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Addiction

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If you were to take a poll of a senior high school class of who has done illegal drugs or drank alcohol, sadly enough many of them will raise their hands. According to out text, one in 15 high school seniors smoke marijuana on a daily or near-daily basis. Three-fourths of college students have had at least one alcoholic drink during the last 30 days, and although the number of smoking adolescents has been on a decline, the number is still quite substantial. There are several reasons why adolescents choose to engage in the use of drugs. One of the biggest reasons is the peer pressure that they receive from other students. As you know this is a time in their life when they are very concerned about what others think of them and want to be accepted by their peers. Other reasons they choose to do drugs include trying to escape the pressures of life, for the pleasure it supposedly brings them, they feel like it proves they aren’t children anymore, also seeing figures they idolize do it glamorizes it for them. However, one of the newest reasons they are choosing to do drugs is to increase their academic performance. Many students are starting to take the drug Adderall which is prescribed for ADHD. This drug supposedly increases their ability to focus and study. This is a practice that college students are engaging in as well. It may be very hard to tell if an adolescent has a problem has a problem with drug use, especially if they are able to hide it well. Some signs to look for to tell if they are using drugs are frequent references to drugs in conversation, notable changes in their school performance, physical and behavioral changes as well. There are many effects that the use of drugs have on an adolescent. Aside from the changes in physical appearance such as a sunken in face or dilated pupils, there can also be health effects such as physical disabilities,

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