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).

There is a wide variety of drugs available to teens today, each stimulating the mind and body in different manners.

The most common drug used by teenagers is marijuana, most commonly known as "weed," "pot," or "herb." In a study with 300 high school seniors, 47.8 percent reported used of marijuana within the past 12 months (Greenwood) . The drug looks like a dry mixture of green or gray shredded leaves . It is a product of the hemp plant, scientifically known as cannabis. Of the nearly 400 chemicals found in marijuana, the most active is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which affects the brain the most (Henderson 32). Many describe marijuana as a relaxing, stress relieving drug. It alters one's sense of time, coordination, and short-term memory. Physically, marijuana can lead to bloodshot eyes, increased appetite, and decreased motivation. This drug is said to be the least dangerous, as the effects are not as extreme and the high lasts for only about an hour. Although the short-term effects are not as damaging, marijuana is believed by many to be "the gateway drug," becoming less attractive over time, causing users to try different, more complex drugs (White).

Another frequently used substance is hallucinogenic mushrooms. 8.6 percent of High School seniors admitted to taking this drug at least once in their life so far (Greenwood). These mushrooms are not the typical mushrooms humans consume in their foods, and are known as "magic mushrooms" or "shrooms." Magic Mushrooms are light to dark brown in color and come in fresh, dried or powdered forms, with a distinctive and not-so-pleasant taste. They are naturally grown fungi which contain psilocybin and psilocin, which are conscious-altering substances (Henderson). The "high" released after eating mushrooms is known as a "trip" because of the extended 4-6 hours that the drug is in effect. Depending on the amount consumed, one under the influence of hallucinogenic mushrooms will see non-existent objects and colors appear to be more defined and illuminated. The body experiences a tingly feeling and most of the time, one will feel a great amount of happiness. The positive aspects of the drug sound invigorating, but the harmful results are not being relayed (White).

Also known as "coke," Cocaine is a popular stimulant of the nervous system and is a more fast-acting drug more commonly used by teens. 7.8 percent of high school seniors reported the use of this highly addictive drug (Greenwood). It is extracted from the leaves of coca bush, a plant which grows in foreign countries such as Columbia, Peru, and Bolivia (Harvey). The most general form of cocaine is in a powder form, snorted through the nose, serving gratification within about 10-15 seconds to a user. Those who take cocaine describe it as feeling "alert, energized, or buzzing" (Anonymous); a euphoric feeling of self-confidence which causes one to believe that they are capable of achieving anything. Because it stimulates the central nervous system, a person on cocaine feels as though they are experiencing continuous physical pleasure, which is why it is known to be so addictive. The high experienced from snorting cocaine only lasts about 20-30 minutes, but the pleasure is too enchanting for most people to only do it once. Some side-effects include having a clenched jaw, dilated pupils and an increase in blood pressure, heart-rate, and temperature. After coming off the cocaine, fatigue, a sore nose, headaches, irritability, depression, and the inability to concentrate are usually present (Henderson).

Another drug which has become popular among teens is called Ecstasy, also known as "E". 10.5 percent of high school seniors have tried this intense substance at least once; of this percentage, 9.2 percent say it is their favorite form of drug (Greenwood). Scientifically known as methylene-dioxymethyl amphetamine, Ecstasy usually comes in a pill form, which varies in color and contains some form of a picture or symbol on the pill. The high is also known as "rolling," probably because of the long and drawn out process of the reaction (Mazerolle). It causes serotonin, a hormone in the body which generates happiness, to flood the brain, using up to ten times the amount usually projected. The drug triggers powerful feelings of pleasure, empathy, warmth, happiness, and elevates sensitivity to sound, lasting about 6-8 hours. Physically, one who takes an ecstasy pill feels warm and tingly, experiencing multiple rushes of the intense effect. Side-effects include jaw clenching and "clamping" and is usually suppressed by chewing on candy or smoking cigarettes (Harvey).

"I had never been so enlightened