There can be little doubt that the abuse of substances by young people – as well as older people – is of major concern to governments and those organisations tasked with healthcare. There can also be little doubt that substance abuse can be extremely harmful not only to the person who is indulging in a particular drug or drugs, but also to other people who they could affect with violence by accident or design.
Examining the case
Young people will always experiment – it’s what they do when growing up, and experimentation with drugs is part and parcel of this life experience. The majority may try an illegal drug such as marijuana or cocaine and decide it’s not for them. Smoking, sniffing, and injecting (when it comes to seriously hard drugs such as heroin) are rituals that many young people want to explore and, as governments all over the world know, are hard to stop.
Criminalising drugs divides opinion. Why, for example, should cannabis be illegal and alcohol and tobacco be legal? The damage that tobacco and alcohol does to people – and in terms of alcohol to people on the wrong end of a violent, alcohol-fuelled attack – has been well documented.
Legal drugs are easily available, and for those who want to pursue illegal highs, it’s not difficult to find a dealer who will sell drugs. In many cases, drug use is quite socially acceptable amongst young people, and they are perfectly aware of what the potential dangers are. They are not necessarily aware of what the penalties for being caught are, especially if they travel to countries that have zero tolerance over illegal drugs.
Raising awareness
Young people often think that older people, such as family, friends, teachers and other mentors, are killjoys. Why not have a good time with some drugs and to hell with the consequences? The problem with that attitude is that there is the potential for occasional light drug use to spiral into substance abuse at a very different level.
Research into illegal drug use sometimes suggests that more young people are experimenting, sometimes with fatal effects. One problem for colleges and employers is what to do about the potential harm caused by drugs. An option often now pursued is to test students or employees for drug use, the most common method being an oral fluid lab test.
In terms of the safety of other students and employees, it is perfectly acceptable for organisations to do this, provided it is clear to students and employees that they can be requested to take these tests. If they refuse, then conclusions may be drawn that may not be helpful to the individual who may or may not be taking illegal substances.
Personal freedom
It’s always difficult to judge where personal freedom to do things impinges on the law and other people’s rights not to be damaged by drug-induced actions. Young people grow up – they may experiment, but access to good information about the pros and cons of drug use is essential.