WSNIA - The Educator

INFORMATION ♦ EDUCATION ♦ ENFORCEMENT

THE EDUCATOR - Spring 1999

Why?

by Sonia Wellington

It's a universal, timeless question. Philosophers, saints, scientists, children, everyone asks it. The case is no different for law enforcement personnel. For years, police officers, counselors, parents and peers have been asking: "Why do young people use drugs?" That is the question I set out to answer. I have not done any statistically valid studies. I am not a researcher, statistician, or drug expert. I am simply a young person drawing my own conclusions.

I am basing this article on interviews and stories I have collected from people within my age group. I talked to friends and strangers, users and non-users. Some I questioned, some I simply listened to. I asked them what drugs they had taken, their experiences with the drugs, and the million-dollar question: why? Weren't they afraid of the consequences? Did they know of the risks? Had they had bad experiences; and if so did they continue, to use the drug? For the purpose of this article, I narrowed it down to two questions. Why did the start using the drug, and why do they continue when they know of risks?

When asked why they started using a drug, the answers were all very similar.

Brad*, who began smoking pot when he was 15, said he started because he was curious about it. "There was all this hoo-haw about it. DARE and 'Don't Do Drugs' and-all that. I wanted to see what it was all about." Suzie, who used mushrooms for the first time when she was 18, also claimed curiosity as the cause for her trying drugs. "I heard about the experience. I guess from a friend," she said. Joseph, who tried cocaine when he was 17, echoed Suzie's sentiments. He states that he was simply curious about the drug, and that he simply "wanted to try it." Joseph also said that he had friends who did it. From pot to crack to heroin to mushrooms, these answers were typical. A large majority of the people I talked to said they drug simply because they were curious about it. Although some said it was a spur-of-the-moment decision many people had considered their choices carefully, and many more would not have taken the drug if they had not been with people they trusted. Cathy, who tried mushrooms when she was 20, said that she had "thought about it for a long time." Several said friends helped influence their decision, although none claimed peer pressure to be the main reason.

The answers to "why do you continue to use drugs?" were just as uniform. Although some of the people I talked to had only tried the drug in question once, most had done it at least one more time since their initial encounter. Also, almost all of the people I talked to knew of many, if not all of the risks of the particular drug. So, why do they continue to take these drugs when they know of the possible legal and physical consequences? Alex, who has been using cocaine since he was 16, states that he is at a stage in his life where he is utterly confused and he "might as well try everything." Nancy who tried mushrooms for the first time when she was19, said she would definitely do them again. When asked about the health risks she replied, "I know my limits." On further reflection, however, she added, "I don't know, I just don't feel at risk for some reason." This is one of the more common themes I found. Jenni, who started taking heroin when she was 14, states simply, "I feel like I can overcome them [the risks]. I justify it, to myself." Adam, who has been taking heroin, crack and cocaine since he was 17, said that the risks weren't a problem. "As long as you have good stuff [drugs], and don't f--- up" then everything will be all right. This theme of indestructibility was almost always a part of the answers I received. Young People seem to have a feeling of immortality. Perhaps they have not yet been touched by tragedy and death and therefore do not really fear it. Or perhaps they have already been so exposed to it, that they no longer have anything to fear.

I started this article with the simple purpose of finding out why young people today start, and then often times continue to use illegal, drugs. What I got were confusing answers. I am no closer to finding the answer now than I was before. Although several themes, such as curiosity and a feeling of indestructibility were revealed through my interviews, these ideas are nothing new. The bottom line is that right or wrong, good or bad, young people today are taking and abusing illegal drugs. Perhaps that is all we will really know.

*All names have been changed.

Sonia is a student at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. She works in the college wellness center I did some volunteer work with her and asked that she speak with fellow students that use drugs and simply ask "why?" --Roger Lake