Juvenile drug abuse is a growing issue of concern mainly due to the rising cases of minor abusing drugs. The fact that drugs can interfere with a child's cognitive development and academic performance makes it's a topic of public discussion on the best measures that be taken to mitigate it. The debate is surrounded by the controversy of use of some strategies such as decriminalizing drug use as a way of deterring juveniles from engaging in the vice. Proponents of this approach argue that majority of drug use cases among minors is as a result of curiosity as to why drug use has to be illegalized. For this reason, this paper shall focus on measures that can be used to curb drug abuse among juveniles including decriminalizing drug use in a bid to find an optimal solution to the problem.
Firstly, decriminalization of drug use is not an optimal solution to eliminating drug use among teens. This assertion is attributed to the fact that curiosity among juvenile is as a result of the environment they are living. It may result from observing their parents or senior people around them using drugs and therefore develop the urge to ‘taste the feeling.' Therefore, decriminalizing of drug use is just one of the many sources of curiosity found in the immediate environment. Furthermore, decriminalizing drug use means that the number of people around juveniles using drugs shall significantly increase which in turn shall increase the minor’s curiosity to use drugs.
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Provision of life skills training to the juveniles especially those approaching or in the adolescent stage. The training should incorporate teaching them on the effects of using drugs, ways of avoiding the temptation to use drugs and techniques of seeking help when affected ( Robertson, David, and Rao, 2003) . Using this measures together with providing them with real-life examples and visual aids of people who have been affected by drugs is crucial in cultivating a culture of drug use abstinence. Providing them with complete information about drug use is necessary to reduce their curiosity since it is often as a result of seeking for more details by practically engaging in its use. Such preventive measure is beneficial as it reduces the likelihood of the juvenile engaging in drug use.
The community can also contribute to the prevention of drug use among juveniles through providing them with a drug-free environment. Minors are still in their developmental stage and therefore curious of all occurrences in their immediate environment. Providing them with a drug-free background is necessary to reduce curiosity and desire to use drugs. It is imperative to note that children who grow in a community with a non-drug use norm are less likely to use drugs than those in an environment where there is widespread drug use. In this case, parents must play the crucial role of providing their children with a drug-free environment by acting as role models. Children whose parents are drug users are two times more likely to use drugs than those whose parents do not appear to due to the exposure ( Courser et al ., 2017 ).
Drug treatment and psychological counseling help in reducing drug use among juveniles who have already taken up the vice. Some cases of drug use among minors may be as a result of disorders which call for treatment to help them to stop the clamp. For others who are already using drugs, psychological counseling is necessary to not only assist in determining the extent of the effects of drug use but also help them in overcoming the problem ( Chassin, 2008) . Children, just like adults face psychological problems which require therapy even though mental issues among teens may be severe as they may end up defining the rest of their lives.
References
Chassin, L. (2008). Juvenile justice and substance use. The Future of Children , 18 (2), 165-183.
Johnson, K., Courser, M., Holder, H., Miller, B., Ogilvie, K., Moore, R., ... & Saylor, B. (2007). A community prevention intervention to reduce youth from inhaling and ingesting harmful legal products. Journal of drug education , 37 (3), 227-247.
Robertson, E. B., David, S. L., & Rao, S. A. (2003). Preventing drug use among children and adolescents: A research-based guide for parents, educators, and community leaders . Diane Publishing.
