5/6/15

Brendan Lawlor
Paine, 1B

Drugs drag you down

When it comes to the intake of drugs and alcohol there is a shifting tide in the age of
those who are doing them. The most commonly abused drug amongst high school students is
marijuana. Every year less and less students are aware of the harmful, and long term effects that
the drug has on the mind and the body. In 2013, 61% of eighth graders acknowledged the
harmful effects of marijuana versus 74% the previous year (Blad 1). As students grow older few
of them will acknowledge the harmful effects. Society tries to attribute the higher usage rate of
marijuana to the changing laws of states that are legalizing the drug (Blad 1). However not even
half of our country allows the use of marijuana for medical or recreational use, only 23 states
allow its use and have very strict laws in place to help avoid its abuse (Ross 32-43). People,
especially students, are not as educated on the effects of marijuana.
Marijuana is however not the only substance that students are abusing, alcohol for
example is another widely abused substance. Underage alcohol consumption has become an
immense health problem for mostly students in high school or in college (Doherty 9). CDC
reports more than 4,300 deaths a year related to the underage consumption of alcohol. It is said
that those ages 12 to 20 drink 11 percent of all alcohol consumed in America- 90 percent of it
while binge drinking. Nearly 200,000 emergency room visits by minors in 2010 were alcohol
related (Doherty 9). People are often influenced by their peers, and peers do not always know
what is good for themselves or for others around them. Underage drinking leads to things like
increased sexual activity, car accidents, and injuries to ones self and others (Diageo). Minors

who experiment with alcohol often struggle with dependency and other drug issues as they grow
into their bodies and their minds. Most cases in which minors drink is at a parents house, parties,
or other places with little or no regulation. Sadly these problems are seeing little or no change,
because not many look at excessive alcohol consumption as a problem.
The best ways to fight underage alcohol abuse and misuse is with anti-alcohol
campaigning. Implementing plans like these is proven to reduce the amount of alcohol related
injuries and accidents by almost 50 percent, however it is quite expensive (Johns Hopkins). Also
if stricter laws were imposed like in other states such as California and Florida, there might be a
decrease in the amount of arrests and injuries caused by underage alcohol abuse (Johns
Hopkins). Solutions need support though, and in our society people do not necessarily want to
dedicate time or support to these causes. They would rather overlook it and just put it aside. In
order to really have an impact on underage alcohol abuse, society needs to impose campaigns
and stricter laws so that we may all be safer and healthier.
Believe it or alcohol and drug abuse have been around for thousands of years, but it is
only now that we start to really realize the harmful and negative effects that these substances can
have on our mind and on our brain. One thought with marijuana is that the higher usage rate is
because more states are legalizing the drug (Blad 1). This is a misconception however, the real
reason to legalize the drug is for its medical applications. When used to treat severe illness,
cannabis is known to block or dull pain receptors. There is a big difference though when
receptors altered not to help with pain, but to achieve a meager high. The minds of teenagers are
not yet fully developed and this makes them very susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse. The
younger people in our society must be approached with more information and consequences
when it comes to substance abuse. To make an effective change, society needs to exhibit patience

and persistence. An issue this serious will not be resolved over night, but if the right steps are
taken substance abuse can be greatly diminished.
Works Cited
1. STATE LAWS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF ALCOHOL MARKETING ON YOUTH:
Current Status and Model Policies (n.d.): n. pag. STATE LAWS TO REDUCE THE
IMPACT OF ALCOHOL MARKETING ON YOUTH. John's Hopkins University, 1 May
2012. Web. 13 May 2015.
Blad, Evie. "Students' Shifting Marijuana Views Tied to Legalization Push." Education Week 8
Jan. 2014: 1. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. The source talks about
the shift in the ties of using marijuana based on new legalization laws. The source is a
magazine that works to educate students about drugs. I am going to use this in my
article to show the negative effects that marijuana has on teens.
Collins, Lois M. "Predicting Which Teenagers Are Likely to Be Binge Drinkers May Be..."
Deseret News 2014 jul 05: N.p. DB - SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
"Diageo Discusses New Government Data Showing Decrease in Teen Drinking Rates." Food &
Beverage Close-Up 24 Dec. 2013: n. pag. General OneFile. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. This
article talks about the problems with drinking underage. The website is a well done and
shows comparitive studies about under age drinking. The website seems reliable based
on the facts and the source. The source is about education and seems well written.
Doherty, Brian. "Young Dopes." Reason Nov. 2014: 9. General OneFile. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
This source talks about teenagers using drugs underage and the negative effects on their
body. The source will be used in my article to talk about teenage drug use. The source
seems reliable and it is from a magazine that educates about drug use.

Ross, John K. "The State of Marijuana Legalization." Reason may 2014: 32-43 DB - SIRS Issues
Researcher. Web. 6 May 2015.

1. I received a 75/ C
2. I chose to show this essay in my portfolio, because it shows my use of annotations and
citations of different sources. I think that I integrated them very successfully into my
essay. Also it shows how I feel about drugs and alcohol abuse. This demonstrates my
ability to research information and put it in my essay. I think I came very far along in my
writing and that it shows in this essay.