Topic > Drug Abuse Among Adolescents - 983

IntroductionDrug abuse is a serious problem in the United States, especially among adolescents. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center (2003) 7.5 million American adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 have used drugs at least once in their lives. Teenagers start experimenting with drugs from an early age and do not think about the negative consequences of drugs. Butler (2010) argues that drug addiction will lead to problems in college or school and loss of attention, which can lead to injury. It will also affect the mood, change the value system and lead to depression. As a result, adolescents who use drugs are at risk of suicide. Nowadays they abuse both legal and illegal drugs. Accessibility to drugs is also one of the causes of adolescent abuse. Most teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 receive it easily from friends or relatives. (Office for National Drug Control Policy, 2007). Furthermore, there are other possible factors, such as pressure from friends, low self-esteem, stress, relationships with parents. This essay will examine the problem of drug abuse among adolescents in the United States and will analyze in detail the possible reasons and solutions for drug addiction. Background Adolescents abuse a variety of drugs. Each of them, both legal and illegal, can have immediate or long-term health consequences. As reported by NIDA, 40.2 percent of high school students had used marijuana in 2003. Majuana is the illegal narcotic. Teens who used marijuana before age 17 indicated smaller brains and were smaller in height and weight than teens who used marijuana after age 17. Furthermore, marijuana has negative effects on memory, distorts the perception of sound, time, touch in the short term. American teenagers also use inhalants. Teens find it in spray paint, glue and shoe polish. TeenDrugAbuse.us states that regular use of inhalants can cause heart disease, liver and kidney damage. The most popular drugs among young people in the United States are also ecstasy, cocaine, crack, speed and heroin. Legal drugs such as prescription drugs and alcohol are popular today. Additionally, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2.1 million adolescents abused prescription drugs in 2005, and these drugs are the most common among 12- to 13-year-olds. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry also says drug use increases the risk of poor judgment that can lead to accidents, violence, suicide and unplanned, unsafe sex, which can cause HIV. Factors Influencing Adolescents to Drug Abuse First, home and family are important factor.