Drugs can either take away a person’s life or a person’s dream, it can make you feel good at once

but slowly put you into the grave of its darkness. Drug addiction is not a joke and it’s not a game for the

youth to play with.

Youths are known to be dreamers and aspirers; they never lose hope for every dream that they

have and persevere to every aspects of their life. Even at a young age we can see that a person aspires for

something, as Dr. Jose Rizal said “Kabataan ang pag- asa ng bayan”. We depict youth as a future of the

world and as a hope for a change. But how can this be? If most of the youths are drug addicts and most of

them end up in streets or in a rehabilitation center than in school.

Curiosity is a part of growing in the life of a person, it starts at birth and end up until we die.

Youths are known to be curious in all aspects and as a human being youth also seek pleasure, and thus

experiment things for own desire and satisfaction, this curiosity can either bring knowledge and a trap for

some.

According to World Assembly of Youth, drug addiction is one of the major problems that youths

are facing today. The World Assembly of Youth also found out that:

In 2010 alone, around 210 million people, youth inclusive, were predicted to take illicit

substances at least once. Youth are at both ends of the drug trade, they are involved from the

manufacturing to the consumption, their main positions being traffickers, dealers and consumers

(para 1).

I had experienced to go to a rehabilitation center for juveniles, and have the opportunity to

interview them. And as a result, most of them engage in drug use and addiction, and because of this they

are forced to stop from studying and enter a rehabilitation center but many of them desired for change

because they want to persevere just to finish their studies.

It is so alarming that many youths ended in a rehabilitation center than in school and many of

them have broken dreams. But is this a responsibility of the school or the parents?

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 Drug addiction is a major issue of the youths today and there must be a thing that will resolve,

prevent or at least lessen the issue of drug addiction among the youths today. That’s why drug testing

must be included in the miscellaneous fees of the students.

Vulnerability to addiction is obvious in adolescent’s behavior, one example of obvious behavior

is that of playing video games and online shopping. Often, teenager’s compulsive behavior is obvious and

observable, they give more time in things that are making them happy thus, they seek more pleasure and

prefer things that give them joy rather of rational things.

Youth’s behavior is sometimes hard to understand and that they are more susceptible to addiction.

According to Gogtay et al. (2004):

The front area of the brain, particularly the pre-frontal cortex, is referred to as the “CEO of the

brain.” It is associated with logical reasoning and regulating impulses, and is the area believed to

be primarily associated with guiding decisions that a person makes. During adolescent brain

development, it is believed that the brain regions located further back, particularly the limbic

region – which is associated with processing emotions and memories – matures earlier than the

pre-frontal cortex region (as cited in Winters & Arria, 2011, para. 5).

In relation to the developmental process in the limbic region of adolescent’s brain, Dahl (2004) said that,

“because of this developmental process in adolescents, they tend to increase in risk taking and in novelty

seeking” (as cited in Winters & Arria, 2011, para. 6).

Scientifically proven that in youth or adolescent seek more risk and experiment more things than

adults and this risk taking can make them susceptible to addiction. As Winters and Arria (2011) said that:

Whereas risk taking during the teenage years may be normative and functionally adaptive as the

adolescent strives for independence from adults, such behaviors may also contribute to an

incentive to initiate drug use. Given the unique neurodevelopmental processes taking place during

adolescence, trying out new experiences and taking risks (including drug use) is more likely

among teenagers than among children and adults (para. 6).

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It is true that the emotional phase of an adolescent or youth is more active rather than of their rationality

and thus making them act in a compulsive way without thinking and seek more things or activity that is

more exciting and newer to their taste. Adolescents always want new things or the trendy things because

they want to try it and want to feel that they belong in a certain group of friends or in the society.

When they perceive things that others do, like drinking alcohol or using of drugs and they view

those people who do such thing as cool, adolescents often want also to try such for them to feel cool or to

experience what others are experiencing. One example also is the things that they can see on the

television and over the internet, like America legalizing the use of marijuana, some American artists that

uses these drugs and of course western movies that depict the what kind of liberation the western

adolescents are experiencing; of course, most of the Filipino adolescents want a western type of liberation

and in which adolescents perceive as “cool”.

Youths often detach themselves with their relationship with their parents and develop the sense of

individuality, because they let their emotions took over them and have a mindset of “kaya ko na” and

want to have freedom over doing things that they want to do thus, profound of taking risk and experiment

things they are curious of.

Maybe we are asking what makes youth more susceptible to drug abuse and why does the

excitement phase of most teenagers are high, according to Ilango et al. (2014), our midbrain contains

substancia nigra and ventral tegmental area. Substancia nigra and ventral tegmental area contains

dopaminergic neuron that is responsible for the production of dopamine. And according to Ikemoto

(2007) “the dopamine that is produced in the ventral tegmental area is responsible for the motivation and

reward” (as cited in Ilango et al., 2014, chapter 1, para. 1).

Dopamine is the main hormone responsible for addiction. One thing that makes an adolescent

susceptible to drug addiction is because of high dopamine. “Production of dopamine is at its peak during

the adolescent stage or the teenage stage” (Wahlstrom, Collins, White & Luciana, 2010) and thus increase

more the excitement and reward seeking of adolescents.

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 When they think that things may cause them pleasure or bring them joy, they are more likely to

be compulsive in seeking or tasting that thing because they feel satisfied with it. It is just like when we

want or love a certain person and because we are in love, our brain releases dopamine, because of that, we

want that person to be with us the whole time, and being away with that person makes us feel dismayed or

unsatisfied. That is how a teenager feels about things that they want; they always seek for a reward to

satisfy themselves. And sometimes they know that these things are not right but because of their curiosity,

peers and excitement seeking they prefer to do these things.

Drugs also affects our brain in terms of releasing dopamine. According to “Gateway drugs: How

does addiction start?” (n. d.):

When a person takes drugs, the chemical functioning of the brain is altered. One of those changes

is that the brain is made to produce more dopamine than it would for a non-drug-related reason.

Reabsorption of the dopamine is blocked. There’s a prolonged sense of pleasure beyond what’s

normal for the brain (para. 4).

Because drugs trigger our brain, it is forced to release more dopamine and cause or prolong the pleasure

sensation that we feel and the more our brain is releasing dopamine and the more feel happy, the more we

want to taste that drug and this act can result to manic behavior or simply, addiction. Imagine that

happening in an adolescent or youth which their dopamine production is at peak, then there is a higher

chance that they will be addicted to drugs.

We do not give much care in understanding on how our brain works in terms of addiction and just

judge teenagers who engage in so much drug use. Youths are often not given much attention in the things

that they do and because of freedom that they seek and their parents are not aware of the things they are

up to. Because of these, youths or students must be given much attention and guidance to the things that

they do.

According to Family lives organization (n. d.):

Young people going through the process of adolescence need what they have always needed from

their parents. They want your love, your support, your encouragement, your nurture, acceptance

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 and attention. The difference for teenagers is that while children need their parents to be in the

lead, pulling them along, directing their steps and making the important decisions, teenagers need

to be side by side. Teenagers need ‘helpful attention’ rather than protective attention (para. 1).

Many parents often give protective attention to their adolescent children for example in the course that

their children want and does cause rebellious action in the part of their children because sometimes

parents are not listening to their children also.

Parents must help in the decision making of their children, not by scolding them for the things

they do that they are not aware if it is wrong or right, sometimes adolescents are afraid to tell their parents

what they are up to because they expect their parents to be angry with them and instead to listen and help

them with their problem, parents often end up scolding their children. Parents should guide them and let

them understand the things that are right and the things that are wrong rather than scolding them but it is

right to correct them, for them to understand that such things are wrong.

Even though most adolescents think that they need to grow as an independent person, they still

need guidance from their parents or university authorities because their excitement phase is more active,

they tend to act over peers compulsively. And because of lack of guidance from their parents or not

having proper education in terms of drug addiction, they engage in the drug usage without thinking if it

will bring them any harm because sometime youths or adolescents seem to be addicted to drugs because

they do not know what harm drugs could bring to them and all their brain know that it gives happiness

and satisfaction to them.

According to the article “Why do teens use drugs” (n. d.), teens use drugs or alcohols to get away

with their troubles and relax.

Most of the adolescents tend to not tell their parents about their problems or if they are facing

any troubles in life such as school problems and also family problems. Because sometimes parents or

some elders do not care about them, do not talk to them and do not give much of the moral support that

their children need and because their parents or elders that are supposed to listen to their problems do not

give much attention to them and most of the time they lack encouragement from their parents when they

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are feeling down, adolescents may act according to what they want even though it is wrong because there

is no one that seem to care to them. And because of facing much troubles they tend to make a way of

forgetting their problems to feel lighter at least at once and thus, include the use of drugs and alcohol.

Another reason is that, adolescents use drugs and alcohol to show their independence (“Why do

teens use drugs”, n. d.). It is true that adolescents detach themselves to the authority of their parents for

them to feel independent and because this is the demand of their children parents just let their children to

have what they want without thinking of the consequence of what their children might have become.

Most of the adolescents that seek detachment from their parents think that they are already grown- ups

and expect their selves not needing of their parent’s guidance or the school guidance but in reality, they

still need guidance from elders in their journey of understanding self- identity.

Even though we think that adolescents or youths are already grown- ups and can handle their

selves, elders like teachers, administrators of universities and the parents must also be responsible of the

well- being of these adolescents because even though they want some freedom, that freedom must be

accompanied by guidance, for the youths and adolescent students to prevent committing unwanted

mistake that could ruin their future. There is no harm in guiding them but showing no attention to them

causes more and deep harm.

As early as age four, parents send their children to school and lend their trust to the schools that

they have decided for their child. Schools or Universities are taught to be a second home for the students,

like a home and it is expected to be a safe place for the student, a place to learn and a place where they

can enhance their skills and improve their well- being. In that sense, Universities also should be

accountable to the well- being of the students.

According to MRPS (Manual of Regulations for Private School) (DECS Order No. 92, s. 1992),

Section 74. “Authority to maintain school discipline”, “Every private school shall maintain good school

discipline inside the school campus as well as outside the school premises when pupils or students are

engaged in activities authorized by the school.”

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 But of course, this law does not only constant to private schools and universities, but also

applicable to public universities and schools in which students consider as a place of learning and in

which student are obliged to follow the school or university’s premises.

Universities always aim for a good standard in the sake of its name. But sadly, most universities

are just focusing on the academic achievements of students rather than their well- being and safety. It is

true that the goal of a university or school is for the students to learn and enhance their academic

intelligence but school and university sometimes miss the point that there are students that are suffering

from problems and in need of guidance. Because school or universities are considered to be accountable

to student’s well- being, it should build programs regarding the issues that the students are facing not just

focusing on the academic intelligence of the student, because sometimes students might be academic

intelligent but emotionally vulnerable which can be a gateway for drugs.

Because drug addiction is one of the major issue of adolescents today, the university is obliged to

make a law concerning drug addiction, as a school, it should have a disciplinary rule that would help the

student to be well disciplined citizen of the country and not just merely focusing on the academic

achievement of the student.

Universities are known to be accountable to their students, because first of all, the parents of the

students put their trust and their children’s safety to the arms of the school or university because their

children spend more hours in school rather than at home and students spend most of their time learning in

school rather than at home. That is why universities must give their best for their students and should

show a caring environment with disciplinary law that would help their student to have a disciplinary

value, a value that they can bring until they get old, because the essence of learning is not just for having

a high grade but also to learn morality in order for the student to be a virtuous and a good citizen of the

future.

Sometimes these university laws are weak and students are freely violating these rules without

the officials of the university knowing it. Example is that, the checking of the bags of students to see if

there is any drug or any sharp things that could bring harm. It is also a good rule for the university to

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imply but most of the time the students outsmart the university authorities. That’s why Universities must

strengthen their rules and laws for the safety of the students. And universities must also see the major

issues of adolescents and youths today which include drug addiction.

The university law should excuse no one, and should be applicable to all disregarding the

student’s social status, because sometimes those who are rich or financially blessed are not following the

law and seem to have the power to segregate themselves to the law. And the university law must not only

within the walls of the school but can also be applied even to the outside life of the students. Because

sometimes the parents of the students do not care about their child and the only hope of the student for

guidance is the school itself.

Drug testing in miscellaneous fee can also be a burden and quite an issue. One of the reasons is

that, universities might have some trouble in accommodating the students because there are more than

thousand of students in one university and universities must accommodate all the students because the

drug testing is included in the miscellaneous fee.

Including drug testing in miscellaneous fee also will be susceptible to protest, because students

would think that the school does not have the right to go beyond their private life, most of the students put

a boundary between them and the school and that they think that the school have no rights for such law

because they think that their life must be private and must be untouched by the university’s law.

Students might not want this because the time they would be caught using drugs, they might not

have the chance to continue their study and will have a life in prison or in a rehab rather than a life in

school and at home. And they might protest that it can help them in terms of forgetting their problems and

it can satisfy them or just say that it is their way of life and that school do not have the authority to correct

them because schools do not have the authority of a parent.

And another reason is that, it can also be a financial burden to those who do not use drugs,

because they know for themselves that they are not using any drugs but yet they are obliged to pay for

around 300 pesos for drug testing. But beyond these reasons, we should find an implication for one of the

major issues of adolescent or youth students of the university.

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 It is not harmful for the universities to include drug testing in miscellaneous fee of the students.

First reason is that, for the students to be aware of how harmful drugs are. Because the longer that there

are no policies for drugs among students in the university, the more these students will continue to use

drug or even try drugs.

Second is that, for the parents of the students also to be aware of what their children are up to.

Most of the time, parents also lack of giving attention to their children, especially when they know that

their children are already in legal age, that is why, parents should bring back their care for their children

by helping the school to implement an anti- drug rule in school.

Third is that, for the prevention of future use of drugs among the students. Students sometimes

are hard headed and always seek freedom from rules of the school, that’s why there is a need for

implementing a strong rule or law to prevent or even stop the use of drugs among the adolescent students

of the universities.

To avoid protest in the implication of drug testing in miscellaneous fee, parents must be oriented

on how the school or university will implement such law and how much would they need to pay for this

drug testing and also discuss the major problems that youths are facing today, so that the parents could

give their support for the development of the well- being of their children. Students must also be oriented

in the use of harmful drugs and the reason why universities must implicate the including of drug testing in

their miscellaneous fee and also, they must be aware of the goal of implementing this. And the

universities must also show that they have responsibility for the well- being of their students that this rule

will be implicated not for the sake of the university name but for the safety of the students in the

university and of course for the students to grow morally together with academic excellence.

To wrap these up, all of us have a responsibility in facing the drug issue among the adolescent

students. We can not segregate ourselves in this issue because I know that each of us have the capacity

and capability to contribute something in this issue.

Youths and adolescents are not given much time and care that they need. We often forgot that

they also need guidance and support to build their foundation. They are also like a plant. A plant needs

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water and sunlight as they grow and when they grow enough, they still need water and sunlight in order

for them to be nourished and grow healthier. Because as a human being, learning and growing does not

stop and just like a plant we also need a guidance or support for us to grow much healthier not just

physically but holistically.

And universities must be aware of their student’s needs, as well as of helping them how to be

better, because students should be greater than his or her grades. Values are more important than grades.

Grades can or might give you a bright future but a virtuous attitude can bring you happiness that can last.

We should not lose hope in solving the drug- issue among students, but this must serve as our motivation

to bring back the hope of the youths and the bright of the future. Once again, as Dr. Jose Rizal said,

“kabaataan and pag- asa ng bayan.” Let us not ruin this dream, instead let us all offer a helping hand to

once again bring back the hope for the youths.

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