Who is to blame for drug abuse among young people?
(A) Bad parenting (B) Easy availability of drugs (c) Peer pressure
Theme:
- The majority of youngsters don’t take illegal drugs. But the drug menace is spreading faster than before.
(A) Bad parenting :
If you want to support this option, use the following arguments.
- If parents do not spend enough time with their kids, so the children, especially teenagers tend to fill the void with something else.
- Some parents are overly strict with their kids. They tend to control every step their children take in their life. This can cause severe stress for children and young people, and that increases the risk of trying illegal drugs.
- It is the responsibility of parents to offer support to their kids, to be there when the child needs them. Children who have a strong bond with their parents are less likely to try illicit drugs.
- If parents guide their children about the consequences of drug abuse, they are less likely to try them. Illegal drug usage will cause physical & mental health issues and can even lead to death. Children do not know everything. So, parents should guide them.
- Parents who do not spend enough time with their children, do not even observe the signs of probable drug abuse. Children who try drugs tend to withdraw from family and neglect studies. Eating habits and sleeping patterns will also change. If parents observe these signs and offer support to them in coming out of the addiction, they can save their children’s lives.
- Even if the young people have peer pressure to try drugs, they share this issue with their parents when they have a strong bond with them. This gives the parents the opportunity to guide them well and teach them to say no and help their children in eliminating the toxic friends from their lives.
(B) Easy availability of drugs
If you want to support this option, use the following arguments.
- Irrespective of parenting style, easy availability of illegal drugs increases the risk of drug addiction in young people. Global drug trafficking and drug abuse have increased significantly when compared to a decade ago.
- Young people who have stress and easy access to drugs are more likely to try them when compared to youngsters who do not have access to them.
(c) Peer pressure
If you want to support this option, use the following arguments.
- In general, adolescents suffer from low self-esteem and insecurities. In an attempt to fit into the peer groups, they tend to imitate what their friends do.
- While trying to form their own identities, young people tend to try new things. If they are in a peer group who take illegal drugs, they are more likely to try them when compared with youngsters who have friends that do not take drugs.
- Even if parents do their best to guide their children, many young people give more importance to their friends than their parents.
Conclusion:
There are many factors such as bad parenting, peer pressure etc. that lead to drug addiction in youngsters. But easy access to illegal drugs is the main reason why young people are able to try them. Decreasing illicit drug cultivation, increasing farmers’ income to not get trapped by the drug traffickers, and protecting the borders to prevent illegal drugs from coming into the country can decrease the availability of illegal drugs.
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Photo by Liza Summer
References:
- How the Golden Crescent region is exacerbating India’s existing drug problem
- Why do teens use drugs?: 8 reasons parents should consider
- India’s Youth And Substance Abuse: Who Is To Be Blamed?
- Teen drug abuse: Help your teen avoid drugs
- Drugs, teenagers and parenting
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