Journalism

Nicholas DelloRusso                                                                                    
Mr. Schmidt
Intro to Journalism
1/7/14


                                                      Drug Abuse In Teens


              The average age of first marijuana use is 14, and alcohol use can start before the age of 12. Drug use in teens has been more common over the years and more dangerous then ever. 6.5 percent of high school seniors smoke marijuana daily this raised from last years 5.1 percent. But not only smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol the only drugs being abused by teens, there is prescribed pills such as cold and flu pills cough syrup, percs, oxys, xanax, vikes, and plenty more, but these legal and prescribed drugs are even more lethal than the outlawed drugs. In local studies 300% more people died using prescription drugs than those of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine combined. No matter what drugs teens are using they are all harmful and are destroying the mind and bodies of teens everywhere.

              Drugs have many affects on the body such as weakening the immune system leaving your body more prone to diseases. They cause cardiovascular conditions ranging from abnormal heart rate to heart attacks. Injected drugs can also lead to collapsed veins and infections of the blood vessels. Drugs can cause liver failure they also cause seizures, strokes and widespread brain damage that can impact every day life by causing problems with memory attention and decision making including sustained mental confusion and permanent brain damage. Doing drugs while pregnant can cause severe birth defects.

          Drugs impair the users vision reaction time and decision making this is dangerous not only to the body but to others around the user. While using drugs the user may do things he or she may not while sober such as act in violence or drive while not in the right state of mind which can cause harm to all sober people on the...