Christian Adams
Mr. Wickey
English IV- Term Paper
28 April 2014
Term Paper
Why do teenagers abuse drugs? Not only is it dangerous it is also illegal to even do drugs in the first place. There are many drugs in this world and some are abused more than others. The issue I am going to talk about is teen drug abuse and why it is awful. There are a lot more things teens can do than to wake up and not remember what they even did last night or not even wake up at all.
The most abused drug among teenagers would be prescription medication. In nineteen ninety-nine two hundred twenty one thousand people age twelve or over had used oxycontin without a prescription. In two thousand that number jumped to three hundred ninety nine thousand. And in 2001 that number more than doubled to nine hundred and fifty seven thousand people. As you can see there are a lot of people abusing just one prescription medication (Opposing Viewpoints 58). Abusing prescription drugs is so bad that more people have died from heroin and cocaine combined. Some more of the prescription drugs abused are vicodin, Xanax, valium, and Adderall. Teens will take pills more than prescribed or by crushing them up and snorting them. Some of the reasons that teens abuse prescription drugs are to get high; they think that it will help them with their school work, or to relieve pain. Interestingly, teenage boys and girls usually abuse them for different reasons. Usually boys abuse them to get high and girls abuse them to focus or to lose weight. No matter what the reason is there should be no reason why teens let alone anybody should be abusing prescription medicine that much. The numbers will also only continue to rise. Abusing pills will usually lead to an overdose which almos...
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...got hooked on drugs and it took those people about five years to get off of them completely. Some people never get off drugs once they start because they become so addicted to them that they depend on them; especially if they get started on some of the more addicting drugs like meth, heroin, or cocaine. Those are probably hands down the three most addicting drugs out there. Most people who go to a rehab facility will end up back on drugs at some point in their life. Unless they get away from the people you used to run around with when you were hooked, because they will try and get you hooked on them again.
In conclusion with the very reliable statistics and facts it is easy to see that teen drug abuse or any drug abuse at that is a very bad thing. It is very easy to get addicted to drugs and once you’re on them you are more than likely to start on other drugs.
Drug abuse in teens has risen tremendously in America. Although, there are many causes and effects of using drugs, there are many ways to prevent teens from doing them. Even though some teens become addicted to recreational drugs, there are many ways to treat addiction and ultimately live a healthy and stable life.
Dr. Wilkie Watson is a neuropharmacologist at Duke and is a co-author of the book, Buzzed: The Straight Facts About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy. Dr. Watson presented facts concerning the affects of alcohol, marijuana and other drugs on the adolescents mind. The frontal cortex of the adolescent brain is not fully developed therefore, individuals under the age of twenty-one are more susceptible to addiction and other harmful consequences. At this stage in neurological development, the brain can respond adversely to different drugs, which can result in chronic mental impairments. Adolescent brains are not fully wired until the age of twenty-one so individuals are more likely to be unable to plan effectively, hold several thoughts at once and inhibit inappropriate behavior. Drugs generally create a more intense and longer lasting high for adolescents compared to adults. Studies also suggest that children that begin drug use at an earlier age are more likely to become dependent to drugs in adulthood. Approximately 30%-50% of kids age 13-15 who regularly drink will become alcoholics. Chronic drug use can cause possibly fatal effect and changes in the brain.
The most common prescription drug that many teenage drug abusers may be stealing or trying to purchase online would be opioids, also known as narcotics, which include drugs such as OxyContin, morphine, and Percocet (5). Narcotics are drugs that are used to relieve pain, triggering a sense of euphoria from the brain’s pleasure center. Many teens may abuse narcotics to feel that sense of pleasure (5). Another prescription medication that teenagers commonly abuse are stimulants, such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Dexedrine. These drugs stimulate dopamine production in the brain, lifting moods and calming anxiety, which is why it is a commonly abused prescription drug (5). Due to the easy accessibility with some of these prescription medications and their high potential for abuse, teenagers who abuse them are putting their mind’s and bodies at risk for the many side effects that come along with abusing drugs, which can sometimes be fatal.
Runaway’s teens often encounter problems with drugs such having an addiction. An addiction is a chronic brain disease that causes a person to find drugs in unwanted places, despite how harmful they are to them (Addiction p.4).Taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, research shows that in earlier stages a person using drugs is more likely to be more seriously
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.
Of the main reason teenagers use drugs because of something they have seen, heard or being influenced by others. Teenagers are easy influenced. When one of their friend get a hold of some kinds of drugs he or she peer pressures others on doing it. Teenage life is when a person tries to figure out their life. At that time they take influence from everyone. Even if the influence is doing drugs. A lot of teenagers also do drugs just so they can seem friendly or outgoing. While being peer pressured by others they can easily say no. However, by saying so they think it will make them less friendly or they might lose their friend. Therefore they do it just so they can maintain the friend
A drug is a substance that modifies one or more of the body’s functions when it is consumed. Therefore, many common foods qualify as drugs. According to this definition, some of our most cherished beverages such as tea, coffee, and cola are drugs. However this paper focuses on drugs that are abused by teenagers. Surveys show that cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and inhalants are the most commonly used drugs among teenagers age thirteen through eighteen. One of the most startling findings from recent data is the degree to which to which teenagers are now involved in drug use. This drug abuse problem has gotten worse. Perhaps our society must hit “rock bottom” before changes can occur.
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).
Among teens in the United States, some of the most commonly abused drugs are prescription drugs.
Adolescences in particular can be easily influenced to abusing a drug or multiple drugs. I believe this happens because teens often lack education, live in an environment where drugs are readily available, are peer-pressured and the lack of proper growth of the frontal lobe. Many factors contribute to adolescences experimenting with drugs. As side from being a child, the adolescence stage is of great importance. Healthy habits and activities are supposed to be instilled within this stage of life. The adolescence stage can be very perplexing and what is made into a habit then is easily carried on into adulthood. Our genes act together with our environment to contribute to the addictive behaviors we are motivated to develop. If addiction is left untreated it can ultimately lead to de...
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.
Recreational drugs are not limited to any particular group in society meaning that a very wide variety of people choose to use these drugs these of course include teenagers, parents, business people and often very dedicated students for a number of reasons. For a long time the common misconception that only youths use drugs and those who do are disrespectful and dishonest has become out dated and inaccurate. Teenagers can use drugs and there are certainly individuals who do who are disrespectful and dishonest however this is more likely to do with an individual’s personality than their use or experimentation of drugs.
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.
Each day drugs make a huge impact on our generation. Throughout this topic I would like to know what causes teenagers to try illegal drugs and how impacts their lives. Drugs can affect a person in different parts of their lives. For example their education, work, personal life, and can affect the relationship with their family and friends.