Introduction In today’s society, teens are a common target of anti-drug campaigns and government advertisements. The goal of these campaigns is to make teens and young adults aware of the dangers associated with drug use. While these campaigns are generally effective, teens are still greatly tempted by the dangerous, exciting, and fast-paced world of club drugs. Despite the information they are constantly receiving from their teachers, parents, and government media, some teenagers will still adamantly pursue drugs in hopes of finding “a good time.” Some of the club drugs that teens are likely to try are extremely dangerous and can ruin a person’s mental or physical health with just a few uses. Because teenagers’ nervous systems are still developing, it is very easy for them to become addicted to drugs after even one use. The lifestyle that can be brought about by the use of club drugs can be a vicious cycle of self-destruction, and can have a rapid detrimental effect on a teen’s chances to excel in life. However, many times facts are skewed by media and government agencies in order to keep teens off drugs. While this sort of propaganda has good intentions, many people find it morally unjust to deliberately misinform people, even for their own benefit. Some risks are greatly exaggerated, and some of the “facts” which are commonly accepted are barefaced lies. In this report, I hope to create a source of unbiased, legitimate facts about club drugs and the ways they are used by teens, and the effects that they can have on a teenager’s life. I believe it is better to know and understand the risks of drug use, and make an educated decision about using them, than to be told what to think and what to do by another person. Ketamine Hydrochloride (“K”, “Special K”, “Ket”, “Vitamin K”, “Cat Tranquilizer”) Ketamine is one of the lesser-known club drugs around today, and gets far less media coverage than other more common drugs. It has been used as a veterinary and medical anesthetic since 1965, and was known for producing a fairly safe, if unusual, anesthesia in patients. It was only in 1999 that Ketamine became a controlled substance in the United States, after governmental anti-drug agencies took note of people using it as a recreational drug. &... ... middle of paper ... ...ments can be made for or against this statement, but the fact remains true that many people are concerned about drug use in teens. Combating and reducing sales and use of club drugs is not an easy task, nor one that will be accomplished quickly, if at all. This isn’t going to stop people from trying. As long as there are teens who abuse drugs, there will be people fighting to stop them, for better or for worse. Bibliography 1. “Teens’ use of meth growing.” The Daily Oakland Press. Posted by an anonymous internet user. April 11, 2005. http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/041105/edu_20050411011.shtml 2. “Dark Crystal: Crystal Meth Across Canada.” CBC News. Author’s name not available. March 23, 2005. http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/darkcrystal/canada.html 3. “Ecstasy.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica premium Service. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9343568&query=ecstasy&ct= 4. Berube, Margery S., et al. “LSD”, “Ecstasy”, “Methamphetamine”, “Ketamine”. The American Heritage College Dictionary. 2000. 5. Multiple Anonymous Posters. “GHB”, “MDMA”, “Meth”, “Ketamine”, “LSD”. Erowid.org.* http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/psychoactives.shtml
Everyday people are peer pressured and influenced into multiple unhealthy behaviors. Acts such smoking, alcoholism, and unprotected intercourse are frequent issues in any lifestyle. Friends, family, and especially the media have a way of twisting a person’s mindset into believing these unhealthy choices are safe. Currently, the most reoccurring phenomenon is issues with drugs. More often than not, there are reports on people misusing and abusing drugs, particularly celebrities and athletes.
Masci, David. “Preventing Teen Drug Use.” CQ Researcher, 15 March, 2002, Volume 12, No. 10. Accessed October 1, 2003,
Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfill different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of adulthood. Teens may be just as likely to resort to drugs with ‘speedy’ side effects, like Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription painkillers to check out of reality. Pressures on teens are growing, to succeed in sports or to get high grades to get into a good college (Pressures on today’s teens, 2008, theantidrug). Furthermore, because prescriptions drugs are prescribed by doctors they are less likely to be seen as deleterious to teens’ health. A lack of awareness of the problem on the part of teens, parents and society in general, the over-medication of America, and the greater stresses and pressures put upon teens in the modern world have all conspired to create the growing problem of prescription drug abuse by teens.
In developing prevention efforts that target young people, prevention managers must design strategies to counter the increasing use and widespread availability of the club drug Ecstasy. Known as “the party drug,” Ecstasy is both a stimulant and a hallucinogen, and its effects are potentially life-threatening.
Drugs cause an overall disturbance in a subjects’ physiological, psychological and emotional health. “At the individual level, drug abuse creates health hazards for the user, affecting the educational and general development of youths in particular” (“Fresh Challenge”). In youth specifically, drug abuse can be triggered by factors such as: a parent’s abusive behavior, poor social skills, family history of alcoholism or substance abuse, the divorce of parents or guardians, poverty, the death of a loved one, or even because they are being bullied at school (“Drugs, brains, and behavior”) .
Most people do not understand how a person become addicted to drugs. We tend to assume that is more an individual problem rather than a social problem. However, teen substance abuse is indeed a social problem considered a priority for the USA department of public health due to 9 out of 10 Americans with addictions started using drugs before the age 18 (CASA Columbia University). Similarly, 1 in 4 Americans with addictions started using the substance during their teenage years, which show a significant different with 1 in 25 Americans with addiction who started using at 21 or older (CASA, 2011).
Teens are resourceful and imaginative. When charged with developing programs and projects for reaching their peers with antidrug messages, young people nationwide have suggested and implemented a teen activity center, training for teens to help peers, puppet shows or other performances that dramatize an antidrug message, youth workshops, "fun days" that feature positive alternatives to drugs, peer counseling and mentoring, awareness campaigns, community patrols, school-based youth projects, antidrug murals, cross-age teaching, athletic contests with law enforcement sponsorship and participation,
Murphey, D., Barry, M., Vaughn, B., Guzman, L., & Terzian, M. (2013). Adolescent health highlight: Use of illicit drugs. Child Trends, 2013-11.
...olescences to abuse drugs depending on the influencing stimuli. We must educate the adolescences on respectable behavior and consequences to drug seeking behaviors and addiction.
Teenagers are known to put a great deal of energy into things they enjoy. According to a well-known source “ Research shows that teens put a great deal of energy into concealing drug and alcohol use” (Look for signs). This means, if the teenager enjoys using drugs, they are going to put as much energy as it takes to get these drugs.
It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them.
Drug abuse has always been a problem in college and it is increasing more each year. Drugs are being used by students to alleviate stress and to get a break from the high demand put on them by classes, and also to focus on their studies in order to learn the material that they are being taught. Substance abuse is the biggest drug problem on college campuses. Alcohol is a drug and is included when drugs are mentioned. Drugs are so prevalent and widely-used on college campuses around the country for various reasons, but it is important that we reduce the amount of drug abuse by students.
Few people deny the dangers of drug use, while many teens are curious about drugs. They should stay away from drugs because drugs affect our health, lead to academic failure, and jeopardizes safety. Drugs are used from a long period of time in many countries. The concentration of drugs has increased from late 1960’s and 1970’s. Drugs can quickly takeover our lives. Friends and acquaintance have the greatest influence of using drugs during adolescence.
Another way to help teens avert from using alcohol is to make sure that teens are educated in the dangers and consequences of t...
Another problem is use of illegal drugs by teenagers and young adults. As usage of drugs such as ecstasy and marijuana become more popular on "underground" scenes, people seem to find it acceptable to engage in casual drug use. Many young people do not realize the harmful effects of these substances until it is too late. The lives of America's y...