How Many Teens are Abusing these Drugs?
By high school, 52% of teens say that there is a place near the school where kids can go to drink or get high. More than 80% of students say that some of their classmates are drinking or using drugs during the school day. Unless you homeschool, your child will be exposed to drug use to a greater or a lesser extent in school. Private schools are not exempt from the presence of drugs and drink.
A 2012 study reported on the number of American teens who were abusing the major drugs in this class:
- Powder cocaine: 1.0 percent of 8th graders, 1.8 percent of 10th graders, and 2.4 percent of 12th graders
- Crack cocaine: 0.6 percent of 8th graders, 0.8 percent of 10th graders, and 1.2 percent of 12th graders
- Methamphetamine: 1.0 percent of 8th graders, 1.0 percent of 10th graders, and 1.1 percent of 12th graders
- Amphetamines: 2.9 percent of 8th graders, 6.5 percent of 10th graders, and 7.9 percent of 12th graders
- Prescribed use of Ritalin: 0.7 percent of 8th graders, 1.9 percent of 10th graders, and 2.6 percent of 12th graders
- Prescribed use of Adderall: 1.7 percent of 8th graders, 4.5 percent of 10th graders, and 7.6 percent of 12th graders
Why Do Youths Abuse Stimulants?
There are many reasons that some people prefer stimulants. They supply a euphoria, like many other drugs, but along with it comes energy, confidence and sociability. Some of the drugs are thought to make a party, dancing or listening to music more enjoyable because they heighten a person’s senses of light and sound. Some lower inhibitions and increase a person’s sexual drive.
In a school environment, some stimulants are sought to help a student focus on studies and complete assignments faster.
But stimulants place a terrible strain on a body, since with most of them, a person will not be able to rest or eat normally. Exhaustion and malnutrition can occur with some of them, and paranoia is a common side effect. Addiction can occur with any of these drugs and this is, of course, destructive toward the individual’s personality, relationships and future. Some people may lose their dreams and others may even lose their lives.
