Drugs and Teenagers

Drugs and Teenagers

Drug use is one of the most serious and concerning issues among teenagers in today's high schools. Most drug use begins in the preteen and teenage years, and it is these years that can be the most crucial in determining how a young person develops as a human being. During these years adolescents are faced with difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, clarifying their sexual roles, asserting independence, learning to cope with authority and searching for goals that give their lives meaning. Drugs are so readily available in modern society that the vast majority of teens throughout Australia would have absolutely no problem in finding someone capable of selling them the drugs. Throughout their teen years, adolescents are curious and vulnerable, and extremely susceptible to the various forms of peer pressure. Many teens also feel the need to escape from certain situations or conflicts that have arisen in their daily lives. The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer pressure, curiosity, and availability. The severity of drugs and the level to which they are understood by modern teen society is an issue that all of us should be concerned with. While the basics of drugs are understood, when asked, many teenagers will be able to tell you little more than, "drugs are bad". This is very true, but somehow doesn't stop many teenagers from using drugs, and many more from trying them. It is therefore imperative that all adolescents should understand the effect of drugs, the reason for drugs, and how they can destroy a young person's life through their poisonous and lethal chemical make up. Once properly informed of these facts, teens can hopefully then make the correct choice and avoid all forms of illegal, and legal, drugs.

Here is a personal example of drug use from a teenager. "When I started using, it was only curiosity, and I only really did it every other weekend, at parties. I used drugs like cigarettes and marijuana to fit in with everyone. I had problems and conflicts in my life, but none were really that serious, however drugs like Ð''pot' helped make me happy and have fun. I started to Ð''need' drugs, and I kept using them. However it took more to satisfy the urge and as I grew older I started to experiment with cocaine, which is of course much stronger and satisfied my craving for drugs much better. Finally I injected heroin into my veins, I almost died. It was at that point that I fully realised the depth of my addiction"

In today's high schools we all know how readily available drugs are, and even more so