Essay on Drugs Abuse and Teenage Love

Some of the most trending issues that concern the youth in the world today are in one way or another related to drugs or sex. Any matter which concerns the two topics for teenagers is all bad news. Drug abuse, abortions, crime and other severe activities that the youth engage in are some of the side effects of drug addiction and the illicit affair that young people participate in. Because of the effects of drugs and illicit affairs, most youths have found themselves in a dilemma of taking part in both, none or just one of the two vices. Some students who have managed to avoid peer pressure have always found it from the two indulgences. The other part of youth has either decided to engage in both activities while others have decided on one with majority resolving to drugs. Activities like smoking have become common among young people, and they consider it more luxurious than engaging in love relationships.

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Drugs abuse and teenage love affairs have side effects to the youth engaged, but most youths prefer smoking tobacco or marijuana than to be involved in a dedicated relationship. Though both situations pose certain dangers to the participants, the use of drugs might be preferred because it is relatively cheap and less stressful to the participants. The male youth are the most engaged in drugs as they fear to spend on their female counterparts whose expectations might exceed what they might afford. In most cases, the peer groups that the students are engaged in take part in the use of drugs. Hence they might not have enough time for any affairs with others due to addiction to drugs and substance abuse.

Drug use and smoking of tobacco and especially marijuana are as a result of pressure from peers who are trying to fit in. A misconception that encourages the use of marijuana is that it is less harmful than other drugs. A study is also stating that marijuana is less addictive than caffeine. Benefits accruing to smoking marijuana also encourages the use of the drug. The use of marijuana among senior high school student in the United States had increased from 29% to 37% (Tourangeau & Yan 859). This increase was drastic and alarming which required the intervention of legal authorities on the use of marijuana.

Political rhetoric arose where two law enforcers disagreed on who should be the persecuted one in this case. Republican candidate Robert Dole emphasized establishment of stringent laws that govern the use of drugs and availability in the market. Arguing that the number of local farmers that used their farms, backyard or basement in the growing of marijuana had increased tremendously. This shows an increase in the supply of the drugs in large quantities which could reflect in high demands for the drug.

President Clinton, on the contrary, argued that the best solution to this menace is rehabilitation. This involves preventing the drugs from reaching the market areas and killing all channels used by the drug traffickers. Education is the key to knowledge. Clinton believed that through education is where people learn, given appropriate, relevant reasons; the marijuana users would cease from drug use willingly since they are aware of the implications of the drugs. Those who are addicted need a care center where they are rehabilitated slowly, acquiring help on how to quit drugs and other substance abuse that are addictive.

The government and several states began campaigning against the use of drugs. This was through the use of mass media. Either through billboards or advertisements. The mode of ads included personal testimonials on how negatively impacting the use of tobacco was in their lives. Images that displayed smoking as a negative practice was also used. However, personal testimonials relied on emotional appeal examples of empathy, fear and usually sadness. This was also noted as being the most effective in spreading awareness on the effects of tobacco smoking. Depicting images of hopelessness and loss among the tobacco smokers.

Many states used certain tactics in ensuring curbing of cigarette smoking among the young generation. Preliminary, California was the first state to begin campaigns against the use of drugs by adolescents. The first step was increasing taxes on the tobacco products making it quite unaffordable to the youths or reducing the use of tobacco to a certain extent. After that, the money obtained from taxation was used in campaigning against drugs, mainly mass media due to wide access to many (Farrelly et al. 38). The use of tobacco decreased in that year but increased in the following year since the campaigns displayed smoking as being attractive although it is prohibited.

Many of the school going students may find themselves smoking. Since it is seen as being cool and catchy attracting the cool kids and proving to be a brave person by doing drugs at an underage. This gains fame and reputation to the adolescent Although the health implications become too much to bear in older life. The addiction itself is money intensive channeling income to the wrong place. Parents need to keep their children close, teaching them virtues needed this will enable a child to resist smoking which is an issue brought about due to under-involvement.

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY Farrelly et al. "Youth tobacco prevention mass media campaigns: past, present, and future directions." Tobacco Control (2003): 35-47. Document.

Tourangeau, R. and T Yan. "Sensitive questions in surveys." Psychological bulletin (2007): 859.