Drugs and Adolescents

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that young adults, who are addicted to drugs, are at risk because the addiction causes long term biological and neurological damage. The author underscores that adolescents are of particular danger because their brains are still developing until age twenty-five. The paper describes the addiction path from nicotine to alcohol to a variety of narcotics, such as methamphetamine, cocaine, heroine and party drugs, each of which has a different addictive behavior. The author points out that immediate intervention is essential because the sooner an addiction is noticed, the easier it will be to stop.

From the Paper:

"Cocaine is another drug that is not synthetic; it is from the leaves of the Coco plant. However, cocaine does have biological effects that can be potentially harmful. "It increases the metabolism in the body, including an increase in the heart rate, and it does suppress the appetite," said Dr. Harry Brandt from the center for eating disorders at Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital in Baltimore. This explains why many college-age women will use the drug as a weight loss aid."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Anonymous. "Heads Up Real News About Drugs and Your Body." Scholastic Action. New York. (November 2007). Vol. 31, Iss. 5/6; pg. 10. Proquest Direct. Northern Virginia Community College 7. Apr. 2008. <http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/pqdweb?did=1442680541&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=1364&RQT=309&VName=PQD>.
• Beebe, Diane K.. and Elizabeth Walley. "Substance abuse: the designer drugs." American Family Physician 43.n5 (May 1991). Academic OneFile. Gale. Northern Virginia Community College. 7 Apr. 2008. <http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2408/itx/start.do?prodld=AONE>.
• Boulter, Jim Ph. D. "Molecular Neurobiology of Nicotine Addiction." Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program. 14 Apr. 2008. <http://www.trdrp.org/fundedresearch/Views/Grant_Page.asp?grant_id=2169>.
• Colman, Robyn and Adrian Colman. "Comparing Brains. (Drugs)." Youth Studies Australia 22.1. (March 2003). Academic OneFile. Gale. Northern Virginia Community College. 7 Apr. 2008. <http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2408/itx/start.do?prodld=AONE>.
• "Drugs Prevent Brain Connections." The Lancet 362.9385 (August 2003). Academic OneFile. Gale. Northern Virginia Community College. 7 Apr. 2008. <http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/itx/start.do?prodld=AONE>.

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