Teen Substance Abuse In Brevard County

My social issue is about the environment teen substance abuse in Brevard County Florida. Drugs come in all forms such as heroin, cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and prescription drugs. As claimed by Donald, “teens are increasingly engaging in prescription drug abuse” (2013). Larry Lawton says, “As a man who deals with teen and young adult issues every day. I can attest that prescription drug abuse is the most important issue we face today” (Reality Check).

Teens using drugs not only affect themselves but also their family members and friends. Substance Abuse show in teens grades behavior and relationships with their peers. Teens in Brevard County can access drugs within the schools from starting from the elementary level and above. As reported

In Brevard County, past-30-day alcohol use was reported at 16.2%, compared to 18.3% across the statewide sample, that a large amount compare from Brevard county to the rest of the state” (2016). As stated by Brevard county 2016 survey, “Binge drinking declined from 16.1% in 2006 to 6.6% in 2016” (2016). Many teens believe that binge drinking is not considered as a drug but it just as damaging as hard drugs, tobacco and

Symbolic Interactionist sees drug use among teens as an individual action. Once society labels teens that use drugs as “drug-users”, it turns into “drug-abusers”, and as a result, organizations like Reality Check Program of Melbourne and Brevard Attitude Modification are used for political agendas.

Substance abuse in Brevard County can lead to not being employable, mental health issues and behavioral problems on teens. Peggy stated “…Permissive attitude towards their own drug use and the drug use of the adolescent Behavioral problems combined with poor parenting Poor achievement in school Apparent ambivalence or approval of drug use in the school, peer group or community” (Peggy J.P.).

As stated by Wagner, “Good intervention program by involved the Government by demand to use all the media to propagate against the habit of drug-taking” (Wagner, E. F., & Waldron, H. B.). In Brevard County, there are many opportunities for teens to volunteer at non-for profit organizations. Volunteering in the community as a teen would be to his or advantage through the eyes of society. Instead of being labelled as that bad child on the street he or she would be looked upon as a teen trying to be a good citizen by a symbolic interactionist