The reasons why teenagers use drugs.

Essay by RIPPAL_4UJunior High, 7th gradeA+, September 2006

download word file, 1 pages 1.0

Drug use is the increasing problem among teenagers in today's

High schools. Ever since the drug war of 1900, drugs have been a major problem

in todays society. Use of drugs such as opium, morphine, and their derivatives

were quite commonplace in nineteenth century America. While most students of

contemporary high school drug education programs know about the use of coca

leaves in early Coca-Cola and the opium trade with China, the matter of drug

addiction at the turn of the century is much more extensive than usually

acknowledged. It is estimated that by 1975 there were somewhere in the

neighborhood of 550,000 regular users of addictive drugs in the U.S. While this

number may seem large (taking into consideration the smaller population of the

country in 1970s as compared to today) it is actually surprisingly small even when

such drugs were available over the counter. Cocaine, morphine, laudanum,

and heroin were all available in drug stores and through the mail.

Until the Pure

Food and Drug Act of 1906, banned the sale and distribution of these such drugs

In local shops and stores ,and through the mail.Today, all of these drugs are illegal

Including the most popular drug among teens and in the united states, marijuana.

Most drug use begins in the preteen and teenage years, these years most crucial in

the maturation process. During these years, teenagers are faced with difficult

tasks of discovering their self identity, as well as their sexual roles,becoming

independence, learning to cope with authority and searching for goals that would

give meaning to life. Drugs are readily available and teens are curious and

venerable,and there is peer pressure to experiment, escape from conflicts. The use

and reasons of drugs by teenagers is usually the result of a combination of several

factors such as social, mental, and economical problems .Drugs addiction among

Teens usually in turn lead to a depressed life and suicide.