Today people are facing an ever growing population of undereducated teenagers. Perhaps not uneducated in the sense that they get bad grades But ignorant in the arena of alcohol and drug abuse. The information is out there, but there seem to be a lack of alcohol abuse info educational programs that are correctly structured for the appropriate age groups.
Beginning with the approximate age of ten, kids are subjected to the DARE or Drug Abuse Resistance Education program which introduces them to the dangers of alcohol and other drugs. This program is a good way to start an education on alchol abuse information. But in order to be effective, the same type of education must continue throughout middle school and high school. Too many young adults have used the D.A.R.E. program as a gateway into learning which drugs and alcohol they would like to try. While this program may steer some kids away from drug or alcohol abuse in the beginning, if they are not exposed to more education in alcohol abuse information throughout their adolescence, they run the risk of forgetting the seriousness of abusing drugs and alcohol. They may then use the alcohol abuse information they gained earlier on to locate these substances and unknowingly abuse them.
Therefore middle school and high school curriculums across the nation should be examined to determine if they include substantial classes on alcohol abuse information. Young adults should be encouraged to take these classes at least once throughout their time in junior high and high school. In addition to classes on the dangers of abuse, young adults should be offered the opportunity to take courses on drug and alcohol counseling. This way they will not be overloaded with all the negativities of drugs and alcohol, but given a chance to see the positivity of helping those who do have a drug or alcohol problem.
In our current society with an constantly growing population and troubled economy, it is more important than ever to give every young adult a proper education. But budget cuts and closing schools are making that very hard. We as a whole must realize that we cannot sit back and expect the government to fix this problem for us. We must be proactive. If you care about this problem, please attend city counsel meetings and speak up. Starting local is the only way to get things moving. But also write to your congressman and propose your ideas for new ways of educating adolescents with drug and alcohol abuse information. If no one continues to voice concerns about this issue it could easily be put aside due to other problems we are facing. But this is an issue that need to be kept on the forefront because if drug and alcohol abuse continue to rise among adolescents, it will undoubtedly cause a rise in problems our society is already facing.
Together we can make a difference in giving the young adults of our nation a better chance at saying no to drugs, alcohol, and it’s abuse. We will also be opening their eyes to new opportunities and ideas for helping friends and family who do abuse or face addictions with drugs and alcohol. We must let these kids know they have a chance. They are not alone. And they, even at a young age, can make a difference in the lives around them by becoming educated and practicing what they learn.
