Teen Drug Addiction

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Teen drug abuse is on the rise and unfortunately, one of the most enabling factors is the denial of both parents and the school systems. A problem with teen drug abuse is somehow readily tolerated in the inner cities as a byproduct of challenging living conditions for the young. If you just move out to the suburbs and it'll be much harder to get the parents and schools systems to admit there is a problem at all with teen drug abuse. Generally, in schools, drug testing was reserved only for those participating in sports. And if a child with teen drug abuse problems tests positive for drugs or alcohol the child faces mandatory suspension.

Then, after returning to school, the child meets the Student Assistance Counselor for 2-3 sessions and then resumes life as though nothing has happened. Well meaning teachers frequently look the other way when presented with signs of a child with teen drug abuse problems. They especially overlook teen drug abuse if the teenager in question is not a problem in the classroom. That's not the worst part. The parents are in denial about the teen drug abuse problem as well. At the start of each High School year a program about drug and alcohol awareness for the parents is run to explain the teen drug abuse problem.

A worrying fact: in a school population of over 1100 students only a handful of parents shown up for the program. And this was despite the fact that there had been several teen drug abuse problems resulting in the death of students in the area. With parents acting unconsciously about teen drug abuse, the teenager must then hopefully make the correct ethical decision that it would not be alright to break the law in situations, such as experimenting with drugs, drinking and driving, speeding etc. Because they are so exposed to temptation of teen drug abuse and other experiences, it seems unfair that they must bear the burden of these mixed messages. Being the fact that they are still teenagers, they do not always behave as their parents might hope or live up to their expectations. Teens are great for seeing issues as black or white and the same goes for teen drug abuse. So, teen drug addiction is actually increasing in part because of this kind of denial.

On the other hand, a school system sees the benefit of not having a serious drug or drinking problem within its student population, apparently, as it may damage their image as an institution. However, the negative impact of such a problem would lead to a rating a lot less favorable of the school system as a whole. This makes the administration turn, if not a blind eye at least a very nearsighted one to the actual problems with teen drug abuse that are being experienced by the students. To sum up, teen drug addiction and teen addiction as a whole is a far reaching and a very complex issue. This is mainly because it requires a response on many different levels. The parents of the teenagers and the school system that is greatly involved in their growth aren't the adults in this situation. This should at least spark a more unified effort to work on the teen's behalf. It would be best that they both looked at this serious situation with eyes wide open. Overall, teen drug addiction may not be prevented but we must at least make every effort try to help teenagers make a better choice for themselves.