Youths and Drugs: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention - Literature review Example

Youths and Drugs: Centre’s for Disease Control and Prevention Introduction Background of the Research Drugs and related problems have initiated certain challenges in the society over the recent past, which has hampered the health and safety related issues of the youth at a large magnitude. At the same time, it is also notified that in the contemporary era, a massive population of youth has been involved in drug abuse, which has influenced the culture of the society quite negatively, inhibiting its scope for prosperity and growth. In this regard, the report of the European Commission (2012) claimed that due to increasing trend of consuming drugs, various kinds of challenges witnessed by the youth, ranging from social challenges in the form of inhibited relationships with their family and economic vulnerability forcing them towards illegal activities. To be precise, the rising frequency of anti-social activities conducted by youth, in terms of murder, forced sex and robbing activities among others have certainly increased social vulnerability as well as deepening economic crisis in the contemporary world. In this regard, the report of Howell and Decker (1998), argued that since the year 1980, consumption of drugs for the youth generation has created public fear regarding violent crimes, as it also has influenced criminal offence in the society at a wider context and most alarmingly in an experimental form (European Commission, 2012; Howell and Decker, 1998). The Research Objectives and Questions This study aims to identify the effects of drug abuse among the youth. Moreover, the study emphasizes the impacts of drugs abuse on the family relationships of the youth generation and other social spheres at a wider paradigm. Additionally, this particular study aims to identify the challenges within the society, which has influenced violent crime by the youth. Accordingly, this study will also aim to provide evidence-based recommendations, which can prevent drug abuses in the society. Based on the defined objectives of this research, few research questions have been formulated for this study, which is described below. What are the effects of drugs abuse among the youth? How drugs abuse related problems have affected the family relationships of the youth generation? What are the challenges those have influenced violent crime within the community, being conducted by the youth drug abusers? Research Methodology As mentioned above, in this particular study, the aim is to identify the challenges arising due to youth’s drug abuse trends that have been on rise in the current era. Moreover, this particular study also aims to recognize the impacts as well as effects of youth drug abusers in the global community on the whole. In order to justify this particular objective and aim, in this study, a qualitative research approach has been taken into consideration that is again expected to offer a multidimensional purview to this study. In accordance, literature review will be considered as the main procedure of obtaining relevant information to this study. Thus, in order to collect data and analyse those data regarding the subject matter, secondary sources will be applied in correspondence. Secondary research in this study therefore relies on the review of peer-reviewed journals as well as academic articles published through authentic sources. Moreover, recently published government reports, magazines and newspapers are also considered as secondary research materials. Additionally, ethical aspects have been taken into consideration with the aim of maintaining the reliability and validity of the research study. On the other hand, it can be also argued that qualitative research method can be regarded as one of the most time consuming research approaches, which can be considered as a one of the major limitations inherent to this particular research study. Literature Review Drugs Abuse Problem Overview According to the report of Family Council of Hong Kong (2011), in the early 21st century, dramatic changes were witnessed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), especially in the case of youth. In this regard, based on the report of Family Council of Hong Kong (2011), it is perceived that in the contemporary era, the tendency of consuming drugs have been increasing among the youth and that of minors as well as students in the society, prone to become adult like. Again, according to the viewpoints of Howell & Decker (1998), from the mid-20th century, drug abuse has become a potential challenge or problem in the modern community, which has again influenced illegal activities among the youth around the world. In this context, the report of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.) mentioned that in the contemporary era, the effect of drug abuse has initiated certain challenges in the community and has subsequently increased the tendency of committing crime in an extensive manner. As an effect, it is also revealed that youth violence and crime has become a disgrace for the human civilization in the contemporary era (Family Council of Hong Kong, 2011; Howell & Decker, 1998; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). According to Usher & et. al. (2005), drugs abuse has emerged one of the most serious problems of modern era, which has initiated a negative impact on the health and safety related aspects of the global market. Over the years, it is witnessed that large numbers of youth have been suffering from several mental as well as health related diseases. Moreover, high consumption of drugs has also caused death of human individuals. Based on the report Drugs Free Organisation (2012), it becomes much apparent that the youth, who usually smoke marijuana or consume alcohol, belong to the age group of within 14 to 18 years, constituting almost 90 percent of those adolescents who generally are found as involved with certain forms of illegal crime. In this regard, the report of Drugs Free Organisation (2012) mentioned that as a consequence of consuming drugs in the young age, 60 to 80 percent youth develop mental illness or mental disorder due to the effect of continuous and long intake of drugs on their health. Simultaneously, it can be argued that consumption of drugs also causes deaths for the youth. In this regard, Howell & Decker (1998) argued that increasing trend of drugs abuse has also influenced mortality rate of the addicted youth. On the other hand, the report of Drugs Free Organisation (2012) described that as an effect of abuse to drugs problems, 5,000 youths usually die in every year (Drugs Free Organisation, 2012; Usher & et. al., 2005; Howell & Decker, 1998). Evidences and Implications of Drugs Abuse Trends among Youth In order to identify the implications of drugs in contemporary era, Howell and Decker (1998) argued that growing investment and extensive cultivation of drugs or alcohol based items have increased the availability of drug materials in the global market. Simultaneously, it is also observed that in the mid-20th century, youth usually chose to consume drugs as a misdeed choice either to feel adult like or to seclude them from the mainstream society. However, in the recent days, large numbers of youth have been consuming drugs for their personal intensity as a trend of modernization or pop culture. Apart from this, it is also witnessed that for celebrating occasions, youth today prefer to consume drugs items such as alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and heroin among others. On other hand, it can be also argued that in the contemporary era, the availability of drugs items have been increasing due to the high involvement of drugs trade around the globe. Moreover, it is also recognized that the tendency of expensing high volume of currency on drug abuse have substantially augmented for the youth, comparatively than that of conventional era, which has further influenced overall drugs abuse for the youth (Howell & Decker, 1998; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). On the other hand, Griffin & Botvin (2010) claimed that drug abuse tendency has been increasing among the youth due to the social influence factors. In this regard, rationally, it can be claimed that powerful negative influences, such as the effect of celebrity lifestyle choices, movies and music videos can influence the drugs consuming tendency among the youth and minors. At the same time, alcohol and tobacco related advertisement also can motivate youth’s behaviour regarding drug abuse. Similarly, it can be argued that the concept of modernization have also increased the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs among the youth. Moreover, it is also depicted that wide range of developmental factors and changing lifestyle patterns has influenced drug abuse trend among the youth (Griffin & Botvin, 2010). The Impact of Drugs Abuse among Youth In order to highlight the impact of drug abuse among the youth, the report of Family Council of Hong Kong (2011) described that due to such a trend, large numbers of youth members in the society are facing several problems with their family members, such as parents as well as siblings. At the same time, it is also revealed that drug abuse also affects the decision-making capability of youth regarding their personal life. In this regard, it can be mentioned that as an effect of drug abuse, modern youth also have been involving criminal occurrences and anti-social works, which has hampered the positive environment of the global community. Additionally, it can be argued that continuous usages of drug have created a negative impact on the physical and mental conditions this particular population segment (Family Council of Hong Kong, 2011). In this regard, Nimalaweera (2007) claimed that as an impact of drug addiction amid the youth, the tendency of mental diseases have been increasing among the addicted patients. Similarly, it is also perceived that as an effect of high drugs abuse, overall mortality rate of the drug-addicted patients has been increasing globally, majorly amid the youth (Nimalaweera, 2007). Prevention of Drug Abuse among Youth In this regard, Fletcher & et. al. (n.d.) claimed that in the modern era, government authorities and medical institutes of the varied nations have shown their initiatives with the intention of preventing the use of drugs among the youth and minors. In this regard, it can be argued that governmental authorities have introduced certain laws and policies with the aim of discouraging the trend of drug addiction among the youth. At the same time, it is also depicted that government authorities have enforced legal consequences with the intention of preventing drug trade and criminal violence in the community. In this context, it can be claimed that by implementing and executing preventive policies related to drug abuse for the youth generation, governmental authorities have been able to address the challenges and problems related to the issue in a multidimensional manner. It is fundamentally because these policies not only cover the economic aspects but also attempts to suffice social needs in the form of information deliverance. Simultaneously, it can be argued that implementation of drug abuse related policies and laws, the government have also been able to meet the needs and expectations of the citizens. As an effect, it is clearly witnessed that with the implementation of drug abuse related policies, governments have taken actions to reduce the overall consumption of drug among the youth. Simultaneously, it is also identified that successful reduction of drug abuse among the youth has reduced crime tendency amid them to a substantial extent, raising their responsible senses. On the other hand, it can be argued that government authorities have also introduced rehabilitation centers, especially for the drugs addicted youth, which are also responsible to channelize information (Fletcher & et. al., n.d.). Conclusion Based on the above discussion, it can be concluded that drug abuse has initiated various challenges in the society in terms of safety and health related aspects. At the same time, it is also identified that drug abuse tendency of youth has influenced crime and violence in the society to a substantial extent. In this regard, based on the foregoing discussion it can be revealed that availability of drug staff and drug trade has affected social construction frameworks or spoiled the life of the youth in an extensive manner in the contemporary era. At the same time, it is also depicted that increasing trend of drug abuse has also frequently violated the global community. On the other hand, it is also identified that as an effect of high drug abusing tendency of the mental disease, youth mortality rate have enhanced for drug addicted patients to a substantial extent. To prevent such effects, governmental authorities have introduced certain policies and laws with the intention of preventing the negative trend of drug abusing amid the youth, which has reduced the frequency of violent offenses. At the same time, it has also reduced drug consumption trend among youth. Thus, in order to conclude the study, it can be argued that a reduction of drug abuse has ensured health and safety related issues for the youth and global community. Table of Contents Introduction 1 Background of the Research 1 The Research Objectives and Questions 2 Research Methodology 2 Literature Review 3 Drugs Abuse Problem Overview 3 Evidences and Implications of Drugs Abuse Trends among Youth 5 The Impact of Drugs Abuse among Youth 6 Prevention of Drug Abuse among Youth 6 Conclusion 7 8 Table of Contents 8 References 10 References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, No Date. Alcohol and Other Drug Use and Academic Achievement. Health Youth, pp. 1-2. European Commission, 2012. Youth Attitudes on Drugs. Flash Eurobarometer, pp.1-20. Family Council of Hong Kong, 2011. A Study on Drug Abuse among Youths and Family Relationship. Drug Abuse among Youths, pp. 1-344. Fletcher, A., & et. al., No Date. Young People, Recreational Drug Use and Harm Reduction. Chapter 13, pp. 357-376. Griffin, K. W., & Botvin, G. J., 2010. Evidence-Based Interventions for Preventing Substance Use Disorders in Adolescents. Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, Vol. 19, Iss. 3, pp. 505–526. Howell, J. C., & Decker, S. H., 2010. The Youth Gangs, Drugs, and Violence Connection. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, pp. 1-12. Nimalaweera, B. A. U. 2007. Impact of Drug Abuse of Youth on Development. Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, p. 61. Usher, K., & et. al., 2005. Adolescent Drugs Abuse: Helping Families Survive. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, Vol. 14, Iss. 3, pp. 209-214. Read More