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The Effects of Alcohol & Drugs on Kids

Juvenile alcohol and drug use is not only illegal in the United States, but it can also have severe implications on the future livelihood of children and teens. Even though there are strict regulations on alcohol and drug distribution, kids are typically still exposed to these substances through their peers. Societal pressure may overcome even the most unwilling child, which can start a downward spiral of negative effects.

  1. School Effects

    • Alcohol has a proven drastic effect on a student's academic performance and classroom behavior. In the study, "Effects of Alcohol and Other Drugs on Children," approved by the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, author Nancy K. Young, Ph.D. found 71 percent of students who take drugs and alcohol regularly required disciplinary action, as opposed to the 45 percent of children who did not take any substances. The study shows 35 percent of children who took drugs also needed tutoring, compared to the control group's 23 percent. These effects root from actual mental incapacity, sociological implications of using drugs or a combination of both.

    Parental Use

    • Another effect of alcohol and drugs may not start from the kids, but from the parents. Young's study states parents who are highly addicted themselves have a higher chance of passing this tendency on to their kids. These children typically feel the effects of isolation and neglect in their households, as they are exposed to drugs and end up increasing drug use to psychologically block these issues. Even if these children do not actively use drugs, they are still affected by their parents' activities, which can lead to depression and outright abandonment of the child.

    Criminal Activity

    • Teen drug and alcohol abuse has also been linked to an increase in criminal activity. Teens who become addicted experience a physiological mental impairment and a heightened dependency on alcohol and drugs which, when combined, may cause an overwhelming desire to satisfy their addiction without thinking of the consequences. Parental addiction also affects teens as well. There are reported cases of teens being subjected to commit inappropriate or illegal acts by their parents to acquire money for drugs and alcohol.

    Expert Insight: Resources

    • Parents and schools are the immediate resources to combat the effects of alcohol and drug abuse. Schools in particular may offer specific classes on combating addiction for students who request it. If neither of these immediate sources works, there are established treatment centers across the country that specifically addresses adolescent addiction. These centers take the teen out of his current and potentially hostile location into a controlled environment where the teen can take steps in ending his addiction and continue his schoolwork.

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