TEENAGERS & DRUGSc2 class

Experimental School of the University of Thessaloniki

What are they?

What leads the teens to drugs?

Where are the drugs allowed?

How does the society deal with the problem of drug use?

How is this issue presented by Mass Media?

What are the consequences?

What is the impact on the society?

WHAT ARE THE DRUGS

• Drug is a chemical substance that has known biological effects on humans or other animals.

• In pharmacology, a drug is "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being."

• Recreational drugs are chemical substances that affect the central nervous system, such as opioids or hallucinogens. Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine are the most widely consumed psychotropic drugs worldwide.

• They may be used for effects on perception, consciousness, personality, and behavior. Many recreational drugs are also medicinal.

• Some drugs can cause addiction and habituation and all drugs have side effects. Many drugs are illegal for recreational purposes and international treaties

WHAT LEADS THE TEENAGERS TO DRUGS

•Curiosity•There is a percentage of young people who feel isolated from the community and want to relieve their pain.• Reaction to the family )•Reaction to the existing social system or to authority•Vulnerable personalities• A dependency is not a clinical picture with a clear explanation like in the case of an injury or a flu. Claiming that a certain type of personality or a specific situation leads to a dependency is not true.

The reasons who lead teenagers to drugs are:

E.g. Children of broken families (divorced parents)

COUNTRIES WHERE DRUGS ARE ALLOWED

• There are countless policies on drugs and approaches is not clear which approach is most effective.Each government has different policies. What are the most liberal countries in this area?

• Countries that impose many strict laws on drug use, consider that this system will reduce drug use to a minimum.

• Conversely, countries with more flexible laws often insist that a more liberal approach will result in reduction of black market drugs and violent crime resulting there from. What are the most liberal countries on drug use?

Are there any?

CROATIA

AYSTRALIA

EKUADOR

HOW DOES THE SOCIETY DEAL WITH

THE PROBLEM OF DRUG USE

ORGANIZED STATE - SOCIETYDirect actions of health education are: • programs in schools and other preventive interventions

in the workplace, in sports areas, in places of entertainment for young people.

The main target of these actions is to inform and educate young people to develop skills resistance to drug use.

INFORMATION IN SCHOOLS AND IN OTHER AREAS ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF DRUGS

REHAB CENTERS

• Centers where they medicate substitutes – methadone (OKANA)

• Centers where they accord psychological support, without substitutes

( KETHEA, public mental hospital).

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• The law provides a small imprisonment sentence for drug users in order to prevent them.

• The law provides an incarceration sentence for drug trafficking.

THE SOCIETAL REACTION

• The presence of the family and friends contributes decisively to the result of therapy of the addict, particularly teenagers.

HOW IS THIS ISSUE PRESENTED BY MASS

MEDIA

PRESS

RADIO

TELEVISION

SOCIAL MEDIA

MUSIC

MOVIES

Mass Media are shaping public opinion. Mass Media can drastically influence the

teenagers regarding the use or not of drugs: they can direct them towards the drugs or they can deter them from their use.

Moreover, the Mass Media is an important source of information for the people regarding the drugs and if the information is disseminated correctly can sensitize the people about the use of drugs.

As the journalist can alter the opinions of his public, he can affect positively or negatively the public discussion about the drugs and can help the realization of adopted policies by the government for this topic.

About Greece:

• There aren’t any researches about how the Mass Media resent the topic of drugs.

• The researches concern about only the increase of the users and the policies of rehab that are followed.

• Whereas, many other countries (such as U.S.A., Australia, Hong-Kong ) had conducted researches regarding the involvement of the Media in the area of drugs.

• In U.S.A. they deal effectively with the problem of the drugs f.e. ABC news had an article about Media Portrayal of Drugs where it is argued that the advertisement can influence or not the young people towards the drugs.

- A shrinking number of teens say rap or rock music makes drugs seem OK, just 42% in 2000, down from 51% in 1997.

- For television, 40% of teens in 2000 said programs make drugs seem OK, down from 44% in 1997.

U.S.A.

Concerning researches conducted in the USA, a recent survey conducted by the “Partnership for a Drug-Free America”, shows that:

Media Literacy: “teach, don't preach”

BUT:• America's youth is still getting mixed messages about

illegal substances. • Research shows that television, music and movies

normalize certain kinds of unhealthy behavior. • The blame cannot be placed on one medium alone: "it is pop culture, it's the talk-show hosts that make light of drugs and… it is also, the mixed messages got from movie stars and other celebrities”.

1. Teens need to understand how the media convey information as well, making it harder for the viewer to be manipulated.

2. As part of one such media literacy course, students at Montgomery Blair High School … study prime-time television, movies and advertisements. They look at drugs and alcohol, and then try to lay out the ads" as a way to understand how media messages work.

The consequences of using drugs on teenagers are:

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF USING

DRUGS ON TEENAGERS? • The use of illegal substances and especially the use of injections transmit the virus HIV and other infectious diseases like hepatitis C and B.• With the use of drugs poisoning can be caused with various symptoms, which can finally lead to breath and circulation paralysis and death.• Most substances affect the recent memory, mental activity, judgment and perception of the young people who use them.

• Muscle strength is reduced and all the functions that require certain skills are affected.• The combination of some substances with alcohol increases the possibilities of sudden death.• Intense psychological dependence is caused• Drugs reduce appetite and cause insomnia.

E.g. they may not remember basic things like their birthday or the days of the week, while they are unable to do simple maths.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE SOCIETY

• Specific use of cannabis increased health and family problems. Alcohol use, which was not reflected in General Drug Use, had no specific negative effects, but it reduced loneliness in romantic relationships, self-derogation, and family problems.

• The social and economic costs related to youth substance abuse are high. They result from the financial losses and distress suffered by alcohol- and drug-related crime victims, increased burdens for the support of adolescents and young adults who are not able to become self-supporting, and greater demands for medical and other treatment services for these youth.

• In other words the community loss of drug use from teenagers is that it will not develop. The teenagers are about to built the future of a community. They will reach new medical methods, improve the technology etc. They will make the way of living more easier. If these teenagers are distracted from their studies by drugs, then, they will never be educated and they will impose on their community.

SMALL SCALE RESEARCH SURVEYTEENAGERS’ PERCEPTIONS ABOUT DRUGSTHE ROLE OF MASS MEDIA, SOCIETY AND SCHOOL

PARTICIPANTS 50 studentsAGED 14-16 years old

1.Do you think drugs have negative impact on teenager’s life?

2.Do you think that drugs have a positive impact on teenager’s psychology?

3.Do you believe that teens are influenced by media?

4.Do you think that teens are adequately informed by the society about that disadvantages of taking drugs?

5. Has the school informed you about the consequences of taking drugs?

1.DO YOU THINK DRUGS HAVE

NEGATIVE IMPACT ON TEENAGER’S LIFE?

1.Do you think drugs have negative impact on teenager’s life?

2.Do you think that drugs have a positive impact on teenager’s psychology?

3.Do you believe that teens are influenced by media?

4.Do you think that teens are adequately informed by the society about that disadvantages of taking drugs?

5. Has the school informed you about the consequences of taking drugs?

2.DO YOU THINK THAT DRUGS HAVE A

POSITIVE IMPACT ON TEENAGER’S

PSYCHOLOGY?

1.Do you think drugs have negative impact on teenager’s life?

2.Do you think that drugs have a positive impact on teenager’s psychology?

3.Do you believe that teens are influenced by media?

4.Do you think that teens are adequately informed by the society about that disadvantages of taking drugs?

5. Has the school informed you about the consequences of taking drugs?

3.DO YOU BELIEVE THAT TEENS ARE INFLUENCED BY MEDIA?

1.Do you think drugs have negative impact on teenager’s life?

2.Do you think that drugs have a positive impact on teenager’s psychology?

3.Do you believe that teens are influenced by media?

4.Do you think that teens are adequately informed by the society about that disadvantages of taking drugs?

5. Has the school informed you about the consequences of taking drugs?

4.DO YOU THINK THAT TEENS ARE ADEQUATELY INFORMED BY THE SOCIETY ABOUT THE DISADVANTAGES OF TAKING

DRUGS?

1.Do you think drugs have negative impact on teenager’s life?

2.Do you think that drugs have a positive impact on teenager’s psychology?

3.Do you believe that teens are influenced by media?

4.Do you think that teens are adequately informed by the society about that disadvantages of taking drugs?

5. Has the school informed you about the consequences of taking drugs?

5. HAS THE SCHOOL INFORMED YOU ABOUT THE

CONSEQUENCES OF TAKING DRUGS?

1.Do you think drugs have negative impact on teenager’s life?

2.Do you think that drugs have a positive impact on teenager’s psychology?

3.Do you believe that teens are influenced by media?

4.Do you think that teens are adequately informed by the society about that disadvantages of taking drugs?

5. Has the school informed you about the consequences of taking drugs?