Running head: ABOVE THE INFLUENCE COMMUNITY PROBLEM

Above the Influence Community Problem Pearl Denise Acosta The University of Texas at El Paso November 3, 2013

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE COMMUNITY PROBLEM

Abstract The community faces many problems with drug abuse among teenagers. Many parents are concerned with their teenagers abusing drugs. It is critical during their teenager years to use drugs because their brain is still developing at that stage. That is why researchers stress to parents to help stop drug abuse and keep their teenagers active. They cannot stress it enough the long term affects drug abuse has and all the side effects drugs can do. A campaign called Above the Influence has become worldwide and proven to help teenagers for the same reason. Above the influence has helped many teenagers stop drug abuse. Research has proven Above the Influence campaign has reduced the number of teenagers using drugs. The government supports this campaign every year, but some people believe it is a waste of money when the government can be spending it on something more useful. They believe it all comes down to family values and educating your own kids. Others believe Above the Influence has done that for teenagers and helped reduce the number of teenagers abusing drugs.

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE COMMUNITY PROBLEM

One of the many problems the community faces among teenagers is staying above the influence. Above the influence means not letting negative thoughts control who they are and keeping them from doing what they know is right. Many teenagers do not know where to go to get help when they need it or what being above the influence is all about. It is never too late to be above the influence. Many teenagers do not realize all the negative affects drugs do to them and the long term affects drug abuse leaves behind on them. Above the influence campaign provides all sorts of useful information for teenagers who need help or want to know about what being above the influence is like. Research has proven above the influence campaign has reduced marijuana use among eighth grade girls who watched the advertisement (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2012). Above the influence campaign wants to drive teenagers into staying away from the things that drive teenagers into being under the influence. Many teenagers think being above the influence will be boring, but there are many ways being above the influence can be fun. There are many ways in avoiding being under the influence and still having fun. Teenagers can go to events with friends or have a movie night to avoid temptation if they think doing drugs is the only way they will have fun at a party. Above the influence have events to prevent temptation. For example they would have a Valentines teen party, where they would have an alcohol free teen bar. During the ages from thirteen to twenty-five it is important for parents to help teenagers have healthy activities going in their lives to avoid temptation into drug abuse because pruning and strengthening process is happening in their brain (Drug-Free America, et al, n.d.). Since the brain is still developing at that age, many teenagers do not think of the consequences of being under the influence can impact them for the rest of their lives. Research has shown the brain is still not mature yet, leading to poor decision making. If more parents shared the facts about drug

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE COMMUNITY PROBLEM

abuse, more teenagers would realize what drugs are doing to them and how it affects them for the rest of their lives. When teenager abuse drugs, the brain tries to balance out the feel good signals (Drug-Free America, et al, n.d.). Once the drug abuse stops, it takes time for teenagers to feel good again depending on the amount and time. Parenting and communications can help teenagers into making the right choices and stop drug abuse among teenagers. Research shows that ninety percent of drug abuse starts in teenager years (The Partnership at drug-free.org, 2013). Above the influence advertisements are trying to prevent those lasting harmful affects drug abuse is leaving on these teenagers. Some people believe the government is spending too much money on above the influence campaign and advertisements, but it is proven to show the campaign and advertisements has lowered marijuana use. People believe one advertisement is enough and the government should not be spending so much money on all these advertisements. It all comes down to family values and mortality to teach their goods about drug use and negative influences (Hutaff, 2007). Research shows that alcohol abuse during the teenage years negatively impacts the memory center of the brain (Drug-free America, et al, n.d.). It is not stressed enough that teenagers do not realize these long term effects on drug abuse because they do not know what drugs do to them especially at their age. Teenagers want to feel good and think the only way to feel good is by doing drugs when they do not realize it is the worst thing they can do. It ends up making them feel worse because of the tolerance. Above the influence prevents them from thinking that way by having events and showing them what each drug does to them. They use examples such as how doing drugs will affect their skateboarding or things they love to do.

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE COMMUNITY PROBLEM

Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/ondcp-fact-sheets/marijuana-know-the-facts Obama administration is working on reducing marijuana use and other drugs. Rates of marijuana use among 8th, 10th. 12th, graders are higher than rates for any other illicit drugs (Office of National Drug Control Policy, n.d.). Marijuana causes problems with learning, thinking, and problem solving. Marijuana also causes anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and schizophrenia. For the prevention of drug use the government supports Above the Influence program because it has decreased drug use among teenagers. People who have used marijuana for a long period of time have irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety and drug craving symptoms. This makes it harder to stop drug use. Above the influence campaign is funded every year because it has shown to help teenagers to be independent. A study of more than 3,000 students in 20 communities nationwide found by the end of 8th grade, 12 percent of those who had not reported having seen the campaign took up marijuana use compared to only 8 percent among students who had reported familiarity with the campaign (Grabmeier, n.d.). It is normal for teenagers to want to be part of a social circle and go to where drugs are mostly used.

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE COMMUNITY PROBLEM

For example, many teenagers go to parties to be with their friends, but think if they do not do drugs they will not have a good time with their friends. It is hard to avoid the peer pressure, but to avoid it teenagers need to go somewhere else and do something different where drugs arent involved in the event. That is how Above the Influence campaign has helped many teenagers by having other social events where teenagers can participate. Above the influence also has a website where teenagers can go to find out information about what drugs do to them and where they can go to get help when peer pressure comes along. For example they can call 1-800-662-help if they need information about drugs or help. It is also for teenagers seeking help for others, like friends using drugs, but do not know how to reach out to them. The website also shows teenagers to choose being above the influence instead of being under the influence by showing videos and stories about real life situations on teenagers who went through the same thing. Then showing how their lives have changed by choosing staying above the influence. Above the Influence website gives facts about what each type of drug does to people, reasons people takes drugs, and true stories about what being under and above the influence is all about through teenagers being interviewed and talking about what they went through. They show real life situations about what teenagers go through in their everyday live. Teenagers find the website useful due to the fact that teenagers are expressing and sharing how being above the influences has impacted their lives and made positive changes in their lives. Being under the influence has been a community problem among teenagers. It has always been stressed more among teenagers due to the fact that their brains are still developing and drug abuse has long term effects on them. Many teenagers do not realize the effects drugs have on them and how it effects their development. It is stressed to parents to help their teenagers to stay

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE COMMUNITY PROBLEM

away from drugs and keep them active. Above the Influence has been proven by researchers to help reduce drug use among teenagers. Their information provides facts on drugs and events to help teenagers stay away from drugs.

ABOVE THE INFLUENCE COMMUNITY PROBLEM

Reference Page Drug-Free America, Treatment Research Institute, and WGBH Educational Foundation. (n.d.). A Parent's Guide to the Teen Brain. Retrieved from: http://teenbrain.drugfree.org/science/growth.html Grabmeier, J. (n.d.). National anti-drug campaign succeeds in lowering marijuana use, study suggests. Retrieved from http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/aboveinfluence.htm

Hutaff. (2007, February 20). Above the influence. The Simon Magazine.

Office of National Drug Control Policy. (2012, June). Above the influence: Effective and relevant to youth, ONDCPs above the influence campaign supports community prevention efforts nationwide. Office of National Drug Control Policy. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/page/files/ati_fact_sheet_6-26-12.pdf Office of National Drug Control Policy. (n.d.). Marijuana: Know the facts. of National Drug Control Policy, Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/ondcp-fact-sheets/marijuana-knowthe-facts The partnership at drugfree.org premieres first teen-created television spot as part of new above the influence campaign. (2013, October 17). Heraldonline.com. Retrieved from http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/10/17/5312863/the-partnership-at-drugfreeorg.html