Youth for Justice/Project Citizen 2016 Winton Woods - Juvenile Drug Use

1. Juvenile Drug Use
Presented By: Marianna Foreman, Ashleigh
McNeil, Stephanie Lopez, and Jessica Lopez

2. What is the problem?
The issue we are focusing on is juvenile drug use. According to an survey taken
by NIDA shows that 46,000 teens use drugs and 10% are teens in Ohio. Studies
show that most teens use drugs for these top 5 reasons.
➢Peer Pressure
➢Depression
➢Escape and Self Medication
➢Boredom

3. The Kaiser Foundation shows that 50% of teens feel that they
have been pressured to do drugs.
Peer Pressure

4. Depression
Depressed teens are more likely to engage in other risky behaviors. “They are more
likely than non - depressed teens to report daily cigarette use (5% vs 30%)and heavy
alcohol use (5 % vs 20%).”

5. Escape and Self Medication
Sometimes teens are not happy. They feel mad, sad, depressed.
They feel like anything will make me feel better. Teens turn to
drugs when they feel that way.

6. Boredom
Sometimes teens don’t have anything to do. They are
bored and often alone at home by themselves.

7. Rebellion
Different rebellious teens choose different substances to use
based on their personalities. “ Alcohol is the drug of choice for
the angry teenager because it frees him to behave aggressively.

8. Understanding Issues involved in the
problemAccording to office of juveniles justice and delinquency prevention there is a strong
connection between juveniles involved in drugs and school performance. In this way
juveniles don’t graduate and won’t work at a good job that they wanted before. 13-14
year olds juveniles who do poor on schoolwork that do drugs is 2.9% ,14-15 year olds
who do drugs is 8.0% ,16-17 year olds is 11.2%.

9. Public Policies
1. The law of teen drug test tells us that random drug tests are
provided by the state
2. Ohio has made laws for teens doing drugs and having possession of drugs is
for the police to make sure our community is safe. Also to help teens with
problems

10. Why should the government be involved?
This will also help teens from being sent to jail or having their name in the
juvenile system. If the government gets involved it will build a better
community. According to the Office of Adolescent Health about 19% of males
and 4% of females in Ohio have sniffed tobacco outside of cigarettes.

11. Alternatives

12. Alternative Policy I
A recreation center would be a alternative because parents wouldn’t
have to worry about there child being in the streets and turning to drugs.
Disadvantages
Having a recreation center could very costly
Advantages
Recreation centers have activities for teens to participate in

13. Alternative Policy 2
Rehab would be an alternative because it would give the teens an
opportunity to change. The workers at the rehab center treats any
additional needs the patient may have.

14. Alternative III
We could prepare a powerpoint for the teens to
teach the teens to not do drugs anymore. Also to
tell what each drug does to the body and help them
have a better outlook on drugs.

15. Controversies
Parents are worried that teens will go back to the streets
after the recreation center closes
Most recreation centers close at 9 pm in Ohio

16. Solving the
Problem

17. Alternative
Policy
Recreation Center

18. Government Agency
The Mayor
City Council

19. Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
Activities for teens to participate in
Teens are around positive influences
Disadvantages
Most recreation centers close at 9
Could be expensive to create an recreation center

20. Why is our Proposed Policy Constitutional
The Department of Youth Services receive money General
Revenue Fund to support Service, so these programs can
support the creation of the recreation center

21. Action Plan

22. 1. Contact the Mayor and City
Council and tell them why a
recreation center should be
built
2. Contact organizations who
are against teen drug abuse
3. Teens enjoy the recreation
center
Action PlanAction Plan

23. PEERx, is an organization that helps find ways to prevent
teens from doing drugs by allowing teens to wear
shirts with a positive message and predicting their
future
Partnership for Drug Free Kids, their mission to educate
parents, help families, inspiring teens, and building a
healthy community
Supporters

24. Bibliographies
1. "10 Reasons Teens Abuse Alcohol or Drugs." Drug
and Addiction Treatment Centers Promises. N.p., 24
Oct. 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
2. "Consequences of Youth Substance Abuse."
Consequences of Youth Substance Abuse. N.p., n.d.
Web. 11 Mar. 2016.