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Drugs

Teenage Drug Use and the Media
The walls are moving. Your heart is beating a mile-a-minute. The bursts of magical colors are excitingly moving all around you. An overwhelming happiness suddenly empowers you and, at that moment, there is not a better feeling in the world. This is the typical illustration most teenagers draw when describing their experiences with drugs. As the thought sounds spectacular, the negative ramifications remain concealed and bypassed in the teenage society. Drugs are now too often conveyed by teens as a positive experience, rather than a life-threatening standard of living. Today, an astonishing 53 percent of High School seniors have admitted to taking an illicit drug in their lifetime (Greenwood). We are moved by these sad statistics, but they still continue to grow. Is there enough being done in society today to change this unfortunate situation? No. There is not enough effective exposure to teenagers about the consequences and reality of drugs. The United States Government must produce a more solid and proactive approach to preventing teens from falling into the uncontrollable and deadly habit. Instead, our administration legally but indirectly promotes drug use.
In a recent survey, more than 70 percent of teens said drugs were used, kept, or sold at their school (Greenwood) . Today in society, teenage drug use is more commonly growing because of peer pressure. Because there is such a strong desire to "fit in" and be accepted, teens are going against that they think is right and participating in these dangerous and illegal activities. Drugs are more accessible now than they ever have been, making it just too easy for a group of friends to "get high" and escape from reality.
"My friends talked for hours about their experiences with drugs and I became curious; the health class I took in the 7th grade was no longer important to me and I wanted to be able to finally relate to these stories I heard for so long" ( Anonymous)....