BY PAUL ANDREW BOURNE, M.Sc. (pending); B.Sc.; Dip. Edu.
INTRODUCTION
Drug use among youth is explaining many of their social deviant behaviour. With the widespread availability and enormous variety of drugs, serious implications are placed on the society. Kleber (1994) confirmed that the use and abuse of drugs is a critical issue in most societies and it is associated with social and economic consequences. The desire to pursue this study is based on prevailing concern of the prevalence of substance use among Jamaican adolescents. Substance abuse prevalence among adolescents has sparked widespread concerns that put millions of users at increased risk for ill-health, poor academic performances, delinquency, traffic accidents and illicit sexual practices (Ausuber, 1958; Anderson, 1995; Brill, 1981; Compton, 2005). Substance abuse and misuse has touched all major aspects of society and has regulated the relations between the classes, gender age and races. The purpose of this paper is to find out whether knowledge of the ill-effect of substance use does decrease the prevalence of use among adolescents. Information obtained may serve as a guide in planning programmes for schools in identifying strategies to address and reduce the problem of substance use among youths in schools.
The National Institute on Drugs (2003) reported that, during the last twenty years there has been an immense upsurge in illicit drug use among youths. In response to such problem, the researcher conducted a cross-sectional survey in which data was collected in three corporate area schools to examine whether knowledge of the ill-effects of substances does have an impact on adolescents substances use.
Through this study an insight will be gained into the prevalence level of substance use among youths in Jamaica and other parts of the world (Brill, 1981; Senaj, 1983; Ken-Douglas, 2000; Compton, 2005; Litt, 2005). This study has incorporated materials based on the knowledge and experiences gained by expert researchers on the topic. The information gathered will be used to compare and contrast with data gathered by the researcher in three corporate area schools.
The majority of substance users begin taking drugs at an early age. Early drug use strongly predicts abuse and dependence into adulthood. Patton, McMorris, Toumbourou, Hemphill, Donath and Catalano (2004) confirmed that early substance use among adolescents impacts on the health, leads risky sexual behaviour and intentional and unintentional injuries. Taking drugs while the body is in its developmental stage interrupts the normal maturing process and compounds the dangers posed to the users.
Disheartening though it may seem adolescents continue to exhibit a craving for substances thus subjecting themselves to greater health risks. One may ask the question, why do so many youngsters continue to put themselves at risk? One answer might be cultural. They live in a society that is drug-dependent. Younger children are often unaware of the dangers involved in substance use. When younger children see parents and siblings using substances, they may erroneously perceive that drug taking is a normal acceptable behaviour. Buelow (1995) posited that children from homes in which alcohol or other substances are used are at risk for a wide range of developmental problems. He continued that, family affiliation and relationships are crucial through each stage of the child’s development. Parenting then seems to play a significant role in adolescent substance use.
Board and Feinberg (1995) stated that despite the warnings on the cigarette box that it is harmful to health adults continue to use it to cope with or relieve stress. Adults drink to socialize, stay calm and relax. Coffee is used as a morning stimulant and marijuana is popularized by the Rastafarian religion as medicine. To an extent then, teenager substance use is a mere reflection of adult behaviour. The use of drugs frequently begins in adolescent and very often persists into adulthood which sometimes results in serious negative consequences. Studies have shown that a single dose of a drug can lead to death or permanent injury.
Adolescents use drugs for various reasons. The culture is a part if the reason adolescents get involved in substance use. They see adults smoke and drink to socialize and or relieve stress. The society, which has become modernized, tends to allow adolescents greater latitude for non-conforming behaviour. At times open rejection of authority is tolerated and regarded as a normal part of gaining independence from parents. Adolescents who strive to have a sense of belonging sometimes get involved with both legal and illegal drugs. Unfortunately, they often do not see the link between their actions today and the consequences tomorrow.
Adolescence is frequently regarded as a period of physical and psychological changes. During this period risk taking increases and adolescents tend to explore new behaviours and roles involving risk taking. For most adolescents substance use reflects their curiosity and it is usually a covert behaviour, disguised from parents and authority figures. This makes it extremely necessary for adolescents to be made aware of the facts in drug use. Millions of adolescents are at risk of becoming substance abusers. It therefore means that continuous programmes are needed in our schools for early identification and treatment.
The breath and depth of substance use and abuse by adolescents are indeed daunting. Lerner and Garlambas (1998) noted that the use and abuse of illegal/illicit drugs and other unhealthy substances (example inhalants) by adolescents is extensive. They found that alcohol, cigarette and tobacco were widely used.
It will be expected in this study to achieve the following objectives: To investigate the prevalence level of substance use and abuse of different drugs, to identify the substances being used, to examine the reasons for substance use, its availability and adolescents knowledge of the effect of substance use, to discover when and where the users were introduced to the substances, to examine any relationship to age, gender, socioeconomic status and geographic location to the use of substances and to further expose the dangers involved with substance use.
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