Think About It
Author: -
Publish Date: 15-Jan-2009
So you're heading towards adulthood. There are lots of things in store for you and lots of decisions to make. You and your friends are going through many changes right now and the road ahead is full of twists and turns that can be confusing, exciting and scary all at the same time.
It's time to grow up and make some smart decisions about who you want to be. You can have all the fun you're supposed to have in your teenage years, while at the same time giving yourself the respect you deserve and earning the respect of everyone around you. Or you can go blindly out onto the road to adulthood and probably wind up getting lost. It's totally up to you.
A Few Good Reasons
Every drug has some kind of effect on your body, mind or both. There are plenty of reasons to avoid abusing any and all substances. Here are a few of them:
Drugs Mess Up your Mind
There is no doubt that drugs can mess up the way you think. They impair your judgment, leading to risky behavior and its harm goes even deeper. Drug abusers often find that their short-term memory is unbelievably short - they're unable to keep basic facts straight even when they're sober. What's worse is addiction messes with your priorities and your judgment - drugs become the single most important thing in an addict's life. So you really want the most important thing in you life to be some stupid drug?
Drugs Affect Your Looks
You've heard it before, now hear it again: Drugs are not good for your health. Any kind of foreign substance that you put into your body - whether you eat it, snort it or inhale it - is going to take some toll on your body. And anything that affects your body is going to affect your looks. Drug abusers often lose so much weight that they look sickly and dark circles form beneath their eyes. Why risk looking like that when you can look healthy and great?
Drugs Cost Money
Illicit drugs cost you money. Abusers who become addicted may resort to stealing to keep up with their habit. And the health problems associated with drug abuse can cost an arm and a leg. When you think about it, it seems like the dumbest way to spend your cash, when you could use it to buy new clothes or enjoy meals and movies with your friends.
Drugs Spoil Your Chances
The statistics are simple: If you abuse drugs, you're breaking the law. You'll have to spend a precious part of your youth at a drug rehabilitation center (DRC) and you'll less likely achieve your dreams. Your chances of finishing higher education decreases significantly if you abuse drugs and you increase your chances of ending up broke, in a lousy job or in an unhappy relationship.
Adapted from Refuse to Use, by Ann Kirby-Payne