# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This is about us, together. Working to get the facts out around smoking, vaping and opioids. And to keep the industries that make them in check. Learn more about us and ways you can help.

We're fighting against

Learn more about the truth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This is about us, together. Working to get the facts out around smoking, vaping and opioids. And to keep the industries that make them in check. Learn more about us and ways you can help. Learn more about the truth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Anti-Smoking.org & The Foundation for a Smokefree America - National anti-tobacco group with acclaimed youth programs and quit smoking tips

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Foundation for a Smokefree America is a well known anti-smoking group, offering free quit smoking info, anti-tobacco programs for youth, & an excellent page of anti-smoking resources. Founded by RJ Reynolds' grandson, Patrick Reynolds, after his father's death from smoking.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Now!" whispered Suki. "Quick, while the clerk's not looking."

Heart pounding, Leah leaned against the store's unattended makeup display and slid two tubes of lipstick into her purse. She looked bored and detached as she followed her friends Suki and Jill out of the store, but inside she felt panicked.

"I can't believe you made me do that," Leah wailed.

"Relax," said Jill. "Everybody does it sometimes. And we didn't make you do it."

She said nothing, but Leah knew she wouldn't have done that on her own. She'd just had a big dose of peer pressure.

Who Are Your Peers?

When you were a little kid, your parents usually chose your friends, putting you in play groups or arranging play dates with certain children they knew and liked. Now that you're older, you decide who your friends are and what groups you spend time with.

Your friends - your peers - are people your age or close to it who have experiences and interests similar to yours. You and your friends make dozens of decisions every day, and you influence each other's choices and behaviors. This is often positive - it's human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group.

As you become more independent, your peers naturally play a greater role in your life. As school and other activities take you away from home, you may spend more time with peers than you do with your parents and siblings. You'll probably develop close friendships with some of your peers, and you may feel so connected to them that they are like an extended family.

Besides close friends, your peers include other kids you know who are the same age - like people in your grade, church, sports team, or community. These peers also influence you by the way they dress and act, things they're involved in, and the attitudes they show.

It's natural for people to identify with and compare themselves to their peers as they consider how they wish to be (or think they should be), or what they want to achieve. People are influenced by peers because they want to fit in, be like peers they admire, do what others are doing, or have what others have.

Peer Influence Isn't All Bad

You already know that the teen years can be tough. You're figuring out who you are, what you believe, what you're good at, what your responsibilities are, and what your place in the world is going to be.

It's comforting to face those challenges with friends who are into the same things that you are. But you probably hear adults - parents, teachers, guidance counselors, etc. - talk about peer pressure more than the benefits of belonging to a peer group.

You might not hear a lot about it, but peers have a profoundly positive influence on each other and play important roles in each other's lives:

Friendship. Among peers you can find friendship and acceptance, and share experiences that can build lasting bonds.

Positive examples. Peers set plenty of good examples for each other. Having peers who are committed to doing well in school or to doing their best in a sport can influence you to be more goal-oriented, too. Peers who are kind and loyal influence you to build these qualities in yourself. Even peers you've never met can be role models! For example, watching someone your age compete in the Olympics, give a piano concert, or spearhead a community project might inspire you to go after a dream of your own.

Feedback and advice. Your friends listen and give you feedback as you try out new ideas, explore belief, and discuss problems. Peers can help you make decisions, too: what courses to take; whether to get your hair cut, let it grow, or dye it; how to handle a family argument. Peers often give each other good advice. Your friends will be quick to tell you when they think you're making a mistake or doing something risky.

Socializing. Your peer group gives you opportunities to try out new social skills. Getting to know lots of different people - such as classmates or teammates - gives you a chance to learn how to expand your circle of friends, build relationships, and work out differences. You may have peers you agree or disagree with, compete with, or team with, peers you admire, and peers you don't want to be like.

Encouragement. Peers encourage you to work hard to get the solo in the concert, help you study, listen and support you when you're upset or troubled, and empathize with you when they've experienced similar difficulties.

New experiences. Your peers might get you involved in clubs, sports, or religious groups. Your world would be far less rich without peers to encourage you try sushi for the first time, listen to a CD you've never heard before, or to offer moral support when you audition for the school play.

When the Pressure's On

Sometimes, though, the stresses in your life can actually come from your peers. They may pressure you into doing something you're uncomfortable with, such as shoplifting, doing drugs or drinking, taking dangerous risks when driving a car, or having sex before you feel ready.

This pressure may be expressed openly ("Oh, come on - it's just one beer, and everyone else is having one") or more indirectly - simply making beer available at a party, for instance.

Most peer pressure is less easy to define. Sometimes a group can make subtle signals without saying anything at all - letting you know that you must dress or talk a certain way or adopt particular attitudes toward school, other students, parents, and teachers in order to win acceptance and approval.

The pressure to conform (to do what others are doing) can be powerful and hard to resist. A person might feel pressure to do something just because others are doing it (or say they are). Peer pressure can influence a person to do something that is relatively harmless - or something that has more serious consequences. Giving in to the pressure to dress a certain way is one thing - going along with the crowd to drink or smoke is another.

People may feel pressure to conform so they fit in or are accepted, or so they don't feel awkward or uncomfortable. When people are unsure of what to do in a social situation, they naturally look to others for cues about what is and isn't acceptable.

The people who are most easily influenced will follow someone else's lead first. Then others may go along, too - so it can be easy to think, "It must be OK. Everyone else is doing it. They must know what they're doing." Before you know it, many people are going along with the crowd - perhaps on something they might not otherwise do.

Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature - but some people are more likely to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground. People who are low on confidence and those who tend to follow rather than lead could be more likely to seek their peers' approval by giving in to a risky challenge or suggestion. People who are unsure of themselves, new to the group, or inexperienced with peer pressure may also be more likely to give in.

Using alcohol or drugs increases anyone's chances of giving in to peer pressure. Substance use impairs judgment and interferes with the ability to make good decisions.

Pressure Pointers

Nearly everyone ends up in a sticky peer pressure situation at some point. No matter how wisely you choose your friends, or how well you think you know them, sooner or later you'll have to make decisions that are difficult and could be unpopular. It may be something as simple as resisting the pressure to spend your hard-earned babysitting money on the latest MP3 player that "everybody" has. Or it may mean deciding to take a stand that makes you look uncool to your group.

But these situations can be opportunities to figure out what is right for you. There's no magic to standing up to peer pressure, but it does take courage - yours:

Listen to your gut. If you feel uncomfortable, even if your friends seem to be OK with what's going on, it means that something about the situation is wrong for you. This kind of decision-making is part of becoming self-reliant and learning more about who you are.

Plan for possible pressure situations. If you'd like to go to a party but you believe you may be offered alcohol or drugs there, think ahead about how you'll handle this challenge. Decide ahead of time - and even rehearse - what you'll say and do. Learn a few tricks. If you're holding a bottle of water or a can of soda, for instance, you're less likely to be offered a drink you don't want.

Arrange a "bail-out" code phrase you can use with your parents without losing face with your peers. You might call home from a party at which you're feeling pressured to drink alcohol and say, for instance, "Can you come and drive me home? I have a terrible earache."

Learn to feel comfortable saying "no." With good friends you should never have to offer an explanation or apology. But if you feel you need an excuse for, say, turning down a drink or smoke, think up a few lines you can use casually. You can always say, "No, thanks, I've got a belt test in karate next week and I'm in training," or "No way - my uncle just died of cirrhosis and I'm not even looking at any booze."

Hang with people who feel the same way you do. Choose friends who will speak up with you when you're in need of moral support, and be quick to speak up for a friend in the same way. If you're hearing that little voice telling you a situation's not right, chances are others hear it, too. Just having one other person stand with you against peer pressure makes it much easier for both people to resist.

Blame your parents: "Are you kidding? If my mom found out, she'd kill me, and her spies are everywhere."

If a situation seems dangerous, don't hesitate to get an adult's help.

It's not always easy to resist negative peer pressure, but when you do, it is easy to feel good about it afterward. And you may even be a positive influence on your peers who feel the same way - often it just takes one person to speak out or take a different action to change a situation. Your friends may follow if you have the courage to do something different or refuse to go along with the group. Consider yourself a leader, and know that you have the potential to make a difference.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature - but some people are more likely to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground. Find out how to make the right choices for you.

# data[].attributes.body
Peer Pressure

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Keep Kids Drug Free Foundation, Inc. (KKDF), a Florida non-profit organization, is a resource for parents, families and young people to learn about how to prevent drug abuse.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Prescription Drugs | Drug Free America Foundation, Inc.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Primarily due to easy accessibility, prescription drug use/abuse is one of the fastest growing trends in the United States. If you have a cough, a headache, a fever, a stomach ache, if you can't go to sleep, if you sleep too much, what do you do? Take a pill.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Are the Dangers of Drug Addiction?

Much has been written in recent years about the dangers of drug abuse and addiction. These dangers will vary depending on the kind of drug used, the length of use, and many other factors. One thing that many of these dangers have in common is that they affect not only the user but also have a negative impact on those around them.

Physical dangers to the user include:
* Developing a tolerance to the drug.
* Withdrawal symptoms when trying to cut back or quit.
* Health problems, like irregular heart rate, high blood pressure, lung damage, and seizures.
* Injury, both accidental and self-inflicted.
* Overdose.
* Death.

Dangers can also have social, professional, or interpersonal consequences. These can include:

Becoming pregnant while using drugs and harming the fetus and newborn baby.

Jeopardizing relationships with friends and family.

Neglecting work and school responsibilities.

Involvement in criminal activity and a greater risk of being victimized by crime.

Even for professional counselors and doctors, it can be hard to identify the point where recreational drug use crosses over into addiction. However, it isn't hard to recognize the damage that drugs can cause to a person, a family, or a community. The dangers of drug addiction are far-reaching. When an individual is ready to confront his or her own addiction, the main concern should be how drug abuse can affect that individual's life and the lives of family, friends, and the greater community.

The exact cause of drug addiction is unknown; however, there are factors that may contribute to drug addiction:

An underlying mental disorder, like schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), depression or anxiety.

A low sense of self-worth.

Emotional distress due to personal, professional, or financial difficulties.

Exposure to an environment where drug use is accepted and drugs are readily available.

Peer pressure.

Education alone isn't enough to help an addict get clean. However, learning about the dangers of drug addiction can be an important step for those thinking about experimenting with heroin, marijuana, or meth-or wondering whether they are ready to seek help for addiction.

Phases of Addiction

The term "drug" refers to any chemical substance that alters the chemistry of the brain, affects feelings and perceptions, or changes the way the body functions.

Drugs include prescription medications, illegal street drugs, marijuana, nicotine, and alcohol. Some individuals seek out drugs in order to relax and unwind, while others use drugs to expand their perceptions or give them energy. For many addicts, drugs are a way to relieve physical or emotional pain.

Some individuals seek out drugs in order to relax and unwind, while others use drugs to expand their perceptions or give them energy. For many addicts, drugs are a way to relieve physical or emotional pain.

Drug addiction rarely happens overnight. It may begin by doing a little speed to lose weight or taking prescription pain medication after a car accident. Before long, the user may be spending more time thinking about how to get the drugs, when to take them, and how to pay for them. He or she may feel anxious, depressed, or angry when a deal falls through or prescription doesn't get refilled. The stages of drug dependence are as follows:

Experimentation: Drug use is voluntary and infrequent. Individuals experiment with drugs because of peer pressure or in response to problems in their lives. Many people at this stage are able to quit on their own.

Regular Use: Some people find that drugs appear to be solving their problems, so they begin to use more on a regular basis. Drug use may not occur every day, but it tends to follow a predictable pattern, such as using them every weekend or resorting to them when feeling lonely or stressed.

Risky Use: The user begins to experience emotional, physical, social, and legal problems. Adults may drive while under the influence, perform poorly at work, and impair personal relationships. Teenagers do badly at school.

Dependence: The individual continues using drugs regularly in spite of the harm they cause. Drug use in hazardous situations, such as while driving, becomes habitual. There is increased tolerance to the drug being abused, meaning that he or she needs more of it to have the same effect. The user will experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit.

Addiction: At this stage, drug use is completely out of control. The addict has an irresistible craving for the drug of choice; the majority of his or her time and attention are devoted to seeking it and using it without restraint.²

By the time a drug user reaches a state of addiction, he or she may be beyond the point of asking for help. Intervention by loved ones, employers, social workers, or law enforcement may be necessary to keep the addict from self-harm. .

If the individual is at an early stage of substance abuse, it's not too soon to seek treatment to stop the progression of drug dependence. This can happen whenever the individual feels that they are ready and have needed support from a health professional, an addiction counselor, or a supportive friend.

Damage to Health

By the time someone reaches the addiction stage, he or she may have stopped caring about how drugs are affecting the body's health. On the other hand, some people may be terrified of what is happening to their bodies yet feel that they are powerless to stop the damage. Even if they know that help is available, the addiction may leave them feeling paralyzed when it comes to making that first phone call.

Here are some of the health problems that substance abuse may cause:

Irregular or rapid heart rate.

Heart failure.

Blood-borne diseases like hepatitis or HIV.

High blood pressure.

Impotence or infertility.

Learning and memory problems..

Lung damage

Psychosis.

Respiratory depression and coma.

Seizures.³

Addiction also carries the risk of violence, accidental or self-inflicted injuries, motor vehicle accidents, and sexually transmitted diseases. Addiction makes it hard to make wise decisions. Addicts often neglect their health and may be unaware of their declining mental and physical condition. Because denial is a big part of addiction, people who are addicted may be able to convince themselves that they are perfectly okay, even if they are losing weight, have heart palpitations, suffer from paranoia, or have serious dental problems.

Addiction and Pregnancy

Illegal drug use by the mother poses serious dangers to her unborn baby. Using street drugs while pregnant may cause:

Miscarriage.

Birth defects.

Brain damage to the infant.

Premature delivery.

Low birth weight.

Withdrawal symptoms.⁴

In severe cases, using street drugs may lead to the death of the baby and/or the mother. You can protect yourself and your infant by getting the help you need to have a healthy pregnancy.

Damage to Relationships

Some of the greatest dangers of addiction don't involve injury, illness, or homicide but the death of close personal relationships.

By its nature, addiction separates the user from his or her loved ones so that the addict's relationship with the drug takes precedence over everything else. Addicts may become secretive, isolated, and defensive in the early stages of substance abuse. As the addiction progresses, they may abandon spouses, children, or intimate partnerships so they can pursue their drug use without any restraints.

Professional relationships are quickly destroyed by addiction. It is hard to maintain a regular work schedule while abusing drugs.

By its nature, addiction separates the user from his or her loved ones so that the addict's relationship with the drug takes precedence over everything else.

Many drug addicts are exposed by their employers, who catch them making dangerous mistakes or using drugs at work. Once you've destroyed a professional relationship, it can be difficult to get reestablished in your field. By seeking help for addiction early, the user may be able to avoid losing jobs and/or professional credibility.

Rebuilding personal relationships isn't always easy. Drug abuse takes an emotional and financial toll on a relationship, and trust is often shattered by the addict's behavior. Physical or verbal abuse can make an injured partner justifiably cautious about getting involved with the addict again, even after he or she becomes drug free.

A comprehensive treatment program for drug addiction includes family counseling as well as individual therapy and participation in a support group. While it's possible to restore precious relationships, the process can take a lot of time and emotional energy. Professional therapists can help addicts bridge the gap created by the addiction so that it is possible to initiate honest communication with loved ones.

Addiction and Crime

It's no coincidence that drug-related crime has become a growing concern of government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. According to a survey of the nation's prison population by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 33% of inmates in state prisons and 22% of inmates in federal prisons were using drugs at the time they committed crimes. Even more disturbing is the number of prisoners who had ever used drugs: 83% of inmates in state prisons and 73% of those in federal prisons. In other words, the overwhelming majority of persons incarcerated in the United States at the time the survey was taken had abused drugs in the past. ⁵

Loss of Self

The final danger of addiction is the loss of self. This loss of self happens when personal relationships are abandoned, integrity is destroyed, and dreams are given up for the sake of drugs. Many addicts feel like they're fighting an internal battle between the part of them that wants to recover and the part that's intent on destruction. Very few drug addicts fight this battle alone and win.

Recovery requires reaching out to people who care: addiction specialists, mental health professionals, relatives, friends, and support groups.

Sources

1. (2019). Substance Use Disorder.

2. Stanford Children's Health. (n.d.). Stages of Substance Abuse.

3. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2017). Health Consequences of Drug Misuse.

4. American Pregnancy Association. (2019). Using Illegal Drugs During Pregnancy.

5. Mumola, C.J. (1999). Substance Abuse and Treatment, State and Federal Prisoners, 1997. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, U.S. Department of Justice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What Are the Dangers of Drug Addiction? Much has been written in recent years about the dangers of drug abuse and addiction. These dangers will vary depending on the kind of drug used, the length of use, and many other factors.

# data[].attributes.body
Prescription Drug Abuse

http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/prescription/

# data[].attributes.body
Withstanding Peer Pressure

https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/teen-addiction/teens-peer-pressure/#gref

# data[].attributes.body
What is Red Ribbon Week?

http://redribbon.org/about/

# data[].attributes.body
Anti Smoking Campaign

https://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/about-tobacco/facts-figures/index.html#who