Adolescence and Drugs

Massey, Kelly
Professor Paul Roberts
Life, Society and Drugs
HLTH-1050
16 November 2010

Adolescence and Drugs

1978 measure 50% of high school students admitted using marijuana, today 2010 48%

of high school students admitted using marijuana. The numbers haven't change and it is alarming

the effects marijuana has on a student and the availability of the drug. “NORML”

There are 2 main sources who find America’s drug problem and to monitor drug abuse

trends. One of the sources is the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey and the National Survey

on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). “Since 1975, the MTF survey has measured drug, alcohol,

and cigarette use as well as related attitudes among adolescent students nationwide. For the

2009 survey, 46,097 students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades from 389 public and private schools

participated. Which is so alarming to me, I have a son in 7th grade and this frightens me, what

we are up against. Funded by NIDA, the MTF survey is conducted by investigators at the

University of Michigan. “


The NSDUH is an annual survey on the nationwide frequency and occurrence of drug

abuse of illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, abuse, and dependence among Americans aged

12 years and older. By the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, around

67,500 people are included in this survey.

There are 3 main areas the information is taking : lifetime, past year, and past month (also

referred to as “current”). It is generally believed that past year and past month are the better

indicators of actual use.

Alcohol

Alcohol and binge drinking has had a slow decline in all 3 grade levels (ages 12-20)

In 2008, an estimated 31 million people (12.4 percent) aged 12 or older reported driving under

the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year. Although this lower then 14.2 percent in

2002.

Professionals today are worried about a huge increase in teen alcohol abuse and the

possible negative health effects. According to an article published by the British Medical

Association (BMA) entitled: “Alcohol and Young People”, “…there was a general rise in the

proportion of 11 to 15 year-old who drink alcohol regularly, but also there is an increase in the

amount they are drinking on each occasion.” This is alarming for teachers, school officials, and

parents parents. Students are putting alcohol in there morning coffee or injecting alcohol in fruit

and eating in the classroom. I've seen alcohol places in bushes at the church behind my house, a

drop of place for underage drinking.”

Tobacco

According to NIDA’s MTF survey, smoking rates are at their lowest point in the history

of the survey. However, in the past year, smoking prevalence among all three grades remains

unchanged. The NSDUH found that from 2002 to 2008, the rate of past-month cigarette use fell

from 13.0 percent to 9.1 percent among 12- to 17-year old. Another encouraging trend is the

decline in cigarette use by young adults aged 18 to 25 years—from 40.8 percent in 2002 to 35.7

percent in 2008.

Nationwide (YRBSS: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System) , 15.2% of the 19.1%

students who reported current cigarette use and were under 18 years old usually got their own

cigarettes by buying them in a store or gas station during the last 30 days.

Among the 12.9% of students nationwide who tried to buy cigarettes in a store during the

30 days preceding the survey, 48.5% of students were not asked to show proof of age. Which is

absurd, the laziness of shop owners and employees, underage children are able to obtain

cigarettes.

Illicit Drugs

The decline in illicit drug use by the Nation’s adolescents since the mid- to late-1990s has

leveled off. Among 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders, lifetime, past-year, and current illicit drug use

remained unchanged from 2008 to 2009. However, from 2004 to 2009, lifetime use of illicit

drugs by 10th- and 12th-graders fell among about 10 and 9 percent, respectively. The trend for

illicit drug use has been driven largely by reported use of marijuana.

Marijuana use across the three grades has shown a consistent decline since the mid-

1990s, but the trend has stalled, with prevalence rates the same in 2009 as they were 5 years

ago.

Perceived risk of regular marijuana use decreased among 8th- and 10th-graders, while

perceived availability declined among 12th-graders. Mike (my cousin) was a young six grade

boy attending elementary, all of his neighbor friends and skate board friends attending the local

Evergreen Junior high. Mike's friend were introduced to marijuana while attending junior high.

The young boys bought marijuana, and started smoking marijuana in basement and around the

neighborhood. Mike was caught with his older brother Joe was also a student at Evergreen

Junior High, smoking marijuana in the basement. The boys were grounded, electronics taking

away. They continued to smoke marijuana, then they were introduced to Spice. My uncle could

then see his boys personalities change. Mike didn't want to interacted with the family,

depression was ahernet, he withdrew from all of his friends. Skateboarding was no longer

fun for him, he had no intrust in any activities anymore. That is when my aunt and uncle

decided it was time to find help for him. It was affecting the whole family. Mike is now

in drug rehab in the SLC valley, he has 6 levels to go through before he can return home,

which will be around 9 to 12 months.

1 level as uncomfortable as possible cant talk to parents

2 level see family weekly

3 level can go to lunch

4 level come home for weekend

5 level peer leader

6 level peer leader leader ship taught!!!

Between 2004 and 2009, a drop in past-year use of methamphetamine was reported for

all grades. Among 10th- and 12th-graders, 5-year declines were reported for past-year use of

amphetamine.

According to NSDUH, current cocaine use gradually declined between 2003 and 2008 among

people aged 12 or older (from 2.3 million to 1.9 million). In 2009, significant declines from 2008

were also seen in past-year use of cocaine among 12th-graders and in current cocaine use among

10th- and 12th-graders in the MTF survey. Another positive long-term decline (from 2004 to

2009) was seen in lifetime, past-year, and current use of crack cocaine among 10th- and

12th-graders. Both past-year and past-month use rates of hallucinogens among 12th-graders fell

significantly between 2008 and 2009. Also during that time, lifetime use of heroin and current

use of inhalants decreased significantly among 10th-graders.

Teens use drugs to help them cope, depression, manage stress, anxiety, and help them

relax. Teen abuse prescription, to help them with family, friends, and school. Teens say using

stimulants help them do better in school, it makes them alert, or concentrate. Other us

stimulants to help with weight control. Teens use painkillers because the believe it isn't illegal.

My younger brother was offered a cigarette at the age of 7, he was in second grade and

attending Canyon View Elementary. We lived in a middle to upper class neighborhood, my

parents and church had taught us the effects of smoking and drugs. My brothers friend had

taken his father cigarettes to school and passes them out during recess. The boys found a quiet

corner, and smoked at the age of 7. My 12 year old son is attending Indian Hills Middle School,

the school had a lock down for 30 mins, for drug enforcement dogs to enter the school to sniff for

drugs. I called Canyon School District for information, the informed me they dogs enter the

school 4 different times a year to sniff every locker for drugs. I personally think it is very

important for the Police and Drug Dogs enter the Junior High School. My son was so nervous to

began Junior High for the fact that he might be approached to buy drugs, and use drugs.

Anything to help the students learn and feel safe is our duty as parents.

Majority of teens abusing prescription drugs are getting them from the medicine cabinets

of friends, family and acquaintances. Some teens traffic among themselves – handing out or

selling ―extra‖ pills of their own, or pills they’ve acquired or stolen from classmates. A very

small minority of teens say they get their prescription drugs illicitly from doctors, pharmacists or

over the internet.

As a community or parents what can we do to help children and young adults. As a

parent, the things you say and do have a tremendous influence on the decisions your

child makes - especially when it comes to using drugs or alcohol. Research shows that kids

who learn a lot about the risks of drugs from their parents are up to 50% less likely to use. By

talking to your kids about drugs and alcohol, you can help them make better choices and live

safer, healthier lives.

Starting the conversation with your kids and keeping communication open is never easy

-- but it's also not as hard as you may think. Start at a young age, I have been very open with

my children since they were little children. I have four children, Benj 12, Savannah 10, Jacob 8

and Sydney 6. They say, “ Whether you're having trouble finding the time or finding the right

words. Time to Talk (www.timetotalk.org, in partnership with drug.free.org) is here to provide

the support and resources you need when it's time to talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol.”

You can request a “Time to Talk” packet.

As a parent you must educate your children, times are hard for children, Junior High has been

such a eye awaking moment. He is always complaining about the things he sees and hears in the

halls. We need to prepare them so they are ready for anything. We need to be there for them

when they have questions, we need to be open and honest with them. Drugs and Alcohol have

ruin so many families, Family members have the same downward spiral as an alcoholic or addict.

There are 4 Stages of Family illness for a family who is dealing with drugs and alcoholic's:

The first stage is the Concern Stage. This is the stage where family members are acting

out of a genuine concern. They are only beginning to experience the effects of alcohol and drug

abuse by a loved one. Family members at this stage have no idea what they are up against.

The second phase is the Defense Stage. This happens after the "first blackout" where the

family members have blocked out the reality of the situation. During this stage, families are

preoccupied with the addict's or alcoholic's behavior. They protect the addict by lying to other

family members, employers, or to others about his behavior. While tolerating the addict's

behavior, they feel increasingly responsible for the family problems.

The third phase: Family members change their own behavior to adapt to the chemically

dependent person's behavior. The family members become obsessed with the addict. The family

wants to become the perfect person, hoping to make the additic or alcoholic happy. They are so

worried about the addict they have overwhelmed themselves.

The fourth phase: When family members are defend the addict or alcoholic, just like the

addict defends his use of drugs or alcohol. They lose their self-worth and experience severe

anxiety or depression. They have reached their "bottom."

When addicts hit bottom, family members must choose to admit the problem and recover,

face craziness or death. They absolutely cannot go on the way things are. When they reach this

point, family members must admit their problems and accept help in dealing with them.

Addiction is such a problem across geographic, racial, ethnic and socioeconomic boundaries. I

found out if parents need to start to educate their children about the risk of drugs and

prescription drugs. Parents need to safeguard their own medicines. Keep prescription medication

in a safe place, count and monitor the number of pills. I know as a mother of 4, I will continue to

educate my children and other parents in my community.

Work Cite
Allen Pierue Exec. Director of NORML

Complete NSDUH findings are available at http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUHLatest.htm.

Complete MTF survey findings are available at http://www.monitoringthefuture.org.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/nationtrends.html

* These data are from the 2009 Monitoring the Future survey, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, and conducted annually by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. The survey has tracked 12th-graders’ illicit drug use and related attitudes since 1975; in 1991, 8th- and 10th-graders were added to the study. The latest data are on line at www.drugabuse.gov.
** NSDUH (formerly known as the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse) is an annual survey of Americans aged 12 and older conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services. This survey is available on line at www.samhsa.gov and can be ordered by phone from NIDA at 877–643–2644.

http://www.sadd.org/stats.htm#tobacco
Portions of this article are adapted from the poster "Affected Family Syndrome" by CompCare Publishers, 1990) Henry Tarkington