TEENAGE DRUG ABUSE

Drug abuse among teenagers is very common. Peer pressure plays a vital role in getting teenagers to try drugs for the first time. In some cases it may just be smoking marijuana or drinking alcohol, but others may end up in a downward spiral using and abusing all kinds of illicit drugs.

According to the Office of Applied Studies, an estimated 12.02% of the US population aged 12-17 had used any illicit drug, including marijuana, based on the national averages from 2002-2003. An estimated 21.07% of the US population aged 18-25 had used any illicit drug from 2002-2003. Since marijuana is the most commonly abused drug, those averages are slightly higher. An estimated 16.26% of the US population aged 12-17 were marijuana users from 2002-2003. For US citizens aged 18-25, an estimated 30.79% of them were marijuana users.

There are many warning signs to look for to tell if someone you know if abusing drugs. Some of these signs include refraining from family activities, sudden increase or decrease in appetite, money disappearing, physical or verbal abuse, and lying about where they are going. Other things to look out for are dramatic changes in weight, grades slipping, and careless attitude towards things that once mattered to that person. Many times drug abusers will change their group of friends to accommodate their new lifestyle as well.

One of the best things to do with teenagers who you suspect of using drugs is to talk to them about it. Kids are not going to want to open right up about this subject because they usually don’t want their parents knowing that they are using drugs. Many times a kid will deny any drug use and their parents will trust them enough to believe them, but if you are recognizing many of the warning signs above it may be wiser to dig a little deeper to make sure you’re getting the whole truth.

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