It seems like, in the news, teenagers are either killing
themselves or others because of drug influence, specifically
alcohol abuse.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism, alcohol is the most commonly used and widely abused
psychoactive drug in the country.
It seems like, in the news, teenagers are either killing themselves or others because of drug influence, specifically alcohol abuse.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol is the most commonly used and widely abused psychoactive drug in the country.
“I believe that a lot of teenagers have a void in their life or problems and they turn to alcohol to escape from them,” said Chris Tanimasa, an SBHS senior.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2002, 29 percent of 15- to 20-year-old drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes had been drinking and 24 percent had been intoxicated.
“It’s just stupid for someone to drink and drive, but sometimes they’re just out of it and don’t know what they’re doing,” said senior Daniel Ortiz.
It’s hard for me to believe teenagers still put themselves in dangerous situations knowing that there are harsh consequences, among them death.
According to NHTSA, based on the latest mortality data, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages 15- to 20-years old, most of which involve driving under the influence.
Recently, two former SBHS students were killed in a car accident. The driver was reportedly intoxicated.
All students mourned their deaths, some continue to, whether they knew them or not. It hit present and former students hard and was an eye opener.
“In light of the recent tragedy of losing two fellow classmates, I will always think twice before taking the risk of putting myself in a dangerous position,” said SBHS graduate Brian Gil.
Whenever something tragic occurs, everyone is impacted. The question is how long will this impact last? For some, it will last for the rest of their lives, others will soon choose to ignore what’s happened and continue believing it will never happen to them.
If you are a parent or a friend of someone who abuses alcohol or who you suspect of having a drug problem, the best thing to do is get them counseling and drug prevention education as soon as possible, suggests Mark Narasaki, administrator at the San Benito County Substance Abuse Program.
“Talk to your kids and get involved in their lives. Whenever suspicion first occurs is the best time to intervene and discuss the problem,” Narasaki said.
It’s sad it takes the death of our future, today’s youth, for us to realize that we have a huge problem on our hands.
Diana Padilla is a senior at San Benito High School. She is also the editor in chief of the school newspaper, The Baler.
