Essay about Views on Alcohol and Drug Abuse - 733 Words

Alcohol and drug abuse among the youth and the adult population is a growing social problem in the United States. The teenage population is very influential to when around its peers. With peer pressure and social roles, teens tend to try and be like the person they look up to, and will do just about anything to look and seem cool in an effort to fit in. Adults tend to turn to alcohol and drugs due to life experiences, such as getting laid off of a job,a death of a family member or friend, or simply depression. There are many other reasons including psychological, physiological, and social consequences that lead to the use of alcohol and drugs among the U.S. population. Sociologist have different perspectives of what causes these†¦show more content†¦Some people, like the everyday individual, have no influence on whether a drug is considered good or bad. Each person has his or her own opinion but neither have any influence on wether or not cigarettes, marijuana, or alcohol ar e legal and/or illegal for use. On the other hand people â€Å"higher up† in society may have some influence on things such as prison sentences and other consequences of that abused substance because of his or her personal views on the issue. Corporations might also have some influences on the social control of the drug(s) in question. The third theory on alcohol and drug use is the Symbolic-Interactionist Perspective. This theory focuses on the meanings associated with the drug use. For example, if someone is arrested for drug possession, he or she will more than likely be labeled as a drug head, pot head, and so on. Once the individual is labeled such, it is usually harder for that person to break out of the label because he or she accepts the label and continues to use the drug and that use sometimes will escalates to a worse behavior. Also, if an individual has friends and/or family that glorify certain drugs, he or she is probably more likely to try that drug. Symbolic-I nteractionist also emphasize the importance of using symbols such as DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) or the Boys and Girls Club of America, to educate the youth about the negative side effects and consequences of alcohol and drug abuse. Alcohol and drug abuseShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Drug Abuse1228 Words   |  5 PagesToday, drug abuse has become a controversial subject where various individuals have different views. Substance abuse is a substantial dilemma among people and easily spread in schools, work environments, and even in homes. 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