Today we are facing an ever growing populous of uneducated teenagers. Perhaps not undereducated in the sense that they have dropped out of school. But undereducated in the arena of alcohol abuse information. The information is out there, but there seem to be a lack of alcohol and drug abuse classes that are correctly structured for the appropriate age groups.
At the approximate age of eleven, kids are subjected to the D.A.R.E. program which introduces them to a good abundance of information on alcohol and other drugs. This program is a good way to start an education on alchol abuse information. But in order to be effective, this type of education must continue throughout the teenage years. 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 subjected to a continued education in alcohol abuse information throughout their adolescence, they run the risk of forgetting the dangers of abusing drugs and alcohol. They may then use the drug and alcohol information they gained earlier on to locate these substances and unknowingly abuse them.
Therefore junior high and high school curriculums across the nation should be scrutinized to determine if they include substantial classes on drug and alcohol abuse information. Students 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 ever 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 nearly impossible. We as a country must realize that we cannot sit back and expect the federal government to fix this problem for us. We must be proactive. If you are being affected by 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 teenagers with drug and alcohol abuse information. If no one continues to voice concerns about this issue it could easily be overshadowed by 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 escalate problems our society is already facing.
Together we can make a difference in giving the adolescents 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 those 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.
