The Psychological And Psychological Aspects Of Drug Use Prevention Programs

A reduction of fifty percent in smoking of cigarettes among juveniles could cause a reduction in use of marijuana among juveniles by as much as 16.5-28.5% (Ochsner, 2006). The high end of this range makes the assumption that half of the fifty seven percent of juveniles who used cigarettes would not have used marijuana if they had not experimented with cigarettes. The low end makes the assumption that forty two percent of the fifty seven percent of juveniles who first smoked cigarettes might try marijuana even without trying cigarettes first.

With this high percentage of students using marijuana and the availability of the drug being so vast, teenagers find it hard to stay away from this substance.

Despite all of the efforts put fourth in attempting to better educate and stop drug use in America studies show that drug use by juveniles has substantially increased within recent years. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) juveniles as young as eighth grade are using drugs such as marijuana on a daily basis. Unfortunately, most of these juveniles have also experimented with alcohol at this age as a gateway drug to start using marijuana and so forth. (NIDA) There are many aspects that could impact why children so young are getting access to these drugs. The NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow states that, “Marijuana use not only places teens at risk of addiction but also impairs their memory, judgment, and ability to learn.” These drugs are now so easily accessible at such a vulnerable and impressionable age that it could have devastating impacts on the juvenile’s future in the criminal justice system. Important factors that go alongside in drug abuse with juveniles would be peer pressure, family factors, and lastly emotional problems they are experiencing in their young years of life.

Placing heavy regulations on the marijuana market does not seem like the best way to prevent teens from smoking pot. Even with marijuana legalization, the rate of marijuana use among Colorado teens has not significantly increased to a point where one could soundly say legalization results in more teens getting high. If anything, this measure would have ruined Colorado’s marijuana market with no societal

The aim of the campaign was to provide education and change the behaviour of students towards drug usage. The use of posters and a display electronic board of statistics and a catchy slogan on marijuana abuse was used to attract teenagers. The campaign focuses on the cannabis as a gateway drug and as a risk factor to teenagers, because cannabis usage is closely related to alcohol and cigarette use, and harder drugs such as heroin and cocaine. A study by the centre on addiction and substance abuse illustrates that 14 to 17 year old’s who use drugs are up to 266 more likely to use cocaine than those who don’t use drugs. ("National Study Drugs Lead to Cocaine", 2014) Cannabis not only leads users into harder drugs but also acts as a risk factor. Researchers have discovered that users under the age of 17 are 60% more not likely to complete high school and 18 times more likely to commit suicide. (Scott, 2014) Both of which are risk factors to the teen, caused by the abuse of marijuana usage.

Every other year researchers assessed marijuana use. During the annual interviews, researchers examined socioeconomic and family influences by asking several questions regarding marijuana use, family structure, poverty level, neighborhood quality, self-control and risk taking. After data analysis, researchers concluded that young women are less likely to use marijuana

Teenage marijuana use is at an all time high, it has been found that today’s teen marijuana smokers are doing so at extreme amounts, some even do so daily. What are the factors that cause them to start experimenting and smoking marijuana? The amounts of marijuana being smoked by today’s teenagers must have an effect on the developing teens. The minds and bodies of the teens who smoke must be facing some sort of developing issues. Marijuana is a mild drug compared to harsher drugs like cocaine, heroin, meth, etc. the users of marijuana will eventually look for a stronger and long lasting high so they will turn to these harsher and more addicting substances. The decisions that today’s teens are making to smoke marijuana might have a

Macleod, J., et al., (2004). Psychological and social sequelae of cannabis and other illicit drug use by young people: a systematic review of longitudinal, general population studies. The Lancet, 363, 1579-1588.

Marijuana being illegal gives a chance for organized crime to occur in disadvantaged neighborhoods and the social process of being a minority and poverty contributes to the use of marijuana among the youth. For individuals there are certain explanations as to why they used marijuana, anxiety, school attachment violent victimization, childhood ADHD. Within families, if parents used substance youth’s probability of usage increases, and less strict vigilance of parents link to marijuana use, similar to overprotective parents leads to use. Similar to parents influence, peer influence is also a major factor to usage, and all these are specific to youth. Referring back to the social process, society oppresses those in poverty and contributes to two working parents (possibly one with two or more jobs) trying to live

Obviously, marijuana a huge issue of concern. Statistics has proven that its usage has increased dramatically over the past few decades resulting in lack of interest in learning and creating lazy habits. Surely, uninvolved parents or parents that condone marijuana usage play a big role in this problem we have today. I believe that if parents establish trusted relationships and keep lines of communication open with their teens, if the opportunity presents itself, they will be less likely to make a bad decision. They will be comfortable informing their parents about situations involving

Teens are affected socially by marijuana because of its symptoms and effects it gives off once it is inhaled. The use of marijuana can cause many symptoms and lack of motivation as the user continues to abuse the drug, it also causes problems with the heart and lungs hindering the life of a teen, along with potentially causing fatal complications. Marijuana can affect one's school work, decrease motivation, work performance, and attitude towards duties. Marijuana also leads to delinquent behavior along with aggression; the use of drugs amongst teens tends to hinder the relationships with their parents, peers, or even relationship with teachers, which could hinder their education. Despite the growing legal availability of marijuana amongst

Even though it is illegal if the drug abusers have not been caught they will continue to use the drug and use others. Many adolescences experiment with marijuana due to curiosity and peer pressure studies have shown that the use of marijuana at a young age causes the adolescences to want to try more dangerous narcotics such as cocaine and heroin. An article titled “Evidence That Marijuana Is a Gateway to other Illicit Drug Use” by Joseph Gfoerer, Li-Tzy Wu, and Michael Penne states that, “the highest prevalence of use of heroin, cocaine, and psychotherapeutics in the lifetime was noted among those who initiated marijuana before they were 15 years old. With many young people trying strong narcotics illegally it is no surprise that other young people will also become more apt to try these heavier drugs. The article, “Marijuana is a Dangerous Drug for Teens” by Joseph Calfifano discuses why marijuana is so dangerous for teens and how the gateway effect plays part in this problem. The article states that marijuana use is a “signal of trouble”, the troubles include lack of growth, focus, and motor skills. He also brings up the gateway effect in the article the statistics he uses include, “Twelve to seventeen year olds who smoke marijuana are eighty five times more likely to use cocaine than those who would not.” These statists are very strong in

The second reason that the government should not legalize marijuana is that doing so will send the message that is okay to use other psychoactive drugs. Legalizing marijuana could result in advertising of this drug to adolescents. A study was conducted during 2003 showing that roughly 48 percent of twelfth graders reported using alcohol in the past thirty days and 24 percent reported smoking cigarettes in the past thirty days. Household access to illicit substances is coupled with a greater risk of marijuana use among both younger and older adolescents. This is often coupled with parental drug use which sends the message that it is okay to use psychoactive drugs (Joffe & Yancy, 2004, p. e636). The general idea is that we, as people, shouldn’t be making it easier for our children to get drugs. Thus far, it is shown that there is a struggle to educate the youth to avoid the use of psychoactive drugs. However, certain organizations, such as DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), have made solid efforts to

Tobacco is the number one preventable killer in America with alcohol at number two (Preventable Causes of Death). And if drug-related crime and deaths were not enough for society, Marijuana is now legal in Colorado and Washington--which has already created new substance-related problems. Just the fact of legalizing it confuses teens into thinking that it’s not risky anymore, thus promoting adolescent use. Legal or not, the addictive nature of pot has always been the most influential gateway substance to either alcohol, tobacco, or hard drugs. This means that Marijuana is almost always linked to substance-induced destruction whether it’s directly or indirectly, legal or illegal, self-destructive or destructive to others. Therefore, the

With current drug policies and regulations affecting the whole community; it is leaving a devastating impact on teenagers and children. Unfortunately, the “Just Say No” method is not working for the teenagers of today. The defenders of this failed attacked on the war on drugs say, “We cannot discuss alternatives to prohibition because it would send the wrong message to the kids” (Cummings). Despite decades of DARE programs with the simplistic "Just Say No" message, “50% of teenagers will try marijuana before they graduate” (Miles). Young people also feel the brunt of marijuana enforcement, and make up the majority of arrests. Many of the youth see little danger in the use of marijuana. Suprisingly, it has been easier to find and purchase than