Series: 10 Of 16

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

[EDITOR's NOTE: For many, the roots of drug addiction take hold in
their teenage years. Most law enforcement personnel and
interventionists say schools are where the drug war will be won or
lost. But, after years of programs and propaganda, illegal drug use is
still finding a home among America's youths.]

In an effort to better understand how teens really feel about drug
use, Daily Home high school reporter, Amy Gordon, interviewed local
students on the issue.

They were promised anonymity - all the names would be changed - so
they would feel free to speak candidly with the paper.

The following story is the result of those interviews.

The viewpoints of parents and teenagers have always varied - from
topics like tattoos and piercings to tougher issues such as religious
ideas and premarital sex.

And the overwhelming convention is that parents are usually
conservative and teenagers are usually rebellious.

These differing viewpoints also carry over into the issues of drug
abuse and awareness.

Or do they?

There are at least a few high school students in Talladega County who
don't seem to think so.

Rich, a local high school junior, remarked, "I feel that drugs are
pointless because you get what you want out of it for a couple of
minutes, meanwhile you are making a fool of yourself.

"You screw up your life because it changes your attitude about your
life and your friends. All in all, it's pointless and nothing but a
phase in one's teenage life," he said.

Whatever teens are doing, be it marijuana, other illegal drugs,
drinking or something else, peer pressure always seems to enter the
equation.

This belief was part of the basis for Nancy Reagan's famous "Just Say
No" campaign, which urged teenagers to do exactly that when they were
offered drugs.

But the influence of peer pressure seems overblown to these teens - as
Angela, an area high school senior, said, they know they "don't have
to do drugs to fit in."

Nadine, a local 17-year-old, also said she does not feel
pressured.

"I try not to let anyone pressure me to do anything. I'm very
independent and would not willingly put myself in a position where I
did not have complete control over my body and mind.

"A lot of people say they use drugs because they say they 'like it' or
it makes them 'different.' Personally, I can't stand having to depend
on anyone or anything.

"I could never 'like' mind-altering drugs for the simple fact that,
while under their control, I would not be under my control.

"They wouldn't make me any more different than I already am, either,"
she added.

But not everyone is as harsh in their view of teenage drug
use.

Taylor, a Munford High School senior, simply commented, "Whatever
floats your boat. If a person wants to do (drugs), just let them do
it. Give 'em warning, but it's their body."

Payton, an Alabama resident and college freshman, had a unique
perspective on illegal drugs in general.

"I feel that most of the stuff that the 'war on drugs' puts out is
propaganda based on half truths and scare tactics.

"I feel that it's everybody's responsibility, choice and freedom to
put whatever they want into their bodies, provided they're smart
enough to actually do a little research and find out what they're
getting into before doing so.

"Most light drugs have little or no risk of physical dependency and
little risk of psychological dependency.

"Just as people can have fun and grow closer over a pitcher of beer,
so can they have fun and grow closer over a blunt (joint) or during a
trip.

"Everything is to be taken in moderation," he concluded.

What are they using?

Marijuana is the most highly used illegal drug in the United States,
and locally, the testimony of teens seems to support that fact.

Trent, a Sylacauga 17-year-old, reported, "I've known of several
people using marijuana, a few acid, and one or two that I think have
used heroin. I'm not sure what else."

Caroline, a Talladega High School senior, also said people she knows
use "mostly marijuana."

Adolescent views on marijuana are mixed, with some advocating its use
for medicinal purposes.

Trent remarked, "For most drugs, I'm against their use. However, in
the case of marijuana, I'm for it being used in medical cases."

Some teens simply consider marijuana a less harmful recreational drug,
reasonably safe.

Caroline, a nonuser, said, "Marijuana is about the same as drinking or
cigarettes. Not that bad."

Taylor, who has smoked marijuana, related his view: marijuana is "not
bad, but not good either. It gives the world a different perspective.
It makes you notice small things.

"One day, me and my friend were in my room noticing the ceiling. ... I
guess it can mess some people up, but I've never seen it happen."

Marilyn, a Birmingham-area college freshman, doesn't "see anything
wrong with trying marijuana but everything else is too dangerous to
even think about.

"The fact that people do (drugs) all over the place doesn't make it
right," she said.

Some adults and organizations are concerned about the possibility that
marijuana is a gateway drug, introducing users to the world of illegal
narcotics and encouraging them to move on to drugs such as cocaine or
heroin.

Ian, a Talladega High School junior, nevertheless, did not think
so.

"I know people that all they do is (marijuana) and nothing else," he
said.

Beyond high school

What about when students proceed beyond the borders of high school
territory into college life?

According to Marilyn, drugs are just as prevalent in college as in
high school, they are "just not as hidden."

Marilyn, who has used marijuana, claimed it was "incredible. I loved
it. But I hurt a lot of people in the fact that I did it, so I
promised to never do it again."

Payton said that in college, drugs are "more available and there are
more people who do it.

"It's easier to find drugs, it's easier to find your niche - mostly
socially, but also in the sense that you find a niche where you're
able to get stuff more easily; but the two really go hand in hand
sometime," he said.

It's about age

As diverse as these thoughts about illegal drugs are, they all have
one common denominator: They belong to members of the same generation.

David, a local 18-year-old, summed up what seems to be one prevailing
opinion: "Every person's first-time experiment with substance abuse is
different.

"Some are pressured into it, some feel the urge to explore. Subsequent
experiences, however, are usually the result of a good or pleasurable
first experience.

"Substances that make you feel good are naturally going to lead to a
good first experience, and each person should have the maturity and
self-control to handle peer pressure and desires for highs."