Juvenile Drug Use Presented By: Marianna Foreman, Ashleigh McNeil, Stephanie Lopez, and Jessica Lopez

What is the problem?The issue we are focusing on is juvenile drug use. According to an survey taken by NIDA shows that 46,000 teens use drugs and 10% are teens in Ohio. Studies show that most teens use drugs for these top 5 reasons.

➢ Peer Pressure

➢ Depression

➢ Escape and Self Medication

➢ Boredom

➢ Rebellion

The Kaiser Foundation shows that 50% of teens feel that they have been pressured to do drugs.

Peer Pressure

Depression

Depressed teens are more likely to engage in other risky behaviors. “They are more

likely than non - depressed teens to report daily cigarette use (5% vs 30%)and heavy

alcohol use (5 % vs 20%).”

Escape and Self Medication

Sometimes teens are not happy. They feel mad, sad, depressed. They feel like anything will make me feel better. Teens turn to drugs when they feel that way.

BoredomSometimes teens don’t have anything to do. They are bored and often alone at home by themselves.

RebellionDifferent rebellious teens choose different substances to use based on their personalities. “ Alcohol is the drug of choice for the angry teenager because it frees him to behave aggressively.

Understanding Issues involved in the problemAccording to office of juveniles justice and delinquency prevention there is a strong

connection between juveniles involved in drugs and school performance. In this way juveniles don’t graduate and won’t work at a good job that they wanted before. 13-14 year olds juveniles who do poor on schoolwork that do drugs is 2.9% ,14-15 year olds who do drugs is 8.0% ,16-17 year olds is 11.2%.

Public Policies 1. The law of teen drug test tells us that random drug

tests are provided by the state 2. Ohio has made laws for teens doing drugs and having

possession of drugs is for the police to make sure our community is safe. Also to help teens with problems

Why should the government be involved?This will also help teens from being sent to jail or having

their name in the juvenile system. If the government gets involved it will build a better community. According to the Office of Adolescent Health about 19% of males and 4% of females in Ohio have sniffed tobacco outside of cigarettes.

Alternatives

Alternative Policy I A recreation center would be a alternative because parents wouldn’t have to worry about there child being in the streets and turning to drugs.

Disadvantages

Having a recreation center could very costly

Advantages

Recreation centers have activities for teens to participate in

Alternative Policy 2Rehab would be an alternative because it would give the teens an

opportunity to change. The workers at the rehab center treats any additional needs the patient may have.

Alternative IIIWe could prepare a powerpoint for the teens to teach the teens to not do drugs anymore. Also to tell what each drug does to the body and help them have a better outlook on drugs.

Controversies Parents are worried that teens will go back to

the streets after the recreation center closes

Most recreation centers close at 9 pm in Ohio

Solving the Problem

Alternative Policy

Recreation Center

Government Agency

The Mayor

City Council

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

Activities for teens to participate in

Teens are around positive influences

Disadvantages

Most recreation centers close at 9

Could be expensive to create an recreation center

Why is our Proposed Policy Constitutional The Department of Youth Services receive

money General Revenue Fund to support Service, so these programs can support the creation of the recreation center

Action Plan

1. Contact the Mayor and City Council and tell them why a recreation center should be built

2. Contact organizations who are against teen drug abuse

3. Teens enjoy the recreation center

Action Plan

Action Plan

PEERx, is an organization that helps find ways to prevent teens from doing drugs by allowing teens to wear shirts with a positive message and predicting their future

Partnership for Drug Free Kids, their mission to educate parents, help families, inspiring teens, and building a healthy community

Supporters

Bibliographies 1. "10 Reasons Teens Abuse Alcohol or Drugs." Drug

and Addiction Treatment Centers Promises. N.p., 24

Oct. 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.2. "Consequences of Youth Substance Abuse."

Consequences of Youth Substance Abuse. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.