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Drug Dilemma
Teens share their thoughts on drug abuse By Carma Haley
Crack, PCP, ecstasy -- these are just a few of the names given to illegal substances available. Ask any teen to name them and you're sure to hear more.
More than 15,000 teenagers ages 14 to 18 have experimented with illegal substances, according to a national confidential survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control. Of these, 37 percent have smoked marijuana, 7 percent have tried cocaine, 18 percent have used inhalants and 11 percent have used methamphetamines. The remaining 27 percent have tried more than one of the above substances, along with experimenting with other drugs.
Following the introduction of the "Just Say No" drug awareness program, drug use by teens declined by 23 percent through 1995. However, the use of cocaine and marijuana has increased by 27 percent, reports the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is the reason for this rise in teen drug use? Talking to teens, it sounds like it may be a lack of information.
"I've never had any classes cover drug awareness or prevention," says Holly, a 16-year-old from Springdale, Ark. "I think it would be awesome if they would have that kind of class at my high school and make it a required class like physical education, health or oral communications. I think that it may keep teens from doing drugs if they would talk about what all the drugs do to you and maybe even show pictures."
Holly also would like to hear guest speakers at her school, who would share their experiences. "[They could] talk about what they did, how they thought it was fun and then talk about what happened to them. They could tell them what lessons they learned from being out there doing drugs," she says.
School districts that offer drug awareness courses seem to be making a difference. Students who have attended these classes develop a strong ideal against the use of illegal substances.
"My parents have talked to me about drugs and that I shouldn't use them, but I think I have learned more from health class and my friends than I have my parents," says Mallory, a 17-year-old from Leaf River, Ill. "I am a leader in a group called TASA -- that stands for Tigers Against Substance Abuse. Our whole purpose is to help steer our peers from drug and alcohol abuse and at the same time to keep non-users away from it."
