Drug Abuse in the United States on the Rise Essay - 634 Words

Drug Abuse in the United States has gone down since the 1990’s but now that percentage is starting to increase. Nowadays children perceive drugs to be less and less harmful and are deciding to try hard drugs such as amphetamines, stimulants, and opiates. These drugs are extremely addictive, one try and you could be hooked on for life. This is dangerous, the earlier children start to try drugs the more prone they are to dealing with addiction as adults. Drug abuse is a serious problem especially with America’s youth since marijuana and other drugs are very harmful to the developing brains of adolescents. Some of the most commonly abused drugs are Marijuana, Cocaine, Xanax, and Adderall. (Health and Life) Some of these drugs are more harmful†¦show more content†¦If a lot of kids start using drugs, the other kids who stay clean may feel pressured to fit in, people who use drugs may suggest for their friends to try it and create more drug abusers. Many people who use drugs try it to cope with stress or anxiety, but after the effect of the drugs wear off they may feel much worse than before. Helping people find healthy ways to deal with stress may be one way to reduce the amount of drug addicts. (Butler Center for Research) Another thing to be aware of is a family history of substance abuse, you might try drugs with friends and feel addicted to the drug after the first use your friend might be perfectly fine. Also persuading the youth to stay away from drugs is a key in prevention. â€Å"Research indicates that adolescence who begin drinking or doing drugs before age 14 are significantly more likely to experience alcohol or drug dependence at some point later on in their lives compared to individuals who begin drinking after 21 years of age.† (Butler Center for Research) Strong family bonds and proactive parenting can play a big role in helping keep teens away from drugs and alcohol. 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