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Teenage Drug Abuse PDF

96 Pages·2012·2.83 MB·English
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Other books in the Compact Research Teenage Problems set: Teenage Alcoholism Teenage Drug Abuse Teenage Eating Disorders Teenage Mental Illness Teenage Sex and Pregnancy *For a complete list of titles please visit www.referencepointpress.com. Teenage Drug Abuse Leanne K. Currie-McGhee Teenage Problems San Diego, CA © 2012 ReferencePoint Press, Inc. Printed in the United States For more information, contact: ReferencePoint Press, Inc. PO Box 27779 San Diego, CA 92198 www.ReferencePointPress.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, web distribution, or information storage retrieval systems—without the written permission of the publisher. Picture credits: Cover: iStockphoto.com and Thinkstock/Comstock Maury Aaseng: 32–34, 46–49, 61–63, 75–77 Corbis/Ocean: 15 iStockphoto.com: 13 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA Currie-McGhee, L. K. (Leanne K.) Teenage drug abuse / by Leanne Currie-Mcghee. p. cm. — (Compact research) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-1-60152-376-1 (e-book) 1. Teenagers—Drug use—United States—Juvenile literature. 2. Drug abuse—Treatment— United States—Juvenile literature. 3. Teenagers—Drug use—United States—Prevention— Juvenile literature. I. Title. HV5824.Y68C87 2012 618.92'86—dc22 2010046672 Contents Foreword 6 Teenage Drug Abuse at a Glance 8 Overview 10 How Serious Is Teenage Drug Abuse? 21 Primary Source Quotes 28 Facts and Illustrations 31 What Are the Dangers of Teenage Drug Abuse? 35 Primary Source Quotes 42 Facts and Illustrations 45 How Is Teenage Drug Abuse Treated? 50 Primary Source Quotes 57 Facts and Illustrations 60 Can Teenage Drug Abuse Be Prevented? 64 Primary Source Quotes 71 Facts and Illustrations 74 Key People and Advocacy Groups 78 Chronology 80 Related Organizations 82 For Further Research 86 Source Notes 88 List of Illustrations 90 Index 91 About the Author 96 Foreword “Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?” —T.S. Eliot, “The Rock.” A s modern civilization continues to evolve, its ability to create, store, distribute, and access information expands exponentially. The ex- plosion of information from all media continues to increase at a phenomenal rate. By 2020 some experts predict the worldwide informa- tion base will double every 73 days. While access to diverse sources of information and perspectives is paramount to any democratic society, information alone cannot help people gain knowledge and understand- ing. Information must be organized and presented clearly and succinctly in order to be understood. The challenge in the digital age becomes not the creation of information, but how best to sort, organize, enhance, and present information. d r o ReferencePoint Press developed the Compact Research series with this w e challenge of the information age in mind. More than any other subject r o F area today, researching current issues can yield vast, diverse, and unquali- fied information that can be intimidating and overwhelming for even the most advanced and motivated researcher. The Compact Research series of- fers a compact, relevant, intelligent, and conveniently organized collection of information covering a variety of current topics ranging from illegal immigration and deforestation to diseases such as anorexia and meningitis. The series focuses on three types of information: objective single- author narratives, opinion-based primary source quotations, and facts 6 Foreword and statistics. The clearly written objective narratives provide context and reliable background information. Primary source quotes are care- fully selected and cited, exposing the reader to differing points of view. And facts and statistics sections aid the reader in evaluating perspectives. Presenting these key types of information creates a richer, more balanced learning experience. For better understanding and convenience, the series enhances infor- mation by organizing it into narrower topics and adding design features that make it easy for a reader to identify desired content. For example, in Compact Research: Illegal Immigration, a chapter covering the economic impact of illegal immigration has an objective narrative explaining the various ways the economy is impacted, a balanced section of numerous primary source quotes on the topic, followed by facts and full-color il- lustrations to encourage evaluation of contrasting perspectives. The ancient Roman philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca wrote, “It is quality rather than quantity that matters.” More than just a collection of content, the Compact Research series is simply committed to creating, finding, organizing, and presenting the most relevant and appropriate amount of information on a current topic in a user-friendly style that invites, intrigues, and fosters understanding. 7 Teenage Drug Abuse at a Glance Drug Abuse Among Teens The 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that an esti- mated 22.5 million persons in the United States were suffering from sub- stance addiction or abuse; of these, 1.8 million were 12 to 17 years old. Most Common Drugs The most common substances abused by US teenagers are alcohol and marijuana. Prescription drugs are the third most abused substance among tenth and twelfth graders. Internet Impact e c The Internet has made it easier for teenagers to obtain, without a pre- n a l scription, prescription drugs such as Vicodin and oxycodone. G a t Risky Behavior a e s When teenagers use drugs or alcohol they are more likely to indulge in u b A risky behavior such as unprotected sex, driving while high or drunk, and g u getting into fights. r D e Damage to the Developing Brain g a n e A teenager’s brain is not fully developed and can be damaged by excessive e T use of drugs or alcohol. The prefrontal cortex, which allows people to understand situations and make sound decisions while keeping emotions and desires under control, is especially susceptible to harm. 8 Teenage Drug Abuse at a Glance Addiction Risk Teenagers who try alcohol or drugs are more likely than teenagers who never use these substances to become addicts as they get older. Health Hazards Drug and alcohol abuse can lead to physical problems including liver disease, lung cancer, and stroke—all of which can be fatal. Getting Off Drugs Teenage drug users most often turn to self-help groups for assistance in overcoming addiction. Residential and off-site treatment centers and counseling have also proved useful for beating teen drug and alcohol ad- diction. How Medications Help Various medications can help teen addicts fight cravings and withdrawal symptoms resulting from addiction to tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. 9 Overview “Adolescents warrant increased attention because they are at heightened risk for drug abuse, they may suffer more severe consequences, and childhood and early adolescence represent times when targeted pre- vention efforts may have the most impact.” —Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “When it comes to teen substance abuse, it seems like we’re always playing catch up. Anytime a new drug hits the streets, its popularity soars, and we find our- selves fighting against it. At the same time, drugs that have been around for years sometimes rise sharply and unexpectedly in popularity.” —ASK (Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base), an educational website. w e How Serious Is Teenage Drug Abuse? i v r M e illions of young people in the United States endanger themselves v O and others by abusing drugs, alcohol, and tobacco every year. Each year the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) conducts a nationwide survey on drug and alcohol use. According to the agency’s 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 5.4 percent of young people in the United States between the ages of 12 and 20 (2.1 million) reported that they were heavy alcohol drinkers. In the same survey, 10 percent of youths aged 12 to 17 (2.5 million) reported that they were illicit drug users. 10

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