| Alchohol
and Drugs
Yeah, yeah, yeah, JUST
SAY NO and all that right?
Well, not really. Today's teens are surrounded by  drugs
and alcohol at school, parties, sporting events...all the time!
Let's figure out here what the dangers are and think about how to
deal with them as a Christian.
We'll look at a few of the most popular drugs, what they are all
about, and the dangers they pose.
What's the Deal?
By nature, all alcohol and drugs are illegal,
drugs for obvious reasons, alcohol until you are 21 years old and
tobacco (considered a drug for this article) until you are 18 in
most states. Because they are illegal, using them and possessing
them is sinful for several reasons - (1) intentionally breaking
the laws of the land, (2) not respecting your parents (assuming
they don't want you using drugs and alcohol, whether stated or implied),
and (3) doing anything that will lead you down a path away from
God.
That all said, what should you do as a Christian
to deal with the ever-present threat of these substances? First
of all, don't use them yourself and encourage your close friends
to avoid them as well (this is an act of boldness, and will require
you to stand up for Christ A LOT!)
So, does this mean that every Friday and Saturday
night, you should be home reading your bible and watching "The
Ten Commandments"? Not necessarily, but maybe, depending on
your ability to resist the temptations of peer pressure, your willingness
and ability to be bold and stand up for Christ in a situation like
this, and finally, continuing to show respect for your parents'
wishes. We're not saying that there is anything wrong with reading
your bible on Friday nights, after all, that also gives glory to
God. All we're saying is if you find yourself called to be in those
situations, make sure you are living 4Him there.
As Christians, we are called to go out into
the world and spread the good news. We've got news for you, God
isn't just talking about Youth group and Sunday school, he's talking
about taking it to the streets and showing that there is something
special about you. What is it? Christ is in your heart and you are
surrounded and loved by the Holy Spirit. When you go to that party
and choose to be the only one (or one of a few) not drinking or
doing drugs, you are sending a message that you are different...IN
A GOOD WAY! People will notice and when they ask what it's all about,
you can start telling them what makes you who you are...Jesus Christ.
How do you deal with your friends and school
mates drinking and partying?
Tell your story, and help other teens dealing with these and
other issues every day.
What's Out There?
Below, we cover the basics of 4 drugs: Ecstasy
(a growing problem on the party scene), Marijuana
(considered the most accepted illicit drug), Alcohol
(#1 substance abused by teens), and Tobacco
(Top cause of death in the US).
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Ecstasy or MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
is a stimulant that combines the 
properties of "speed" with mind-altering. Considered the most
commonly used designer drug, Ecstasy is a close derivative
of methamphetamine and can be described as a hallucinogenic
stimulant. Designer drugs are illicit variations of other
drugs. Because of many different recipes used to manufacture
Ecstasy, deaths have been caused by some other substances
inadvertently created during production. Ecstasy is illegal,
and is classified as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance.
How Much Does it Cost?
Known on the street as Adam, X-TC, Clarity,
Essence, Stacy, Lover's  Speed,
Eve, etc., Ecstasy is most often found in tablet, capsule,
or powder form and is usually consumed orally, although
it can also be injected. Ecstasy is sometimes packaged in
capsules or generic tablets to imitate prescription drugs
with the average dose costing anywhere from $7 to $30 per
pill.
What are the Effects?
An Ecstasy high can last
from six to 24 hours, with the average "trip" lasting only
about three to four hours. At moderate doses, Ecstasy is reported
to cause euphoria, feelings of well-being, enhanced mental
or emotional clarity, anxiety, or paranoia. Heavier doses
can cause hallucinations, sensations of lightness and floating,
depression, paranoid thinking, and violent, irrational behavior.
Physical reactions can include the following symptoms: loss
of appetite, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, increased heart
rate and blood pressure, muscle tension, faintness, chills,
sweating, tremors, reduced appetite, insomnia, convulsions,
and a loss of control over voluntary body movements. Deaths
have occurred from the use of Ecstasy.
What to Look Out For:
A lot of Christian Teens
go to parties,
that's pretty much a given, some even go to "Raves."
In this, there's no inherent danger. However, make sure you
know what you are drinking and eating, and from whom. Ecstasy
is often mixed in bottled water or other drink and you may
not even know you are taking it. Be careful! |
What
is It?
Marijuana is a green, brown,
or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and
flowers
of the hemp plant. You may hear marijuana called by street
names such as pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster,
or chronic. There are more than 200 slang terms for marijuana.
All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words,
they change how the brain works. They all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol),
the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more
than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana's effects on the user
depend on the strength or potency of the THC it contains.
How Much Does it Cost?
Marijuana is most often smoked in a
cigarette form, but can also be ingested or smoked in pipes
or bongs. Marijuana can be purchase in various quantities,
mostly in leaf form for rolling, but also in cigarette,
"joint" form. It costs between $10 - $25 for a
1/4 ounce and up to $300 per ounce.
What are the Effects?
The short-term effects of marijuana
include: problems with memory and learning; distorted
perception (sights, sounds, time, touch); trouble with thinking
and problem-solving; loss of coordination; and increased
heart rate, anxiety. Marijuana affects memory, judgment
and perception. The drug can make you mess up in school,
in sports or clubs, or with your friends. Athletes could
find their performance is off; timing, movements, and coordination
are all affected by THC.
What to
Look Out For:
Long-term studies of high school students
and their patterns of drug use show that very few young
people use other illegal drugs without first trying marijuana.
For example, the risk of using cocaine is 104 times greater
for those who have tried marijuana than for those who have
never tried it. Using marijuana puts children and teens
in contact with people who are users and sellers of other
drugs. So there is more of a risk that a marijuana user
will be exposed to and urged to try more drugs.
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What is It?
Alcohol is a central nervous system
 depressant.
It affects virtually every organ in the body and chronic
use can lead to numerous preventable diseases, including
alcoholism. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment
which can lead to risky behaviors, including practicing
unprotected sex. This can lead to acquiring HIV/AIDS as
well as other sexually transmitted diseases, and unwanted
pregnancy. Alcohol also hinders coordination, slows reaction
time, dulls senses, and blocks memory functions.
How Much Does it Cost?
Alcohol is readily available and  relatively
inexpensive, one of the reasons it is so dangerous. A normal
drink (beer, wine, cocktail) can range between $2-$7.
What are the Effects?
Alcohol goes directly into the bloodstream
which is why it has effects on every system in the body.
Heavy drinking can cause cirrhosis and cancer of the liver.
Children in families with alcoholic members are at a higher
risk for alcoholism. Excessive drinking can decrease the
amount of testosterone in a man's body and cause impotence.
Alcohol abuse can lead to both homicides and suicides. Drinking
can cause serious injuries and death -- over 38% of drowning
are alcohol-related. Long-term effects of heavy alcohol
use include loss of appetite, vitamin deficiencies, stomach
ailments, sexual impotence, liver damage, heart and central
nervous system damage, and memory loss.
What to Look Out For:
According to the 1994 Monitoring the
Future survey, alcohol remains the number one substance
used by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. Over 50 percent of
12th graders report drinking alcohol within the past month.
The relationship between
alcohol and motor vehicle crashes is widely acknowledged.
In 1993, 40 percent of the 5,905 traffic fatalities of 15-
to 20-year olds were alcohol related.
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What is It?
Tobacco is a large leafy plant that
when smoked, gives of numerous chemicals, including Nicotine,
which acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system.
Tobacco use remains the leading preventable
cause
of death in the United States, causing more than 400,000
deaths each year and resulting in an annual cost of more
than $50 billion in direct medical costs.
How Much Does it Cost?
Tobacco is widely available, but not
cheap (in relative terms). A pack of 20 cigarettes can range
from $3-$5.
What are the Effects?
Nicotine is a powerful, multipurpose
drug that is used as both a stimulant and a depressant.
It is often a child's first experience
with using a mood altering addictive substance to dose him
or herself for a psychological and physiological effect.
Nicotine is a highly addictive drug with both short and
long term negative health effects.
Each year, smoking kills more people
than AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, car crashes, murders, suicides,
and fires---combined! Nationally, smoking results in more
than 5 million years of potential life lost each year. Approximately
80% of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18.
Every day, nearly 3,000 young people under the age of 18
become regular smokers. More than 5 million children living
today will die prematurely because of a decision they will
make as adolescents---the decision to smoke cigarettes.
What to Look Out For:
Juvenile onset of nicotine addiction
is a serious public health threat.
Studies have shown that 75% of U.S.
adults become regular tobacco users by the time they are
eighteen years of age. An estimated 3 million children under
the age of 18 consume 947 million packs of cigarettes annually.
It's simple, if you smoke, QUIT, if
you don't DON'T START!
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PARENTS: CLICK
HERE FOR STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TEENS, DRUGS, AND DRINKING
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