERENCE:
(AMERICAN PSYCOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION)
BARNARD, M. (2005, April 27). Drugs in the family: The impact on parents and siblings | Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Retrieved May 3, 2015, from http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/drugs-family-impact-parents-and-siblings
DrugFacts: Drugged Driving. (2014, December 1). Retrieved April 26, 2015, from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/drugged-driving
Drugs – teenagers – Better Health Channel. (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2015, from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.Nsf/pages/Drugs_teenagers?open
Goldberg, C. (2013, April 22). National Study: Teen Misuse and Abuse of Prescription Drugs Up 33 Percent Since 2008, Stimulants Contributing to Sustained Rx Epidemic – Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. Retrieved May 3, 2015, from http://www.drugfree.org/newsroom/national-study-teen-misuse-and-abuse-of-prescription-drugs-up-33-percent-since-2008-stimulants-contributing-to-sustained-rx-epidemic/
Larsen, L. (2014). Drug abuse sourcebook: Basic consumer health information about the abuse of cocaine, club drugs, marijuana, inhalants, heroin, hallucinogens, and other illicit substances and the misuse of prescription and over-the-counter medications; along with facts and statistics about drug use and addiction, treatment and recovery, drug testing, drug abuse prevention and intervention, glossaries of related terms, and directories of resources for additional help and information (4th ed.). OMNIGRAPHICS.
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National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugged Driving Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/drugged-driving on April 22, 2015
Nefer, B. (2005). Drug abuse and relationships. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. Retrieved January 7, 2015, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/195062-drug-abuse-relationships/
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Simple Methods to Prevent Your Teen from Using Drugs or Alcohol. (2012, September 19). Retrieved April 30, 2015, from http://www.phoenixhouse.org/news-and-views/news-and-events/simple-methods-to-prevent-your-teen-from-using-drugs-or-alcohol/
THE EFFECT OF DRUG AND alcohol on academic life. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2015, from https://www.fit.edu/caps/documents/effects of drugs.pdf
The Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on Academic Life. (2011, September 21). Retrieved May 2, 2015, from http://sobercollege.com/2011/the-effects-of-drugs-and-alcohol-on-academic-life/
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