Mr. Ives Christmas

Many dangerous substances are surrounding teens in the U.S. today. Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are the three main groups these substances are placed in. The widespread use of these three things has increased the death rate among teens as well as adults. The majority of teens faced with these substances are between the ages of 12 and 20, although the legal drinking age is 21, the legal smoking of tobacco is 18, and it is against the law to use drugs of any kind, including marijuana. The question is why are more and more teens each day choosing to use these things? To name a few of the reasons: pressure, wanting to fit in, and looking “cool”.

Alcohol abuse and addiction is not only an adult problem; but affects many people between the ages of 12 and 20, although the legal drinking age is 21. The average age when youth first try alcohol is 11 years for boys and 13 years for girls. According to research by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, teens that begin...