Teens’ lack of purpose leads to drug abuse

Editor’s Note: Today’s column is written in response to last week’s contribution by Trenton psychologist Peter Rees.

Dr. Rees, thank you for opening the discussion of why young people begin to use drugs. We absolutely agree with you that teens today do not have enough purpose in life, and therefore turn to drugs as a means of passing the time and comforting themselves for various reasons. A national change to push young people into meaningful service that will give them purpose and hope is the answer!

Teens’ only purpose is to “buy stuff,” particularly if they aren’t involved in sports or civic activities. And yes, our society’s laws on addictive substances are confusing and contradictory. Our two teens, ages 15 and 18, illustrate your theory.

Our 15-year-old is very involved in sports and other activities; drugs aren’t a consideration. Our 18-year-old has been a heavy drug user since he gave up sports after his freshman year of high school because he wasn’t one of the top players and he gave up trying to win his coaches’ favor. When our older son holds a job, his drug use diminishes. Without a job or money, he doesn’t know how to entertain himself. After we found out about his addictions, we hid our money, credit cards, etc., and no longer gave him allowance; he floundered about, and still does, as he watches friends buy, buy, buy consumer goods (iPods, CDs, etc.) and he cannot.

Of course, his drug use is more complicated than that, but his lack of purpose contributed to his demise. We often joke that we’re going to move to Africa and show our kids where we’re all really needed.

The contradictory nature of our drug laws definitely contributes to teen distaste and distrust of authority. Case in point: our children watch their uncle indulge in way too much alcohol on a daily basis, yet he holds a professional job and has a typical life. Though they’ve seen him drive drunk many times over many years, he’s never been caught for OUI and therefore does not believe he has a problem. Yet, a teen friend of ours has been hauled into court for marijuana possession when a taillight was out on his car; he hadn’t been using, just driving with it in the car. Alcohol is available in Rite Aid, for goodness’ sake, even though alcohol kills more and more people every year through health impacts and drunk driving.

We must respectfully disagree with your idea to legalize marijuana altogether, however, as we have seen many problems with it. Many teens begin their drug use with pot and move into much stronger drugs soon after. As well, we’ve noted huge memory problems in our own child, as well as an apathetic attitude for weeks or months, when his marijuana use increased. We don’t see the same problems with cigarettes or alcohol. Our idea is that “pot penalties” be restricted to automatic community service overseen by local police, however, to keep the courts from clogging with marijuana cases.

The political apathy of this generation is fueled by a real sense that there’s “nothing we can do,” which is shared by more than half of all Americans. How that will change, we have no idea; it may take two or more generations, but must begin with people taking the time to get involved in something besides their 9-to-5 job and their after-work cocktail. Part of what is happening with teens is the depressing thought that they will “become their parents” – working a million hours a week at a job they hate. Why should they “clean up their acts” just to enter that world? We need to offer them hope that it doesn’t have to be that way. What are we working a million hours for – to buy more stuff? Yes! Look around; ask families what they do on weekends, and chances are, it’s SHOP!

– Sincerely, an area family

Please join our weekly conversation about Maine’s substance abuse problem. We welcome comments or questions from all perspectives. Letters may be mailed to Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04401. Send e-mail contributions to findingafix@bangordailynews.

net. Column editor Meg Haskell may be reached at (207) 990-8291 or mhaskell@bangor

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