Teen Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Paper Summary:

This paper presents the case that peer pressure need not be negative when it comes to alcohol and drug use. It explains that, with the correct education in school and at home, youngsters could be positively influenced by their surroundings regarding choices made about drugs and alcohol.

From the Paper:

"During adolescence, peers play a large part in a young person's life and typically replace family as the center of a teen's social and leisure activities. But teenagers have various peer relationships, and they interact with many peer groups. Often "peer cultures" have very different values and norms. Thus, the adult perception of peers as a "united front of dangerous influence" is inaccurate. More often than not, peers reinforce family values, but they have the potential to encourage problem behaviors as well. Although the negative influence of peers is over-emphasized, more can be done to help teenagers experience the family and the peer group as mutually constructive environments. To accomplish this, families, communities, churches, schools, 4-H and other youth groups must work together (Haydock 45)."

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