Teen Substance Abuse

896 Words4 Pages
Tobacco, marijuana, narcotics, alcohol. They all surround the life of teens and contribute to teen accidents, homicides, and suicides. About 47,000 Canadian deaths are linked to substance abuse annually According to Health Officer's Council of British Columbia. As generations pass drug use is getting more common and casual among teens. Teens as young as 13 have already tried drugs more than once as powerful as cocaine, says the drug statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Teens believe that by trying a drug once won’t cause them any harm. But, many teens end up feeling peer pressured and continue to experiment with the drugs for them to “join the party”. Teens shouldn’t be worried about when they’ll be consuming more drugs,…show more content…
Such as, insecurities, wanting of social accpentance, notthinking through clealry, leading them to take dangerous risks such as abusing legal or illegal drugs. Also, family history of substance abuse may influence them. A mental or behavioral health condition, such as depression, or anxiety. A history of traumatic events. Low self-esteem or poor social coping skills. Feelings of not fitting in society. Lack of nurturing by parents or caregivers. Surrounded by peers who themselves use drugs and by having easy drug availability or belief that drug abuse is okay. The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse states that Substance abuse has cost our health care system $8 billion. That’s great, let’s just spend another $8 billion for the sake of it. This is crazy money, especially money that could’ve been put in problems we can’t control. I believe Very few addicts recognize when they have developed an addiction. Most teens don't think that they will become addicted, and simply use drugs or alcohol to have a good time and fit in with their friends. When teens become addicted they can have long, severe, negative effects. They may develop health problems, such as Ecstasy which can cause liver damage and heart failure. High doses of or chronic use of methamphetamine can cause psychotic behavior. Chronic use of inhalants can harm the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. And all of this can lead to…show more content…
They, start to fail in school, experience memory loss, lose motivation, and alienate their family and friends with their negative behaviors and often unpredictable emotional swings. Also, impaired driving may put a teen in danger of an accident. The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse state that 10% of night time drivers showed evidence of drug use while only 8.1% tested positive for alcohol. Teens who abuse drugs are more likely to have poor judgment, which can lead to unsafe sex, and unwanted pregnancy. If you are a parent who is concerned about your teen, the signs to look for are declining interest in activities your teen once enjoyed, changes in school performance, and unpredictable mood swings that seem to be about more than just teen hormones. Beware of what goes around at your teen’s school. Statistics Canada stated that last year, 23% of Ontario students reported that they were offered, sold, or given a drug at school. That's about 219,000
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