Essay/Term paper: Drug use among teenagers

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Alcohol and Drugs

Drug Use Among Teenagers

While I was conducting my research, I located the actual survey results and
decided to include them with this essay. (I included them at the end of my
essay). ~~~

The three main drugs that are used among teenagers are Marijuana, LSD, and a
variety of inhalants. The use of these drugs seem to be of an astronomical
amount according to the survey conducted by the University of Michigan.

Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded flowers and
leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis Sativa). You may hear marijuana called by
street names such as pot, herb, weed, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic.
There are more than 200 slang terms for marijuana.

Sinsemilla (sin-seh-me-yah; it's a Spanish word), hashish
("hash" for short), and hash oil are stronger forms of
marijuana.

All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. This means they change how the brain
works. They all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active
chemical in marijuana. But there are also 400 other chemicals in the marijuana
plant.

LSD

LSD is very potent: the effective dose is measured in micrograms (ug) --
however, the lethal dose is literally thousands of times that, making the
drug essentially non-toxic. LSD can be administered a number of ways,
the most common: orally through paper, sugar cubes, on a piece of gelatin,
or by pill; intravenously; or intramuscularly. A standard dose with
noticeable hallucinogenic effects is about 100-200 ug. The intensity of the
trip is proportional to the size of the dose -- it is interesting to note,
though, that the duration of the trip seems to stay the same at higher doses
(Freedman, 1984). The initial effects begin 20-40 minutes with a sense of
euphoria and dizziness. Hallucinations then begin to occur, with the trip
peaking for 4-5 hours after about an hour since the drug is taken.

Inhalants

People use certain inhalants to obtain a "high." These inhalants could be
anything from glue to certain fumes. Inhalation of dangerous and toxic
substance is extremely dangerous and can cause serious health problems or death.

The Reasons for Drug Use To Climb Among Teenagers

Stupidity is one reason! There are many reasons why drug use continues to climb.
The laws are not strict enough for teenage offenders. When a teenager, or any
other person, is caught possessing Marijuana they receive a "slap on the wrist."
They receive a fine or some sort of community service punishment and that is it.
Another reason would be the idea that, "everyone else does it and nothing bad
happens to them, I might as well do it too!" Teenagers see other people using
drugs and do not realize the negative affect that the drug has on that person,
so they start themselves. Another reason would be the ease of obtaining drugs.
If I wanted to include some Marijuana with this essay, I very easily could. It
is extremely easy to obtain any kinds of drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes for
teenagers. One reason I do not think is a increase in drug use is peer pressure.
I feel that peer pressure does not cause drug use among teens. Most teenagers
do not use drugs.

Stop This Problem

There are many solutions to this problem. Stricter laws, stricter school
policies about drugs and alcohol ( a few months ago, a girl was suspended for a
long period of time from school for having aspirin with her, a student at
Cranston West came into school drunk, threw up, fell on the floor and was only
suspended for only 7 days!!! ), crackdown on students that are constantly in
trouble with drugs, have a strong faculty and police presence around all known
"hang out" areas, and HARSH PUNISHMENTS for offenders.