The federal government just issued its annual report about teen drug use, and almost all the news is good. Cigarette smoking is at an all-time low; way less teens are doing meth, speed, LSD and cocaine than in recent years; and teens who drink are binge drinking less. The only bad news is that prescription drug abuse is up for 10th graders. Marijuana use, which was declining in the 90's, has stayed the same for the past 5 years.
So what's the problem? No one wants to believe that teens are doing less drugs. Look at how the headlines focus in on the tiny bit of negative news:
But another reason is that adults tend to focus on the mistakes of teens, rather than applaud them for what they're doing right. You never get thanked for making curfew 20 days in a row - but your folks will never forget the 21st night, when you're two hours late. In the same way, the people who skimmed this report barely acknowledged the good news and zeroed in on the kind of behavior they expected from teens all along. Teens are doing more of these kinds of drugs, so all teens must be up to no good.
(And the reporters certainly don't mention that the percentages of teens doing cigarettes, pot and other drugs are down from when the they were teens, in the 70's, 80's and 90's.)
What do you think about all this? Do the headlines surprise you at all? Leave a comment!
So what's the problem? No one wants to believe that teens are doing less drugs. Look at how the headlines focus in on the tiny bit of negative news:
- More Teens are Smoking Pot (Time)
- Study Shows Pot More Popular Among Teenagers (Associated Press)
- Marijuana, Prescription Drug Use Up Among Teens (Christian Science Monitor)
- Marijuana Use No Longer Dropping Among U.S. Teens (US News and World Report)
- Teen Drug Use Survey Seen as 'Warning Sign' (L.A. Times)
But another reason is that adults tend to focus on the mistakes of teens, rather than applaud them for what they're doing right. You never get thanked for making curfew 20 days in a row - but your folks will never forget the 21st night, when you're two hours late. In the same way, the people who skimmed this report barely acknowledged the good news and zeroed in on the kind of behavior they expected from teens all along. Teens are doing more of these kinds of drugs, so all teens must be up to no good.
(And the reporters certainly don't mention that the percentages of teens doing cigarettes, pot and other drugs are down from when the they were teens, in the 70's, 80's and 90's.)
What do you think about all this? Do the headlines surprise you at all? Leave a comment!
Awesome post it is so true! Why do people have to be so negative. I have some friends that are raising teens and always seem to focus on the negative things the teens do and never the positive.
Hm. I do drugs, and I’m a teen…but oddly enough, I’ve never let it interfere with school. I would do drugs everyday if I wanted to, and I could, but I DON’T want to – I don’t want them interfering with my life, and they’re not fun when they’re abused. My problem is when people get the wrong idea about me when they hear I smoked pot once a few weeks ago.
I can be a good student, a smart girl, and sometimes try a drug.
Anyway.