Youth, Alcohol, And Drugs

Youth, Alcohol, and Drugs

Drugs as well as alcoholic beverages are one of the many things that have a negative outcome on young people. They influence youth to commit many dim-witted actions that oftentimes lead to distress, pain, or even death. According to www.ncadd.org/facts/youthalc; " about 10.4 million Americans between ages 12-20 had at least one drink last month; of these 6.8 million were 'binge' drinkers." Binge drinkers are those that consume five or more drinks at one occasion. Yet, youth often times have reasoning for their consumption of these hazardous drugs and beverages. As the old saying goes, "for every action there is a cause as well as an effect." There are many reasons that youth turn to drugs, that consist of but are not limited to, peer pressure and even rejection from their families. The effects of taking drugs can lead to devastating results such as seizures, heart attacks, short-term memory, and even worse death.

Many youth have been confronted with some form of peer pressure, whether it was good or bad. Peer pressure has a huge effect on whomever it may be enacted upon; however, youth oftentimes are the ones to give into it. Most times they desire to be apart of the "in" crowd; they cannot deal with the thought of being left out, or being a "loner." Youth desire to feel some type of connection, to be accepted and appreciated. They long for attention by others or peers they look up to. According to http://www.thecoolspot.gov/peer_pressure2.asp "[youth] give into peer pressure at one time or another." They fear being rejected by others, or sometimes just don't know how to handle the situation. For these reasons, many youth are influenced to take drugs as well as consume alcoholic beverages. They feel that this will allow them to seem more grown-up. Youths also feel that drugs or alcoholic beverages will give them a sense of peace or calmness. It allows them to forget about their troubles and worries of lives.

Another cause for the consumption of alcohol and drugs by youth is the rejection of family. Every human being desires love and affection of some type by another individual. It can be a simple hug or kiss, showering of gifts, or even sayings of affection. When denied this type of affection, individuals tend to search for that love and affection in other things. Many things that occur in the home can lead to youth using drugs. Feelings of not being heard by parents, of being talked at rather than talked to or even listened to. In the case of most youth, they search for that love in drugs or some type of alcoholic beverage. Drugs as well as alcohol put individuals in a altered state of consciousness, puts them in another realm that allows them to forget about their present states of life.

While the cause of drugs and alcoholic consumption may seem meager, the effects of these consumptions are high, depending on the type of drug or beverage consumed. Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person's body works. Drugs can damage the heart, brain, and other important organs in the body. It becomes especially hazardous for youth whose bodies are still in the process of developing. It is likely that youth using drugs suffer in their schoolwork, sports, and other extra curricular activities. One of the most commonly used drugs, marijuana, has some deadly effects on the brain as well as the body. According to www.brainsource.com/brain_on_drugs, "the part of the brain that controls emotion, memory, and judgment are affected by marijuana. Smoking

[marijuana] it can not only weaken short-term memory, but can block