Help Stop the Spread, Speak Up

May 17, 2010  
Filed under Life

Though it’s not what schools want to be popular for, but public schools are the places where drugs are easy to find, buy, and sell. “Public schools are more open than private schools,” said Rachel Grey.  And she is right. Public schools are more open which make easier access to drugs. Don’t believe me? Believe the statistics found by many researchers.        

    “Teenagers whose parents talk to them on a regular basis about the dangers of drug use are 42% less likely to use drugs than those whose parents don’t. More than 60% of teens said that drugs were sold, used, or kept at their school. 20% of 8th graders report that they have tried marijuana. 28% of teens know a classmate or friend who has used ecstasy [most commonly called ‘E’],” explains Teendrugabuse.us. According to Teenhelp.com, marijuana (19.9%) and alcohol (48%) are the highest usage rates that teens have used in the last thirty days. These are high numbers, and the likeable number would be 0%. But what do these drugs do is used long term? Drugs have many effects.

 Amphetamines are found to cause hallucinations and intense paranoia.

    Marijuana, or best known as ‘pot’ or ‘weed’, can affect mood and coordination. From being stimulated or happy, to drowsy or depressed. This drug can also affect heart rate and blood pressure. Red eyes, feeling sleepy or hungry, and can also cause paranoia or can even hallucinate.

     Cocaine and crack, or known as ‘coke’ and ‘nose candy’, can have serious effects on the users body. If shorted, the ‘coke’ can put a hole inside the lining of your nose. First time users can experience heart attacks, or can even stop breathing. “Using either of these drugs even one time can kill you,” said Teendrugabuse.com.

    Ecstasy, also known as “E” can cause some  serious effects over long term use. Dehydration, hypertension, heart failure, hyperthermia, and kidney failure are just a few.

   Another popular drug commonly used by teens today are PrimeTimes. Though they are not really drugs, they’re small cigars are going big around campus. All this substance has is tobacco with natural flavor.

   “To its credit, a Backwoods brand of Mild ‘n Natural Cigars  (honey/berry flavored) carries a warning: ‘Where There’s Smoke There’s Poison’ and ‘Tobacco smoke contains more that 50 cancer-causing agents.’ A warning printed on the wrapper of a Prime Time chocolate mint flavored cigarillo acknowledges it may cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm,” explained Commercialfreechildhood.org.

    Those are just a few of the known drugs teens are exposing themselves to everyday. Once a drug is used once, the same steps follow: First they tried their first cigarette when they were in the sixth/seventh grade, they don’t do as well in school, they feel like they’re not apart of the school in general, they become isolated from their classmates, they can not perform as well as they cool in physical activity, they have little or no hope of going to college,  they need to get a job in order to pay for their drug usage, they start skipping class, start using other illegal substances, they begin to experiment with other drugs and alcohol,  they start to use cigarettes as a stress reliever from school and family, and they enjoy trying to hide their smoking (information found from teendrugeabuse.us).    

    “There were 2.3 million youth between the ages of 12 to 17 who were found to need treatment for alcohol or any other illicit drug abuse. Only 8.2% of these youths received any rehab help.”

     The students, you guys, need to help stop the spread of drugs.

      “Every day, nearly 3,000 young people under the age of 18 become regular smokers… More than 5 million children living today will die prematurely because of a decision they will make as adolescents, the decision to smoke cigarettes. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention),” informed sounddivision.com.

    Drugs are bad, you already know that. Knowing your friends do drugs is a way of letting them have health hazards for a lifetime. Help now. Stop the spread and speak up!

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