DRUG ABUSE

They don't get it....

• Many people underestimate the side effects of drug abuse. Abusing drugs like methamphetamine, marijuana, or heroin can result in life-long illnesses, and can also prevent you from fulfilling life goals.
• Alcohol, illicit drugs, and marijuana are all drugs that are being abused today.

Alcohol

• Alcohol, also known as "spirits", is produced by the fermentation of grains, or vegetables which creates ethanol.
• Alcohol can be extremely addictive. It is very dangerous for teens because they are not yet fully mature and dont understand the dangers of drinking.
• For example, 1 in 10 teenagers drinks and drives. This means that out of a 30 student high school classroom, 3 of those teenagers puts themselves and other drivers at a huge risk for a fatal crash.
• "Young drivers (ages 16-20) are 17 times more likely to die in a crash when they have a blood alcohol concentration of .08% than when they have not been drinking." (Vital Signs from CDC).
• Alcohol not only poses a risk for numerous car crashes, but also can produce liver diseases, a dysfunctional brain, and can cause a chance for a bad record and limited career oppurtunities as well as broken relationships

Illicit Drugs

• Examples of illicit drugs would be: heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA.
• These drugs are highly abused by people. They are more abused by teens because teens don't or chose to ignore the dangers of drug abuse.
• Here are 6 reasons teens chose to use illicit drugs:
• The drugs provide a "high"
• Popular Media
• Peer Pressure
• Lack of confidence
• Easy access
• Stress
• Methamphetamine can cause memory loss, psychosis, changes in brain structure, deficits in motor skills, aggressive behavior, and mood disturbances.
• Marijuana can cause random thinking , paranoia, short-term forgetfulness, anxiety, depression, short-term psychosis, and schizophrenia
• Cocaine can cause lack of appetite, hallucinations, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased body temperature, hyperstimulations, anxiety, paranoia, intense euphoria, panic, psychosis, and an intense drug craving.

What I've Learned

• I now know that everyone has a choice, and that most people know their rights from their wrongs. People choose to kill their bodies, futures, relationships and much more just so they can feel different. Teens do know that alcohol and drugs are dangerous, and they do know that they shouldn't do them. They just choose to ignore the gut feeling or the nine-million advertisements, and scary commercials that shows how life go's for the people who do drugs and drink alcohol. Reading stories of how people have died in an overdose, or car crash, I've learned to think that it's mainly a matter of confidence. They don't have the confidence to think that they can do any better.