Running Head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SCHOOLS

Substance Abuse in Schools

Madison Frederick
Arizona State University

Running Head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SCHOOLS

In a calendar year 2010, an estimated 14.0 million adolescents were current

substance abusers, meaning that they had used some form of drug in the past 30 days
before answering a survey. This estimate represents 6.3 percent of the population 12
years or older (National Drugs Statistics, 2010). Substance abuse in our nations teens
and adolescents remains a major public health problem; for it can increase high-risk
behaviors such as injuries, violence, HIV infection and other diseases and ultimately can
lower students performance in school. When students are involved in the use and abuse
of drugs, alcohol and other damaging substances, their school performance is heavily
impacted. Grades start to suffer due to poor concentration, lack of focus, energy and
drive, and students lose interest in healthy social and extra curricular activities. If
substance abuse continues, it can lead to absence in school and eventually dropping out
(School Problems, 2014). Major substance abuse observed in students is marijuana,
alcohol, prescription drugs and inhalants such as paints and glue; and it is believed the
high number of students using these substances would drop if they were properly
educated about it.
In the United States, the current use of marijuana is 40.7 percent throughout the
entire population (Marijuana Use). Adolescents using marijuana make up a majority of
the total percentage that uses it. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse
(NIDA), 7 percent of 8th graders, 18 percent of 10th graders and 22.7% of seniors in
America have used marijuana in the past month. Those numbers have strikingly increased
in the past 6 years and are only increasing as time passes and as marijuana is pushing for
legalization in the United States. In a graphical representation published by the
University of Michigan, the past-year use of various drugs by 12th graders in 2013

Running Head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SCHOOLS

compared marijuana use to other drugs such as adderall, hallucinogens, salvia, Ritalin,
etc. The percentage of marijuana use was over 20 percent higher than all other drugs
(High School and Youth Trends, 2014). The effects of marijuana can alter students
performance on school and overall development. Some long term effects of marijuana
use are suppression of immune system, growth disorders, rapid destruction of lung fibers
and lesions to the brain, reduced sexual capacity, etc (Short & Long-term Effects, 2014).
Also, other effects such as apathy, drowsiness and lack of motivation from marijuana use
can cause detrimental effects to school performance.
Alcohol use in students is the number one substance students are abusing. The
American Psychiatric Association describes alcohol abuse as a maladaptive pattern of
alcohol use leading toclinically significant impairment or distress, failure to fulfill
major obligations as work, school or home; recurrent use in situations where it is
physically hazardous; legal disorder; persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal
disorder caused or exacerbated by alcohol (Appendix B, 2010). According to the CDC,
in the year 2013, 39 percent of adolescents have admitted to drinking some amount of
alcohol, while 22 percent have binged drank (Fact Sheets, 2014). The abuse of alcohol
can lead to high-risk behaviors such as arrest for driving or physically hurting someone
while drunk; for 8 percent of adolescents have admitted to driving after drinking alcohol
and 24 percent have rode in the car with a driver who had been drinking alcohol (Fact
Sheets, 2014). The abuse of alcohol is similar to any other abuse of any other drug, where
tolerance and dependence of alcohol can occur. Alcohol tolerance and dependence is
described as a withdrawal, unsuccessful efforts to cut down or continued use despite
physical pr psychological disorder likely to have been caused or exacerbated by alcohol

Running Head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SCHOOLS

(Appendix B, 2010). Therefore, from dependence and tolerance, alcohol can cause
dangerous side effects. Some effects from the abuse of alcohol are unwanted, unplanned
and unprotected sexual activity, arrest for driving of physically hurting someone while
drunk and death from alcohol poisoning. Ultimately, the use of alcohol can cause higher
absence in school, failing grades and can also lead to the use of other drugs.
Prescription drugs such as Adderall, OxyCotin and Percocet are drugs that are
rising in the amount of adolescents using it over the years. Adderall is an amphetamine
that is used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is in the same class
of drugs as cocaine and methamphetamine, which can be highly addicting. The increased
amount of Adderall use from 10 percent to 19 percent to 26 percent since 2007 is due to
students feeling pressured over receiving acceptable grades for college admissions. Over
11.4 percent of children ages 12 to 25 have used it without being prescribed by a doctor.
Students have been growing comfortable with the use of Adderall, which leads to the
transition in use of painkillers such as OxyCotin and Percocet, which are typically 30
times stronger than heroine. Over 12 million people ages 12 and over are using
painkillers without a prescription, similar to Adderall. Abuse of Adderall and painkillers
can cause a plethora of side effects of high blood pressure, heart irregularities,
depression, psychosis, acute exhaustion, etc; all in which can affect schooling and lack of
motivation leading to low grades, absence and dropping out.
Lastly, inhalants such as breathing in gas, vapors, paint and glue with the purpose
of getting high is rapidly increasing in adolescents because inhalants are legal and can be
sold over the counter. Some inhalants are everyday household products that are easily
accessible. There are over 1,000 products that are inhaled such as air conditioning

Running Head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SCHOOLS

refrigerant, markers, spray paint, air fresheners, cooking sprays, keyboard sprays, etc.
Over 22 million Americans use such products age 12 and older and every year, 750,000
Americans try an inhalant for the first time. Inhalants are extremely dangerous, for only
one use can be enough to kill the user by freezing their heart or causing an overdose.
However, inhalant use is common in adolescents of lower socio-economic areas.
According to Washington University, Inhalant users reported significantly less family
support and cohesiveness and lower self-esteem, and significantly more lifetime thoughts
of suicide and suicide attempts, neighborhood gang activity, peer and parental substance
abuse (Jenson, 1999). Therefore, the use of inhalants can cause higher risks in behavior,
which leads to low school performance.
When it comes to education on substance abuse, students are not properly
learning about the detrimental effects from their teachers or any organizations within the
school. Drug abuse resistance education (DARE) was a program in schools that would
come once a week and teach students about drug and alcohol abuse. Since DARE was
only grant funded, in 2009 it was discontinued due to lack of funds to keep it going.
Therefore, there is no education about substance abuse in schools. There are
organizations such as Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) and Mothers Against
Drunk Driving (MADD) that will give presentations to students about drugs and alcohol
but there is no consistent education within schools about substance abuse. If teachers
were permitted to talk about substance abuse or if classes were offered to inform students
of the detrimental effects of drugs and alcohol, then substance abuse among students
would hopefully decrease.

Running Head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN SCHOOLS

References
Appendix B: DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence.
(2010, July 18). Retrieved November 15, 2014.
Fact Sheets - Underage Drinking. (2014, January 16). Retrieved November15, 2014.
High School and Youth Trends. (2014, January). Retrieved November 15, 2014.
Jenson, J. (1999, February 24). Result Filters. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
Marijuana Use. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2014.
National Drugs Statistics Summary. (2010). Retrieved November 15, 2014. School
Problems & Addiction. (2014). Retrieved November 15, 2014.
Short & Long-Term Effects of Marijuana - Negative Side Effects of Weed - Drug-Free
World. (2014). Retrieved November 15, 2014.