In today’s society drugs are taking away our children’s lives and it is making headlines every day. “In Vancouver, Washington, a 13-year old boy was found dead after allegedly swallowing twenty-four cold-medicine pills to get high” (Taylor 45). “Nine Florida middle-school students were taken to the hospital after their strange behavior and illness at school led school officials to discover that they had overdosed on an over-the-counter cold medication” (Taylor 45). “A children’s hospital in Wisconsin treated two teenage girls for liver failure after they consumed close to 20 tablets containing a common cold remedy.” (Taylor 45). There are many more cases like this happening every day. Why is drug abuse increasing amongst American teens? Teens use drugs because of curiosity, family influence, and painful emotions.
One reason for teen drug use is curiosity to experiment with drugs. Some children are left at home during the summer or after school and become bored. They try drugs to cure their boredom. “Two major conditions necessary for drug and alcohol use, is availability and acceptability” (Teen Drug Abuse 26). “In a recent survey of high school students, more than 70% of students reported it was easy to buy drugs at school” (Teen Abuse 26). They often use drugs if it fits toward them so they can find the drug that best fits them. “During their adolescence, drug use by peers and older role models are strong influences on teens’ experimentation and regular use habits” (Teen Drug Abuse 26). The places where they can find drugs are in the most common and innocent place and even places of learning. Drugs are found in high schools consist of marijuana, alcohol, pain killers, saliva, crystal meth, and even cocaine. “Kids who seek these and other effects can buy the drug at a local store, find it in medicine cabinets at home.” (Teen Abuse of LEGAL Drugs is serious Medicine 46). And sometimes they hang around other children that do drugs