In the late 1990s, there was an epidemic that spread across the world and caused chaos everywhere it appeared. This was called the opioid crisis. Adults and teens had been introduced to opioids such as heroin and fentanyl. Results have shown that 2.14 million people ages 12 and older had an opioid use disorder in 2016, including 153,000 12- to 17-year-olds (Volkow). Prescription and over the counter drugs are often abused by 12th graders along with alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco. Teenager often do drugs to seem cool or escape from reality because of issues at home or school.
This a major problem because they are becoming addicted to the drugs and end up overdosing. Marijuana, Nicotine, and Synthetic drugs have the highest numbers of use among young adults. Although the use of opioids has decreased teens are still using drugs such as heroine, cocaine, and many other drugs. In the book dreamland by Sam quinones he opens up with a story about Matt Schoonover. Matt was a boy who grew up in a neighborhood where teenagers often smoke and drank alcohol. In his junior year he began smoking and drinking just like everyone around him.
Then he moved on to prescription painkillers which he became addicted to at some point. Matt then switched to OxyContin which is a pill that treats moderate to severe pain in the body. The national institute on drug abuse states that peeling off the coating then using it will give you a sense euphoria which is like the feeling of heroin. Schoovner ended up switching to heroin and ended up overdosing after getting treatment for his addiction. This is an example of a teenager who was influenced by external factors to start using drugs.
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Teenagers often find themselves becoming addicted to drugs like oxycontin, heroin, and many other synthetic drugs. OxyContin is a drug that has yet to fall of the charts pertaining to usage. The national institute on drug abuse shows that the usage of Oxycontin has increased over the past three years for teenagers. Eighth graders had a percentage of 80, tenth had a percentage of 2.20, and twelfth graders with 2.70 percent. The percentages have decreased since 2016 but continue to rise as the years pass. Heroin is another example of an addictive drug.
Rollins states that the number of teens from the age 12-17 who had used heroin increased from one percent to eight percent. Research also showed that middle class white males had a higher percentage of using heroin then other ethnicities (Martens). Young adults use heroin because of the feelings that they get from it. When heroin is used the user gets a rush of happiness and clouded thoughts. This drug is addicting because after those feelings are gone the user becomes depressed and often wants to experience that happiness again. The national institute on drug abuse states that in 2017 about seventy percent of eighth and twelfth graders have used heroin once or twice in their lifetime. Teenagers tend not to think about the effects of drugs on their bodies.
Opioids cause quick bursts euphoria which causes the user to feel pleasure and happiness. When this feeling disappears, the user gets disappointed and ends up reusing the drug to relive the experience. This is how addiction starts with opioids. The addiction center said that in 2014, 94 percent of people surveyed said they chose to heroin over prescribed painkillers because it was cheaper and easy to receive. This addiction often causes the user to resort to stealing from friends or using someone else’s. People often switch to heroin because it provides the same feelings that opioids give you.
Hailey is also a victim of drug addiction. At the age of 13 she started smoking marijuana. At the time her siblings were also smoking marijuana. She began using cocaine, acid, and soon enough heroin. Hailey had been sentenced to jail before and ended up going back because she had begun using drugs again but this time a lot more frequently. She did not graduate high school and dropped out during her senior year because she was pregnant.
In the end she started getting her life back on track and she now works at Burger king. She could not get a better job because of her long history of using drugs. Ryan is another example of a teenager’s life that was ruined by drugs. He started using drugs in his sixth-grade year and at the age of fourteen he had used cocaine, ecstasy, acid, mushrooms, and marijuana. He was seen as a cool kid in school, but he had low self-esteem and trouble in school. Ryan’s parents decided to get him treated for his drug addiction.
Most of the kids who had a problem were middle class. He had ended up getting better but then he went back to his old habits. There was a man who had been supplying Ryan drugs while he was in treatment. In the end, Ryan was on lsd when he jumped onto a highway and was hit by a van. He died on impact (Tariff). All of these teens’ lives were ruined by drugs. It is our job to educate teenagers about the dangers and consequences of using drugs. Teens will continue using opioids and any other drugs until we decide to make a move on it.
Works Cited
- ‘Hailey’s dilemma: Drug addiction, attitude and growth intersect on road to recovery.’ Janesville Gazette [Janesville, WI], 26 Aug. 2018. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com.proxy032.nclive.org/apps/doc/A551816830/OVIC?u=nclivecvcc&sid=OVIC&xid=961cf693. Accessed 27 Nov. 2018.
- Martins, Silvia S et al. “Prescription opioid use disorder and heroin use among 12-34 year-olds in the United States from 2002 to 2014” Addictive behaviors vol. 65 (2016): 236-241.
- Quinones, Sam. Dreamland: the True Tale of Americas Opiate Epidemic. Bloomsbury Press, 2016. Rollins, Judy A,PhD., R.N. ‘Heroin Addiction: Not a Laughing Matter.’ Pediatric Nursing, vol. 42, no. 3, 2016, pp. 109-111. ProQuest, http://nclive.org/cgi-bin/nclsm?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1794889784?accountid=9935.
- Shafer, Ronald G. ‘Marijuana Addiction: One Family’s Nightmare.’ Marijuana, edited by Joseph Tardiff, Greenhaven Press, 2008. Contemporary Issues Companion. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010202221/OVIC?u=nclivecvcc&sid=OVIC&xid=41556cce. Accessed 26 Nov. 2018.
- Originally published as ‘America’s Nightmare—Youth and Drugs: A Personal Experience,’ 1995.
- “Teen Drug Use Is Down-But Teen Overdoses Are Up.” NIDA for Teens, teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/teen-drug-use-down-teen-overdoses-up.
- The National Institute on Drug Abuse Blog Team. ‘Heroin.’ Drugs & Health Blog, , National Institute on Drug Abuse, https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/heroin. Accessed 6 Dec. 2018.
- The Scourge of Drug Abuse Amongst Youths.’ All Africa, 31 Oct. 2018. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A560551591/OVIC?u=nclivecvcc&sid=OVIC&xid=ffe889b3. Accessed 26 Nov. 2018.
