...The Drug Abuse Epidemic and Today’s Teenagers Drug abuse among teenagers has been an issue since the 1980’s when programs such as D.A.R.E., (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), were implemented. Using the slogan “Just Say No”, the program trained school officials and police officers to teach techniques and children and adolescents effective ways to resist experimenting with all drugs, including tobacco and alcohol. While there has been some success, this epidemic has become a major problem in today’s society that is not getting better due to the availability of prescription and over the counter medications, continued funding cuts for athletics and other extra-curricular activities and the increase in teenagers being left unsupervised. The availability of prescription and over the counter medications has made abuse easier among teens. Many parents do not even realize the dangers that are in their own medicine cabinets. “In 2011, 22% of 12th graders indicated misuse of a prescription drug without medical supervision in their lifetime; and 15% over the past year.” During that same time, one in 12 high school seniors reported that in the past year they had obtained the prescription pain reliever Vicodin, and one in 20 high school seniors used OxyContin for non-medical uses. And 70% of those teens surveyed had stated they obtained them from family and friends. (“Prescription” 2011). “Enough prescription painkillers were prescribed in 2010 to medicate every American adult around-the-clock...
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...Prescription Drug Abuse among Teens | Prescription Drug Epidemic Among Teens | Walden University | | Reasons and Prevention Strategies for Prescription Drug Abuse among Teens Overview Increasing abuse of prescription drugs among teens can be attributed to psychological, environmental, or behavioral conditions.Drug abuse in teens can be linked to other disorders or conditions which lead to drug abuse. Teens who abuse drugs are likely to become adults who abuse drugs. It is necessary to understand and address these underlying issues if successful prevention is to happen. First it is necessary to understand the magnitude of the problem 2.3 million Teens were abusing prescription drugs in 2003. (Controlled Prescription Drug Abuse at Epidemic Level, 2006) This is a very large number of teens abusing potentially addictive and deadly drugs. These numbers indicate a major problem with the potential to rapidly grow out of control if not addressed appropriately. In fact recent studies have found there has been an increase in prescription drug abuse among teens at an alarming rate. From 2005 to 2008 there was a 12% increase in prescription drug abuse among teens. (Elliot, Souder, Privette, &Richardson, 2008) This is a very large increase in a very short period of time. An increase such as this calls for further explanations on why this increase occurred so rapidly. Prevention methods need to be developed to avert teens from a life time of addiction. Teens who abuse prescription...
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...STATISTICS - TEEN DRUG USE, ABUSE AND ADDICTION In 2008, among persons with substance dependence or abuse, the proportion with dependence on or abuse of illicit drugs also was associated with age: 60.6 percent of youths aged 12 to 17 were dependent on or abused drugs compared with 37.4 percent of young adults aged 18 to 25 and 24.3 percent of adults aged 26 or older. Ages of Teens Vs Types of Drugs Used: Among youths aged 12 to 17, the types of drugs used in the past month varied by age group. Among 12 or 13 year olds, 1.5 percent used prescription-type drugs (xanax, Percocet, oxycontin, etc) nonmedically, 1.2 percent used inhalants (huffing aerosols), and 1.0 percent used marijuana. Among 14 or 15 year olds, marijuana was the most commonly used drug (5.7 percent), followed by prescription-type drugs used nonmedically (3.0 percent), inhalants (1.3 percent), and hallucinogens (1.0 percent). Marijuana also was the most commonly used drug among 16 or 17 year olds (12.7 percent); it was followed by prescription-type drugs used nonmedically (4.0 percent), hallucinogens (1.6 percent), cocaine (0.7 percent), and inhalants (0.7 percent). Persons 12 and older, classified with substance dependence, addiction, or abuse in 2008: In 2008, an estimated 22.2 million persons aged 12 or older were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year (8.9 percent of the population aged 12 or older). Of these, 3.1 million were classified with dependence on or abuse of both...
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...Prevent Substance Abuse in Adolescents Adolescent years can be really hard to deal with because of the many changes a teen can go through mentally and physically. Sometimes a teen can feel that turning to drugs or alcohol is the answer, which can lead to substance abuse. Substance abuse among teens can be one of the reasons they are not doing well in school, have problems with authority figures, drive under the influence and turn to having unprotected sexual relationships, resulting in a high risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS or HIV. The United States has the highest rate of adolescent drug use among teens who are around the ages of 12-17. Among these teens there are some risk factors that go along with the substance abuse. Teens may have poor self-esteem, learning disabilities, depression and other mood disorders, distancing from peers or family, aggression and physical or sexual abuse which can have serious effects on a teen and can lead to suicide. Substance abuse in teens can also be associated with disruptive behaviors such as conduct disorders, oppositional disorders like ADD or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder known as ADHD which can carry on into adulthood. There are other risk factors that can contribute to teens turning to drugs and alcohol and why teens continue to use these substances. For instance, peer pressure can have teens feel pressured to...
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...A drug is a substance that alters the mind, body or both. Drug use is the increasing problem among teenagers in colleges today. Most drug use begins in the preteen and teenage years, these years most crucial in the maturation process. Today children are subjected to all sorts of situations both good and bad. School systems are much more difficult to deal with nowadays. Most people from older generations still think that school is simple you go to class, go to lunch, bring home your homework and that’s it. This however is not the case anymore. Drugs are making their presence in schools more and more and it is becoming a very big problem. There are more steps that can be taken to help stop present juvenile drug abusers as well as prevent other children from even beginning. For example, programs should be set up for the students, something that will actually interest more students. There should also be support groups for parents who feel lost as to what they should do to guide their children. In 2007 according to the U.S. Census Bureau there were approximately 41,738 children between the ages of 10 and 19 living in the United States. In the same year according to the same source there were 160,410 drug related arrests in the United States involving children between the ages of 10 and 19. This includes possession charges and dealing charges. Keeping in mind that there are far fewer children than criminal arrests, this means that there are some children who get repeated offenses...
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...the illicit use of drugs in the United States (1999 NHSDA). In the words of Global Publishing Inc. “Drugs are very popular among teens for many reasons. Some reasons are peer pressure, stress, boredom, bad friends, and a bad neighborhood.” (Global Publishing Inc.). There can be many reasons, but the most common causes for most teens to abuse drugs are because of the easy availability of the drug, an easy escape from the stress of every day life, and to escape the many pressures from friends and peers. One cause of drug use in teens is the availability. Teens come across drugs almost everyday in high school and middle school. Boston University studies say, “80% of high school students and 44% of middle school students have reported that they have personally seen drugs used by peers, possession of drugs, or the buying and selling of them.” (Boston University). Because of this alarmingly high popularity of drugs on school campuses it is not hard for a student to come across any sort of drug. All a student would have to do is find someone using drugs, and then they can get some also. The second main cause for drug use in teens is to escape from the stress of everyday life. Teens are usually stressed over a number of things. Some of the things are, getting accepted to college, worrying about maintaining a job, staying in relationships, and not least of all handling all the responsibilities their parents lay on them. Many recent studies have shown that teens developed more stress...
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...my paper on is teenagers and drugs. Drug use and abuse is bad for all parties involved (adults and teenagers). But it is really destroying our teens. Today it is so easy for teenagers to obtain just about any type of drug that they would want. These drugs include marijuana(also known as weed, pot, kush, loud, etc..), methamphetamine (also known as meth, crystal, christine, christina, speed, ice, etc…), cocaine, crack, herion, PCP, sherm, ecstasy or molly’s, and lastly a very long list of prescription drugs. Anything that has a way in causing addiction in my opinion is a problem and needs to be at the front of the line to be addressed especially when it comes to our children. Teens use to have to go out into the streets and search for the drug of choice, but today many of use parents are bringing the drugs right to them and into our homes and giving our children an in home supply without even knowing it. Yes the drugs are right there in our bathroom medicine cabinets, on our dressers, and even in our purses. They are also readily available at just about any store that sells cold medicine. Something needs to be done soon before even more children/teens become addicted and even worse lose their lives due to your common cold medicines and pain killers. After marijuana, prescription drugs are the drugs most commonly abused by teenagers, the federal agency says (Los Angeles Times, 2005). Prescription drug use among teens continues to be on the rise...
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... "This is your brain on drugs". The message was powerful while at the same time informative. Smoking not only affects a person physically, but mentally as well. However, most people do not know the severe mental damage smoking inflicts since the focus is primarily on the physical effects. Drug abuse is becoming a growing problem among teenagers. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse's 1999 survey of 2,000 teens, about 14 million teens ages 12 to 17, 60% are at moderate or high risk of substance abuse1. A leading reason for this increasing number is that it is getting easier and easier to obtain drugs. Marijuana is easier to buy than beer, while cigarettes are the easiest to buy. Forty-seven percent of all teens say cigarettes are easiest to buy, 27% say marijuana and 12% say beer. The older the teen gets, the easier it is to buy marijuana rather than beer1. There are a number of different reasons teenagers begin to use drugs. Many kids use drugs for the same reasons adults use drugs- to get high, to feel happy, stimulated, relaxed, or intoxicated. Drugs can also be used to ease stress, frustration, tension, disappointment, fear or anger. Many teens turn to drugs when they feel as though they have no where or no else to turn to for help. Depression is a major reason teens might turn to drug abuse. They are overcome with a feeling of emptiness and hopelessness and tend to try to fill the void by using drugs. When teens are particularly stressed...
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...According to the National Survey on Drug Use, it is approximated that 24% of the population between the ages of 12 through 20 have engaged in underage drinking. Medical Experts say that alcohol can be used to increase metabolism and also helps with digestion. Despite the fact that it is against the law for college and high school students to consume alcohol, there is a large amount of teenagers experiencing the usage of alcohol. Even though it is said to be favorable, too much consumption has led to negative result and side effects. It is apparent that teenage alcohol abuses are basic problems that need to be taken up in society by our leaders, advisers and as well as the parents. Many people ask this question everyday, “Why do teenagers take prescription drugs?” Well most of the time teens wrongly believe that these drugs are more safe than regular drugs mainly because they are accessible to them from home or from friends. Breaking away from reality and being bored are the main reasons that teenagers abuse drugs. Peer pressure to continue friendships and relationships are also reasons that teenagers experiment with drugs. Teenagers also turn to drugs to cope. The stress of work, school, grades, sports, and making their parents proud is difficult for most teens to balance. On top of the day-to-day pressures, adolescent growth brings a huge collection of emotions and moods that can be hard to get through, as a result teenagers may turn to drugs...
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...January 14, 2013 Terry Kapfhammer Community Health Advocacy More than ever, thousands of young people experiment prohibited drugs. Whereas numerous of young teenagers by no means take their drug usage farther than the experimentation level, far too many will persist to absorb in this treacherous behavior until their drug abuse interrupts their lives. The most prevalent drugs of abuse among teenagers include alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs as well as common over-the-counter medications such as cough syrups containing pseudoephedrine and inhalants. This paper focuses on the drug abuse of prescription medications among teenagers from age 13 to 18 that has emerged as a public health concern and one that has evolved into epidemic levels. This seeks to elevate the visibility of the elapsed challenges, and problems associated with this epidemic. Prescription Medication Abuse: A Public Health Threat There is a compelling rationale that prescription medications are intentionally to be taken under the direction of a physician because if improperly consume these can be hazardous. Subsequently, teens are crafting decision to abuse prescription medications based on lack of information. In fact, numerous teens assumed that prescription medication abuse is safer than abusing illicit medications. Unfortunately, drug abuse pertaining to medication prescription is on the rise. This is the primary reason why this is relevant to me, more over because I have...
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...Native American Teen Health " Nearly one in Native American adolescents has attempted suicide, a rate four times that of other teenagers, according to a study that found alarming health problems on reservations." Suicide has a big affect on Native American teens. Providing more awareness about teen health in the Native American culture, would result in a fewer teen suicide." Native American teenagers/ Youth are planning on taking their life's or they have already took their life's for many reasons. Out of all the races Native American/ Alaskan Natives have the highest risk for teen suicide. In the article " Teen Suicide Statistics" has noted that "77.9% of all suicide are male and females has attempted suicide 3 times as often as males, fire arms are used in 51% of males suicides, also 38% of females suicides are use drugs ( poising) as the method of suicide." Statistics like these have shown many times they have tried to commit suicide. Suicide very's from Native communities to other Native communities around Native country. So many Native people are overwhelmed to be going to funerals...
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...Alcohol abuse is a serious problem, driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs is an even bigger problem that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Abusing either one of these substances can lead to the death of you or the death of someone else or even cause a major change in their life like Jacqueline’s story, her whole life has been changed because of another person’s ignorance and carelessness. Therefore, you should know the facts about drug and alcohol abuse before you do something you may regret for the rest of your life. According TO NIDA FOR TEENS: THE SCIENCE BEHIND DRUG ABUSE, drugs are chemicals or substances that change the way our bodies work. Drugs find their way into your bloodstream, whether you ingest, inhale or inject them, they are then transported to parts of your brain. Weighing about three pounds, the brain is made of many parts that all work together as a team. Each part of your brain has a job to do. When drugs enter your brain, they can interrupt the work and actually change the way your brain performs its jobs. These changes in the brain are what lead to compulsive drug use, the hallmark of addiction. Alby, an eighteen year old teen who was residing in a maximum-security jail, ended up in jail because he began dealing drugs. HEADS UP: REAL NEWS ABOUT DRUGS AND YOUR BODY, recorded that it all started one summer day on a street corner in Yonkers, New York, when Alby was thirteen. One of his friends told him “You need to get your mind right. Hit this blunt”...
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...Prescription Drugs is credible. The article has nine authors. The authors all have Ph.Ds. The authors are affiliated with The Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and The VA Medical Center.(McCauley et al., 2009) The study was credible because the study was currently up to date and has been an issue.Knowing that the authors have background knowledge of medical history, studies, and other related knowledge to do the study and know what to look for helped estimate the possible results. The study had many participants nationally, which made the study and authors credible and more evident.Using the article helped explain why this is a problem...
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...DRAFT- TEEN DRUG ABUSE It is a vulnerable time of life as teens navigate the precious bridge between childhood and adulthood. One of the most challenging issue for this young age group that is ill prepared to make unwisely decisions, such as using and abusing drugs. Teenage substance abuse can greatly alter behavior. It aslo can cause a change in their brain which can lead to addiction and other serious health problems. Though some teens who use drugs do not progress to become abusers, or addicts in adulthood, drug use can put teens in a very serious position, even to a small degree of substance abuse can have negative consequences. School and relationships, notably family relationships are among the life areas that are most influenced by drug use and abuse. There are many possible reason your teen may turn to drugs and abuse it. One practical reason or excuse can be peer pressure. Peer pressure is a powerful force at any stage of life, but it is very influential during adolescence. The desire to be accepted by those around you such as your friends or a friend of friend can lead to that. Spending times with your friends could be fun sometimes but what is not fun is sharing intensely pleasurable drug induced euphoria. The effects can be entertaining at the moment and could make great stories the next day or down the road, until someone gets seriously injured. A desire to try something new because of curiosity can be very intense. Sometimes the parents who may also abuse drugs...
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...------------------------------------------------- HOME WORK 1: NASSER KHALED AL USAIMI Question 1 The topic I have selected for this homework assignment is “The problem of Drug Addiction amongst young people, causes and treatment” I feel that the problem of drug abuse and addiction is a serious social problem in our society and around the world. It slowly but surely is affecting the young generation eroding their abilities and capabilities and making them liabilities to the society in future. Some of the questions I would like to answer through research are * How prevalent is the problem of drug abuse among teens around the world? * How science has revolutionized the understanding of drug addiction? * What is the extent of drug problem in the Arab world? * What are the medical treatment options available for drug addicts? * What is the possibility of alternative treatments for drug addiction? I have utilized mainly the GUST library including the following database 1. Humanities Source 2. SAGE Humanities and Social Science Collection 3. ProQuest Social Science 4. Social Science Full Text 5. Google scholar QUESTION 2 I have considered the following five articles and citations for the purpose of this research 1. ------------------------------------------------- Name of the Article: Surveying Teens in School to Assess the Prevalence of Problematic Drug Use ------------------------------------------------- Name of the Author(s): Russel s. Falck, Maa Ramzi w. Nahhas, Phdb linna li, Msc...
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