The relationship between teens and drugs has been around for decades; however, this is not what you would call positive. Substance abusing (which is using drugs or alcohol in ways than can cause physical harm) is often associated with crime. But why do youths take drugs" Youth take drugs for the following reasons: social disorganization, peer pressure, family factors, emotional, or rational choice. Social disorganization deals with drug abuse to poverty and disorganized urban environment. Drug use by youth minority group members has been tied to factors such as racial prejudice, low-esteem, social status, and stress produced from environment.

The National Youth Survey found that drug use tends to be higher among urban youths. Peer pressure is the most well-known reason for teens to partake in substance abuse. Some may argue that teen drug abuse is highly correlated with the behavior of close friends especially when family supervision is weak. This relationship, in fact, is reciprocal: substance abusers seek out friends who engage in similar activities. Associating with drug abusers leads to increased levels of drug abuse. Another explanation is that drug users have a poor family life.

Studies show that majority of drug users have had an unhappy childhood which included harsh punishment and parental neglect females and Caucasians who were abused as children are more likely to have alcohol and drug arrests as adults. Youths who learn that dugs provide pleasurable sensations may be most likely to experiment with illegal substances; a habit may develop if the user experience anxiety and fear. Other family factors associations with teen drug abuse include parental conflict over child-rearing, practices, failures, to set rules, and unrealistic demands followed by hard punishments.

Low parental attachment, rejection, and excessive family conflict have all been linked to adolescent substance abuse. Psychodynamic explanations of substance abuse suggest that drugs help youths control or express unconscious needs thus come in taking drugs for emotional reasons. They may use drugs as an escape from real or imagined feelings of inferiority. Substance abuse is one of the many problems that begin early in life and remain throughout the life course. Youth who abuse drugs lack commitment to religious values, disdain education, and spend most of their time in peer activities.

Rational choice is when they choose to drugs because they want to: some use them to get high, relax, improve creativity, or increase their sexual responsiveness. Most teens say "it's my life; I can do what I want. " However, some teens may use to this cover up the fact they do have problems or want to fit in. They don't want to be portrayed a follower rather than someone who can make their own decisions. The top two substances abuse is marijuana and alcohol; alcohol is the number one drug abused respectively.

A survey from the Washington Post showcased that: out of 10, 616 8th graders: thirty-six percent had tried alcohol and thirteen percent admits to drinking regularly. Out of the 10, 484 seniors interviewed, seventy-two percent had tried and twenty-nine percent still use it. Fourteen percent of them sold drugs at one point while twenty-nine percent said they have came to school drunk or high. A direct relationship has been established between drug use and delinquency. Drug users may commit crimes to pay their habits. A study conducted in Miami found that 563 users annually committed more than 200, 000 crimes to obtain cash.

Drug users may be more willing to take risks because of their inhibitions is lowered by substance abuse. Cities with high rates of cocaine are more likely to experience higher levels of armed robbery. Basically they are trying to say that teens who take drugs contributed greatly to the crime rate. With all the reasons for teen to take drugs like social disorganization, for example, I believe that the main reason is because of emotional problems and rational choice. I believe that drug abusers do contribute to the crime rate but not as much as they try to say it does.

Studies have shown that the rates of teens that partake in drugs have dropped. Most teens drink and smoke with friends or alone. Some don't go out and commit crimes; they associate getting high as a regular part of hanging out with friends. With several programs like D. A. R. E. , the consequence of doing drugs is being spread out. I believe that's why most teens tend to smoke marijuana since the dangers aren't as high as cocaine and heroin users. However, some will do it out of rebellion and not recognize the link of their actions of today and the consequences they may have tomorrow.