Advantages and Disadvantages of Drug Usage

Advantages and Disadvantages of Drug Usage

 

            I probably don’t have to work very hard to get people to see that there really is no right time, place, or situation to try drugs, but I’m going to try anyway. There are several different reasons why teens might turn to drugs. One of them could be that they just want to be social and have fun. Usually, it is in a social setting that teens first try drugs. The “teen years” is when most adolescents do their experimenting with different things, and this could also be another reason why they might try drugs. They also might be mislead to think that addiction couldn’t happen to them, so “I can stop whenever I want” is often an excuse. Another reason could be that they want to seem mature, or cool. Many teens think that using drugs make them seem more grown-up and confident, but in fact, it shows just how immature they are. By giving into peer pressure and not being able to think for themselves, the only thing they prove is that they are naïve.

            Many advertisers use sex appeal as a way to get people to buy alcohol. People are always looking for ways to become more appealing, so if they think alcohol will do the trick, they’ll most likely try it. They also might want to fit in with all the others who seem to enjoy drugs or alcohol, but unfortunately, once they realize that drugs aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, they will probably already be hooked. Most people are just not happy with who they are (on the inside or the outside) in the first place, so they think that drugs will somehow make their lives better. I remember a commercial that used to play on the TV that showed a pretty girl smoking to try to be cool, but everybody else saw her as this disgusting creature and that supports my theory that drugs definitely do not make people more appealing!

            Everybody knows that parents are a big influence in a child’s life, but sometimes children might feel smothered, pressured, or controlled by their parents and decide to rebel against them. Using drugs is a very common way of rebelling because the parents might not even know that it’s going on right under their noses. School, friends, relationships, and many other things could also be adding to the stress of teens today, and the pressure alone might drive them to drugs because they think it’s comforting. The truth is that it adds more stress to their lives in the long run, though.

            There are many dangers that come along with drug use. The greatest danger is death, but there are several other risks and consequences that should definitely be taken into consideration. Drugs can cause addiction, brain damage, liver failure, and many other serious health problems. The use of drugs can also impact the user’s family and friends. They can be dragged into the user’s problem and get addicted themselves. The user could also end up being abandoned by his or her family and friends because nobody really wants to be around drug users.

            There are also some very serious financial dangers. Underage drinking alone costs the U.S. over $58 billion each year. There is actually a lot less money spent by teenagers on cigarettes and illegal drugs now, but that’s because the use of inhalants is rising. The use of inhalants can easily affect your brain because it kills brain cells instantly. They also cause more deaths than many other drugs. Many teens are turning to inhalants though because they are a lot easier to get than illegal drugs because many household products can be inhaled.

            There are so many benefits that come along with a drug free lifestyle. I think most people probably already know the major benefit… life. I believe life is too short to waste time worrying about the consequences of doing drugs. Teenagers (including myself) are stressed enough these days with work, school, family, and friends that we don’t need any additional reasons to be stressed or feel overwhelmed. Life is hard sometimes, but the misconception that drugs will make it better just makes it that much worse.

            Another benefit of a drug free lifestyle is having a completely functional brain. School is hard for many teenagers, and they have to struggle to get by, so add drugs into the equation, and it makes school that much harder. Then what happens if the person decides that school is too hard? They give up, and live the rest of their life poor because they never finished high school and can’t get a decent job. Drug users need to get their priorities straight and put their future ahead of a couple hours of fun.

            There’s also the fact that there would be a lost less money spent on medical bills. Tobacco causes cancer, alcohol causes liver problems, inhalants cause brain damage, and all of the other drugs have their health issues also. If there were no drugs, there wouldn’t be as many health problems. If there weren’t as many health problems, there wouldn’t be as much money spent at the hospital. If there was less money spent at the hospital, the doctors might be mad, but the person’s life would be so much better overall! Seriously, though, not doing drugs can prevent a number of health problems.

            Overall, I think this paper proved what I set out to prove. There is never a right time, place, or situation to use drugs. Also, almost all the reasons that teens might use drugs are just misconceptions. This doesn’t only go for teenagers, though. Many adults use drugs, and the same risks apply to adult drug users.