Teenage Drug Abuse – Effects On Schooling

Drugs have no rightful place anywhere in society; however, they have even less of a place in academic environments where teens are living in their most formative years. That the teen drug/alcohol user’s academic performance is severely impaired, along with his or her level of responsibility – such as skipping class, failing to complete assignments, etc. – speaks to the notion that drug and alcohol use is rampant throughout American middle and high schools. This abuse has produced teenage student body’s with many abusers whose relationships, reputations, futures, wallets, self-images and especially grades suffer as a direct result of teen drug abuse.

Not only are drugs “rampantly found” in the school system – but it is also known that drugs cause kids to fail school.

One might readily argue that teenage drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions on some college campuses and high school facilities.

Alcohol – one of the most misused drugs today – is also one of the most popular and readily available of all types of drugs and controlled substances found on high school campuses.

Waking in a stupor after the previous night’s party, missing classes, falling behind and ultimately losing whatever funding may have accompanied one’s higher education is but a single representation of how drugs and/or alcohol can detrimentally impact one’s academic experience.

Many teens think college is just one big party now that they are on their own at school.

However, the soiree does not last long once parents find out the extent to which their teen children have detrimentally impacted their scholastic rating by skipping class, failing to complete assignments and generally neglecting their scholastic responsibilities.

There was once a time when college students represented some of America’s most lively, ambitious and energetic population.

However, the teenage drug and alcohol abuse of today has severely tarnished that image.

“…Attitudes toward society among college students today have changed beyond recognition”
(Stockwell, 2001).

Being that college and high school is one of the most stressful of all periods in a person’s life, students claim that removing their ability to blow off steam has proven even more detrimental than the activities caused by drinking.

“When the Man comes along and denies students the right to have fun (like tailgating at Munn field) they’re going to be pissed off. It’s like taking away some people’s purpose in life. It’s sad to think that it’s the only thing that people do, but that’s what’s important to them and they’ll fight for it”
(Alcid, 1998, p. PG).