Drug Use In Adolescents

Drug Use in Adolescents

The reason one problem is not considered significant over another is distinguished between a personal or public issue and whether it threatens our social institutions. This is based on a question of which problems are serious enough to need sociological attention and has been difficult and controversial over years (Leon-Guerrero, 2011). The sociological perspective of examining social problems helps society to on what level a problem needs to be addressed. Being able to recognize social problems and the hopes to solving them are important in identifying how a society comes to view social problems and forces society to decide whether a problem is considered significant. A particularly serious social problem
among adolescent children 12 years of age or older is the rapidly increasing drug use. So what is drug abuse? According to the American Social Healthy Association’s definition of drug abuse is the “use of mood modifying chemicals outside of medical supervision, and in a manner which is harmful to the person and the community.” (Reid, 2006). Even though it is illegal for anyone in the United States to be caught with illegal drugs, many teens are still getting caught using them and it is becoming an increasing common occurrence. Drug use is highest among people in their mid-late teens and twenties. So why do adolescents use drugs? Teenagers today are in a huge environment where pressures are high to succeed and fit in. Drugs of abuse are substances that individuals use to get high and change how they feel. Teens especially abuse drugs to change their situation. Teenagers who feel they are not connected to their peers or valued by their parents are at a greater risk for drug abuse. Teenagers want nothing more than to feel like they fit in and if they do not have this in their lives they will look for ways to fill this emptiness. Drugs provide that instant “in” that most teens find desirable especially in teens with low self-esteem, and with emotional and mental health problems. If they are depressed, they want to be happy. If they are stressed or nervous, they want to be relaxed. In 2011, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration conducted their annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (USDUH) among Americans aged 12 and older. Their statistics indicated that illicit drug use in America is on the rise. In 2011, an estimated 22.5 million Americans aged 12 or older—or 8.7 percent of the population—had used an illicit drug or abused a psychotherapeutic medication (such as a pain reliever, stimulant, or tranquilizer) in the past month. This number has increased from 8.3 percent in 2002. Also Marijuana use has increased since 2007, with a 7 percent increase in 2011 from 14.4 million to 18.1 million. ("Drug facts: Nationwide trends," 2012). This data shows that many adolescents are abusing drugs and at a very young age but drug use is totally preventable. The idea that teenagers are going to try and illegal substance is unacceptable.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) established in 1974 as the federal office for research, treatment, and prevention, training services, and data collection on the nature and extent of drug abuse (Leon-Guerrero, 2011). NIDA has established programs in ways parents can educate themselves about the harm illicit drugs, marijuana, and other illegal substances can have on their children’s cognitive development, having a major affect on their ability to form proper judgment and develop emotionally. Parents need to be need to become involved in their children’s lives and establish communication with them earlier but one major role for parents is to set rules and guidelines. Also parents need to encourage them to socialize, become involved in extracurricular activities in school and know their children’s friends. This also extends to teachers, coaches, and people in church, adult mentors anyone who has interactions with adolescent children, look for warning signs of isolation, depression, or even the simply asking of
questions. Adolescent drug abuse can be contributed too many factors. Some of the main attributes associated to adolescent drug abuse stems from not only youth abuse but also those traits that will follow a youth throughout their entire adult life. The first concept is that of increased access to drugs. This can come from either synthetic or the more abused over the counter drugs. According to the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 4.7% or 11.5 million Americans have used some sort of synthetic psychoactive drug containing stimulants or other hallucinogenic properties (Leon-Guerrero, 2011). These figures illustrate a drastic abuse and easy acquisition of harmful drugs that are very habitual. One other concept dealing with adolescent drug use is that there may be a lack of treatment programs. These programs are normally designed and focused on adults and because youth are harder to deal with this makes it difficult to actually monitor how and what the proper methods of handling these youthful offenders consist of. Another problem being faced on treatment programs especially in jails and prisons is the fact the punishment should be less about the punishment itself and more on drug education and treatment (Leon-Guerrero, 2011). The third concept is that of the association between other criminal factors that youth are forced to deal with such as not only drug use but also alcohol and other violent crimes.
Adolescents who abuse drugs usually do not have to money to get their next fix. Therefore, when money runs low they start to steal from their parents, pawn items, or begin to sell their goods for cash. Usually the habit takes over and the ability to maintain their usage takes over and they begin to break into homes, assault strangers or even at worse kill. According to the Bureau of Justice more than two thirds of jail inmates were found to be dependent on drugs and or alcohol, and the majority of these inmates were women (Leon-Guerrero, 2011). Probably the most relevant concept detailing youth drug offenders is that of how the community deals with these offenders or in simple terms, what are the community approaches? This is when the peer groups and other prevention methods are used to establish a rehabilitation approach to introducing the offenders back into society (Leon-Guerrero, 2011). Are there good measures put into place to help youth get back into society? If not society does not welcome them back and this contributes to the repeat offender concept that transpires into their
adulthood. Substance abuse has a major impact on individuals, families and communities. Understanding why adolescents experiment in drugs will educate on how to discuss and prevent future drug use. These concepts help everyone involved understand the warning signs and are able to react to a problem before it exists. In knowing and understanding the problem and having a program in place will get the affected individuals the help and education they need to understand why they are addicted to drugs and how they can kick the habit.

References
Leon-Guerrero, A. (2011). Social Problems: Community, Policy, Social Action. Los Angeles, Sage, 3rd edition.
National Institute on Drug Abuse, (2012). Drug facts: Nationwide trends. Retrieved from website: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends
Reid, S. (2006). Crime and criminology. (11th ed., pp. 1-591). Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies.