Drug Epidemics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Drug Epidemics - Research Paper Example Although parenthood brings with it an overt phase of endless concern and wellbeing of children becomes the topmost priority, the main concern is regarding bad habits and addictions that their children may succumb to under peer pressure. Abuse of prescription drugs among college students has become an increasing trend in a lot of campuses. Students use these drugs in huge volumes not only to get feelings of intoxication, but also to help them to concentrate for tests or papers, to alleviate themselves from depression or anxiety as well as to help improve their stamina for sports and athletics. A lot of people have stereotypes about who an addict or alcoholic is and how he or she would behave, however, majority of people do not connect this image with young students. Drug education has been made compulsory in the United States all through grade schools and yet the use of drugs continues to increase in college students. Once the students graduate from their high schools, they leave the safe ambit provided by their schools and enter the negatively influential atmosphere of colleges. College life is considered as a period for experimentation, and for some students certain experimentation develops into a bad addiction. When it comes to addiction, age is not a factor that stands in way, moreover, youth proves to be a greater factor that forces students to surrender themselves to bad habits, as peer pressure is more dominant among youngsters. The issues regarding the use of drugs as well as consumption of alcohol among students are significantly growing more serious. The social environment of colleges increasingly encourages the use and abuse of drugs, among which binge-drinking is the most common. Drugs and alcohol pose various threats and problems for both male and female students alike, the effect showing significant decrease in their scores during examinations. This kind of substance abuse is primarily the reason for nearly a third of dropouts in colleges. In an atmosphere where binge drinking is widespread, the number of related legal complications and offences also increase. Illegal drugs, drunk driving and underage possession of alcohol and marijuana can cost fines and also entail imprisonment. Injuries, sexual assault as well as fights are more likely to occur when one has been inebriated by alcohol or intoxicated by drugs. Nearly half of campus injuries are caused due to alcohol consumption according to various studies. Parents and youth in particular need to be well educated with reference to the dangers of the abuse and misuse of presc ription drugs. However, there is a general misperception amongst a lot of youngsters as well as parents that prescription drugs do not have as much as negative impacts when compared to illegal drugs since they are FDA approved. A lot of parents do not understand the risks related with giving prescribed medicine to youngsters or other family members for whom the medicine was not approved. On the other hand, some parents who do provide their children with prescription drugs, do not necessarily pay attention to how their children use or misuse these drugs. Teenagers and youth alike, gain access to unused prescription drugs from the medication cabinets, which their parents often leave open, not considering a situation that their children might use those drugs. â€Å"