The availability of drugs at schools has increased over the last ten years although the overall use of illicit drugs has declined. Yet too many teenagers are still abusing drugs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse Monitoring the Future claims that half of high schools seniors have one time or another experimented with illegal drugs.
That could mean that students are able to get drugs, or know somebody who does.
The Bureau of Justice reports that 85% of teens say they know where to get marijuana and 55% know how to get amphetamines. Prohibited drugs are available in all strata of society. Rural, suburban and urban places are all plagued by the problem where up to 35% of students are reported to be able to access prohibited drugs. Furthermore, 29% of students when interviewed acknowledged that illegal drug transactions are conducted right under the noses of school authorities in campus grounds.
The surveys did not take into account students who are no longer at school so the number of students who are considered drug users may not be entirely accurate. These teenagers often have a higher involvement with drugs than those still in school.
Three of four senior students consume alcohol on a fairly regular basis and 23% have in fact imbibed intoxicating drinks during the past month. Students are exposed to alcohol through advertisements which seek to persuade consumption of their products.
Cigarettes are the next most common drugs abused by teenagers. Most teens assume they can quit smoking at will. The reality of course is the opposite and many ends up as smokers. In fact, smokers start in their teens and rarely when they are older.
Some 44% of seniors are Marijuana users. In NIDA statistics, 60% of all teenagers who are drug users use marijuana. A growing number of eighth graders believe that marijuana do not poses a serious, according to a recent survey.
In the middle schools, inhalants are the favored substance with 17.1% in the eighth graders having tried it at one time or another. Inhalants are cheap and available over the counter. Common consumer items such as paint thinners, glues, spray paints and whipped cream dispensers, hair sprays and similar substances are used as inhalants.
Even the use of prescriptions drugs have been rising among teenagers in the past ten years. Most teens take prescription drugs because of personal or family-related stress.
The fact is, teenagers take prohibited drugs knowing full well of the possible repercussions. In spite of this awareness, drug use however continues unabated among the teenagers. What is needed is a sustained information campaign to condition and persuade the mind of teenagers of the harmful effects of drugs.
That could mean that students are able to get drugs, or know somebody who does.
The Bureau of Justice reports that 85% of teens say they know where to get marijuana and 55% know how to get amphetamines. Prohibited drugs are available in all strata of society. Rural, suburban and urban places are all plagued by the problem where up to 35% of students are reported to be able to access prohibited drugs. Furthermore, 29% of students when interviewed acknowledged that illegal drug transactions are conducted right under the noses of school authorities in campus grounds.
The surveys did not take into account students who are no longer at school so the number of students who are considered drug users may not be entirely accurate. These teenagers often have a higher involvement with drugs than those still in school.
Three of four senior students consume alcohol on a fairly regular basis and 23% have in fact imbibed intoxicating drinks during the past month. Students are exposed to alcohol through advertisements which seek to persuade consumption of their products.
Cigarettes are the next most common drugs abused by teenagers. Most teens assume they can quit smoking at will. The reality of course is the opposite and many ends up as smokers. In fact, smokers start in their teens and rarely when they are older.
Some 44% of seniors are Marijuana users. In NIDA statistics, 60% of all teenagers who are drug users use marijuana. A growing number of eighth graders believe that marijuana do not poses a serious, according to a recent survey.
In the middle schools, inhalants are the favored substance with 17.1% in the eighth graders having tried it at one time or another. Inhalants are cheap and available over the counter. Common consumer items such as paint thinners, glues, spray paints and whipped cream dispensers, hair sprays and similar substances are used as inhalants.
Even the use of prescriptions drugs have been rising among teenagers in the past ten years. Most teens take prescription drugs because of personal or family-related stress.
The fact is, teenagers take prohibited drugs knowing full well of the possible repercussions. In spite of this awareness, drug use however continues unabated among the teenagers. What is needed is a sustained information campaign to condition and persuade the mind of teenagers of the harmful effects of drugs.
