Adolescence is a fundamental stage that everyone passes through. Some go through this stage positively while others face several difficulties and problems. Teenagers can face several challenges which include negative influence from their peers, self-image, arguments with parents, and addiction to drugs and alcohol. Drug use among adolescents and young adults is a big problem for the youth and society. Adolescents are highly active and curious and willing to engage in activities that may put their lives and those of other individuals in danger. The topic selected for this study is drug use among adolescents and young adults and the policy selected is the Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act of 2006.
The STOP underage Drinking Act was created as a program to provide grants and fund programs that would reduce alcohol use among adolescents and teenagers between the age of 12 and 20. The program was created after the formation of the Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD) in the year 2004. The STOP Drinking Act, Public Law 109-422 directed that the ICCPUD should provide a program and policy that should help the local and state governments with resources to help underage drinking. The grants are presented submits a program that should help in reducing underage drinking. The grants are subject to evaluation but should not exceed $50,000.
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The policy for reducing underage drinking has since been effective in combatting underage drinking and tacking the problem of drug use among adolescents. By the year 2012, there was a total of 81 new grants that were funded for the following 4 years set to reduce underage drinking. The program was adopted by 38 states who formed committees and developed strategic plans (Harding, 2016). These grants have been successfully implemented to facilitate programs that solve teenage underage drinking and drug abuse.
The program requires that the ICCPUD should submit a report to congress on an annual basis. The report entails underage drinking prevention policies and programs by the federal government. The report involves data regarding patterns and prevalence of alcohol abuse from research and surveys. The data collection and analysis presents a viable solution that can be used to help with underage drinking. Alcohol abuse among young adults has been a persistent problem and it is responsible for approximately 4,300 deaths among adolescents every year (Simmons-Horton & Gibson, 2017). The collection of data regarding underage drinking can be used to show whether the current programs and policies are effective in helping adolescents.
The STOP underage drinking act provides grants that help in the formulation of programs that successfully stop and reduce underage drinking. The program also enhances collaboration between the state, local, and federal governments in trying to reduce teenage underage drinking. It serves to raise awareness regarding the problem of drug use among adolescents and increase citizen participation regarding drug and alcohol use. It also demonstrates that there is a long-term commitment to reduce alcohol and drug abuse among the youth.
In conclusion, drug use and underage drinking is a problem that faces many adolescents today. The STOP Underage Drinking Act was created to solve the problem of underage drinking and drug use. Adolescent and teenage underage drinking put their lives and those of their peers at risk. It is a serious public concern since many individuals can be injured and even die when they drink and drive. The program has been effective in facilitating resources and programs that can be applied to reduce underage drinking. The program was also created to raise awareness regarding drug use and alcohol use among adolescents.
References
Harding, F. M., Hingson, R. W., Klitzner, M., Mosher, J. F., Brown, J., Vincent, R. M., ... & Cannon, C. L. (2016). Underage drinking: a review of trends and prevention strategies. American journal of preventive medicine , 51 (4), S148-S157.
Simmons ‐ Horton, S. Y., & Gibson, C. (2017). Underage Drinking. The Encyclopedia of Juvenile Delinquency and Justice , 1-5.
