Drug and alcohol abuse in teenagers is on the rise. Many lives have been ruined because of this, either by losing their health, going to jail, or even dying. Many teenagers think that it is cool to do drugs, smoke or inject, and to drink. It makes them feel good on the inside and to get away from the stress inducing real world. It also acts as a social gathering. There are many ways to prevent this problem. The first is that communities should “crack down” on drugs. The second is that, although it is not the best option, legalizing certain drugs. The final solution is to seek help by outsiders, family, friends, or even a counselor.
Investigating support options, released in February 2008, revealed some shocking statistics on binge drinking and drug use among young teenagers. The main drugs used by teens include: marijuana, lsd, cocaine, cannabis, and prescription pain relievers like Adderol. “It found that one- in- ten twelve to seventeen- year-olds engage in binge drinking in any given week. This figure was even higher among sixteen to seventeen-year-olds, with one- in- five binge drinking on a weekly basis. The report also found that one-in-seven secondary school students have used cannabis” (Gross).
Communities need to “crack down” on drugs in neighborhoods. Searching in schools, and at home gives the impression that there is a lack of trust, but the teenager will understand that they cannot get away with bringing drugs or alcohol into the house. Parents who drink must make sure the alcohol is somewhere the teenager cannot get to. If paraphernalia is discovered then the punishment should be more severe than a slap on the wrist. Time in prison or boot camp would be making teenagers never want to get in trouble. Cracking down will cause teens to put the crack down. The trends would go down for adults as well in the future.
Legalizing drugs would be dangerous for the world, but would prevent teenagers from using. It is a psychological process. Reverse psychology is a persuasion technique involving the support of a behavior that is opposite to the one desired. The person will do the opposite of what is suggested. “This technique relies on the psychological phenomenon of reactance, in which a person has a negative emotional response in reaction to being persuaded, and thus chooses the option which is being advocated against” (Haymarket Business Publications). Reverse psychology is often used on children due to their lack of psychological understanding and higher rate of reactance.
Outside help can be very encouraging. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to overcoming the problem. Create a family- friendly work environment. The more comfortable the teen is the more he/ she will open up to talk. Most teens think that they cannot go to their family because they do not want to be judged or looked down on. Family is the best first option because they are the ones that care the most, so showing you care helps the teens. Friends are the next best solution, trust worthy and responsible friends help lead the teens to a better road in life. Finally going to a counselor; this may be a scary experience for most because there is not a strong bond between the counselor and teen. Counselors know just what to say to help, they are professionals at it. Encourage the teen to see the counselor about their problem and give support to them.
All the above things will help to prevent future abuse of alcohol and drugs in teenagers. Some teens will decide not to start, while others will give up on the drugs and drinking. This is completed by cracking down, legalizing the drugs and drinking ages, and encourage the teens to seek help.
Bond, GR. "TESS and teen drug abuse: using prescription ADHD drugs to examine the utility of toxic exposure surveillance system." Journal of Toxicology: Clinical Toxicology 40.5 (2002): 652+. General OneFile. Web. 29 Sept. 2010.
Gross, Kate. "Report reveals alarming teen alcohol and drug abuse." Youth Studies Australia June 2008: 3+. General OneFile. Web. 29 Sept. 2010.
"Opinion: The use and abuse of reverse psychology." GP 13 Nov. 2009: 28. General OneFile. Web. 29 Sept. 2010.
Pulskamp, Ken. "Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reconnect With Your Family." Public Management 81.8 (1999): 20. General OneFile. Web. 29 Sept. 2010.
Which solution did you believe was the best choice?
a) cracking down
b) legalizing drugs
c) getting help
