EXPLORING THE POPULARITY OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

I have to admit that I'm going into this article with a bit of
trepidation.

I know some of my high school associates read these articles and I
fear a potential lynching, but I guess that's what opinionated writing
is all about right? Being hated for your opinions.

The reason I'm worried for such violent feedback is because this week
I'll be talking to you about drugs and alcohol in youth and, of
course, I won't be doing it in a positive light.

When I first arrived at Quesnel secondary for my first day of high
school, I was a bright eyed and excited young lad, enthralled and
entranced by this wonderful new world opened up before me.

Sadly, this tale doesn't have a happy ending or else I probably
wouldn't have become a writer.

A few months into the year I started learning not all was well and
innocent. I learned through rumour, caveman drawings on the bathroom
stalls and frequent Facebook status updates that teenagers have an
alarming habit of drinking enough alcohol to make a pirate blush and
smoking enough pot to sufficiently knock out an elephant... and some
other stuff that doesn't seem Observer worthy to mention.

I tried to deny the dark truth, but soon enough reality dropped down
and smothered my innocence in it's big blubbery rolls.

One by one, former friends and associates fell into the clawing,
abysmal, black void of degradation and ruined livers. So why is it
that drugs and alcohol are so popular among teenagers?

That's one of the questions that keeps me up at night. I just don't
get where the appeal lies.

I've been to a party before and everyone was either so hammered that
they couldn't even find the bathroom without knocking down benches
onto my foot, or they weren't drunk, but were pretending they belonged
in the former category for some utterly demented reason; as if it was
something to be proud of.

I think part of the blame (a significant part) can be laid on parents,
who condone this kind of behaviour and in some cases even provide
their children with the wretched smelling stuff.

Now, some people are probably going to argue this is just what
teenagers do and I guess I have to concede that point.

Yeah I suppose that is what teenagers do.

But am I the only one who sees a problem when kids are stumbling into
class drunk and asking each other who plans on getting smashed to go
to the movies?

Think about it.

Well I'm almost done here and I just realized I've given marijuana the
cold shoulder for most of this column.

My distaste for pot is based mostly in my own selfish reasons. The
mere smell of it is enough to give me a skull splitting headache and
I've never found it very amusing trying to have a conversation with
someone while their eyes are red, jaws slack and the most constructive
thing they can do is giggle like a moron and then search for Doritos
to devour.

So what do you the readers think? Is this a serious problem to be
addressed?

If so, then what are some steps we can take to fighting
it?

Remember, nothing ever changed without first taking
action.

Damon Faulkner is the Observer's student columnist.