The youths face a lot of societal issues with most of them shaping how they will behave as adults. Some of the major issues facing the youth of today include drug abuse and alcoholism. In the past, smoking was considered top among the problems affecting the youth but with time, many institutions have taken the challenge to address the vice. What replaced it, however, is the proliferation of illegal drugs and the number of alcoholics that has dragged along many youths who are depended upon by the nation to build a better tomorrow. Studies have shown that the issue is getting worse as school going children are being targeted by drug peddlers who introduce them to the vice that later affects them not only in their academics but also their overall social well-being (Hawkins, Catalano and Miller 1992). D
...rugs such as marijuana have been reported to cause mental health problems where the users may go to depression and at times even contemplate suicide. Nowinski (1990) also adds that the issues stemming from drug abuse are to blame for the rise in numbers of dysfunctional families. Another social issue that s deeply ingrained in the society is that of early sexual activities among teenagers.
The society is partly to blame for such issues because it sets certain rules and standards such that matters to do with sex are not spoken of in public. Early teenage pregnancies have been the cause of the rise in cases of illegal abortions being procured in uncertified health centres leading to serious health risks and at times death. When examined from a critical angle, one will find that all these problems i
a way are entangled or coupled with alcohol and substance abuse.
The media has been blamed for the increase in societal issues in the past. One thing that the community does not realise is that the issues that are created by the youth trickle down to the society. An example is the problem of the high number of school dropouts who for lack of proper education cannot secure themselves employment. The American Academy of paediatrics (2010) observed that the youth turn to drugs and alcohol for solace and when this does not solve their problems, they find themselves engaging in criminal activities. The community has also turned its back on some of the roles it plays in shaping the lives of young adults. When the youths are neglected, they turn on the same society they are expected to serve and destroy it through the acts of criminal activities. This now shifts the focus to the social workers who now are depended upon to solve the issues in the community by promoting social change. Social works aim at securing both personal and social satisfaction for individuals and communities as well. This report focusses on the drug abuse and alcoholism as an example of a social issue that is of concern to the youth in today’s society.
Research Design
This study derived its data from secondary sources that included journals, reference books, and literature review articles.
Results
The study was done by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2014) yielded data obtained from a survey on drug use among the youth belonging to 8th, 10th and 12th grades. In 2014, there was a significant decline in the use of alcohol by all the
three classes. The 8th graders posted a 9% and 23% and 34% for the other grades respectively, a significant decline from the 14.9%, 30% and 43.3% that was recorded in 2009. Concerning the issue of cigarette smoking, the youth registered a significant drop such that it now ranks lowest among the most abused drugs. 1.4 % of eighth graders were reported to be smoking on a daily basis compared to 2.7% in 2009. There was a 1.2 % drop for the tenth graders and a 0.4 decline for the tenth graders who engaged in smoking. The e- cigarettes were also reported to be very popular among the youth. The survey that was first conducted in 2014 revealed that 8.7 % of teenagers in eighth grade, 16.2 % in tenth grade and 17.1 % in twelfth grade used this type of cigarette. A massive decline was also noted in the overall consumption of illicit drugs such that the usage dropped by 6.4 % to 27.2 % in 2014. Marijuana use showed some stabilisation through the year 2014 even though a large number of youths perceived the drug as being harmful. The eighth graders who exhibited the stability stood at 6.5%, 16.6% for the tenth graders and 21.25 of the twelfth graders. Among the twelfth graders, 6 % who reported a daily use of the drug preferred it because of its availability and therefore the ease with which they could acquire the drug. Though there has been a stability in the use of marijuana over the years, the youth still continues to have a shift in attitude because of the perceived risks that are associated with the
drug.
Discussion
The research conducted with was to provide the government with recommendations for substance abuse and alcohol consumption by the youth that could limit their health and safety risks. From the data and responses given, it is clear that the teens understand the effects that come along with the abuse of drugs. There is also a trend with which the youth tend to indulge in binge drinking as opposed to having to consume alcohol on a daily basis (Jordan 2013). The people surveyed are from a small age group meaning that the society has either become too permissive or that there could be some form of laxity that needs to be addressed with urgency. The law also stipulates that the appropriate age for the youth to start drinking is around eighteen years. It must be noted that the earlier these people introduce themselves to drugs and alcohol, then they are likely to develop dependence and addiction that would pose serious health problems to them. Parents also need to realise that they have a huge role to play concerning their children’s attitude towards drug abuse and alcohol consumption. They should talk to the youth about the dangers associated with the vices and also the importance of taking charge of their lives at a tender age. The school administration also has a significant role to play in as far as alcohol consumption and drug abuse. From the study, it is easy to conclude that the school does not pay much attention to what goes on in these teenager’s lives.
Conclusion
Drug abuse and alcohol have become a serious problem in the society. The culture of youth- drinking if not monitored
is likely to cause devastating problems not only to the economics of a country but also to the overall future of the coming generations. Interventions need to be designed to address these challenges brought about by the drinking patterns among school going teenagers besides this, some types of alcohol treatment programmes should be put in place that will offer better diagnostics and assessments. Such measures will be useful more so in determining whether the youths require specialised treatments that are mostly provided in rehabilitation centres.
References
- AAP GATEWAY, 2010. Alcohol Use by Youth and Adolescents: A Pediatric Concern, 125(5).
- Hawkins, J.D., Catalano, R.F. and Miller, J.Y., 1992. Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: implications for substance abuse prevention. Psychological bulletin, 112(1), p.64.
- Jordan, P., 2013. Drug abuse is damaging South Africa's youth. online Fanews.co.za. Available at: http://www.fanews.co.za/article/healthcare/6/general/1124/drug-abuse-is-damaging-south-africa-s-youth/13795 Accessed 13 Jun. 2016.
- Jurich, A.P., Polson, C.J., Jurich, J.A. and Bates, R.A., 1985. Family factors in the lives of drug users and abusers. Adolescence, 20(77), p.143.
- National Institute on drug Abuse. 2014. High School and Youth Trends. online Available at: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/high-school-youth-trends Accessed 13 Jun. 2016.
- Nowinski, J., 1990. Substance abuse in adolescents and young adults: A guide to treatment. New York: Norton.
