Negative Effects Of Drugs

Submitted By malika11115
Words: 1605
Pages: 7

If you are not drug free you can hang with me! Most teens do not use that line. They live by the assumption that, but they believe that drugs are cool. We live in a society where teen drug use is more common than a cold. Drug use has a negative impact on the development of a teen socially and health wise. We want to help change the lives of teens that are already set because of drug use.
Peer Pressure Even with the common knowledge that drugs are bad, about 30% of teens are offer drugs from a friend in high school and middle school. Peer pressure comes from a teen offering or stray another teen away from its normal behavioral or values. Teens often sum comes to peers pressure because of home problems or self-esteem problems. Peer pressure comes in a direct or indirect form, either someone offers it to you or you see it happening around you and want to try it. The role that drugs play with peer pressure is that is the most common thing offered to teens. When teens start to use drugs they do not think about the consequence that drugs may lead to. Some teens may start off with light habits like drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes which gradually turn into like marijuana, crack cocaine, and other drugs. Although peer pressure is often seen bad when it comes to drugs and teen, it can sometimes play a part in the recovery from a drug problem. Peer pressure also comes in a positive form. Peer pressure is what started the problems and it could be what helps it. When teens see that they are surrounding are cleaning up their behavioral then they would want to too. Often in a meeting for teen trying to get clean other teens talking about their problems is what helps them open up. If there is enough positive peer pressure then a teen can have a better chance with not using drugs. There are ways a parent can see the signs that a teen that they are falling into negative peer pressure; friends start to change, becoming less active, or less social. Often parents over look these signs because they think it is just puberty or a phase that they teen might be going through. Hank Clever (Special To The St. Charles County Post) says that signs like “Giving up activities, such as sports, homework or hanging out with friends who don't use drugs or alcohol; Having to use more marijuana or other illegal drugs to get the same effects; Constantly talking about using drugs or drinking; Believing that in order to have fun, drugs or alcohol is needed, pressuring others to use drugs or alcohol; Getting into trouble with the law; taking risks, including sexual risks, and driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs; Feeling run-down, hopeless, depressed or even suicidal; Suspension from school or an alcohol- or drug-related incident; Missing work or poor work performance because of alcohol or drug use”. If you see some of these signs then you should seek help for your teen. You shouldn’t just assume they are using drugs try to get proof before you talk about it. It is always to talk about drugs and peer pressure with your teens.
Different Drugs There are many different types of drugs available to teens, some you can find in your own home. The now most common drugs are Prescription Drugs. “About one in five teenagers have tried prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin to get high...” (Partnership for a Drug-Free America). Most teenagers raid their parent’s medicine cabinets to find these drugs. They often use them or sell them on the streets for money. The next common drug is Marijuana which has been around for a long time. When teens start to smoke Marijuana usually advance to stronger drugs trying to “chase a better high”. They start to use drugs like Cocaine, Heroin, Meth, or Crack. Some of these drugs they can smoke of inhale to get their high.
Health
The health effects that are caused by teen drugs you can differ with