Would you like to spend a year in the slammer? Or how about pay a fine of $1,000? These are both consequences of marijuana possession. These felony charges apply if you are caught dealing or smoking this drug. Other drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, and meth could also put a permanent mark on your criminal record. Dealing drugs to minors could get them addicted at a young age and ruin their entire life. The main problem we are facing is that people are selling drugs to teens, and those people are the problem. We need to get rid of them.

Studies show it is easier to get hooked on drugs if they are readily available. If a teen is always exposed to drugs and they are around them quite often, they will most likely get addicted. Most teens start because they think everybody is doing it, but according to drugabuse.gov, only 6.5% of 8th graders in 2012 have confirmed they smoked marijuana in the past month. This drug also has long term effects. Marijuana affects your brain and makes you less focused. Often long time users drop out of high school because they are not focused on passing school or going to college.
Prescription drugs are no better than illegal drugs. In 2009, Eminem got addicted to Valium, Xanax, and Vicodin. “I don’t know at what point exactly it started to be a problem. I just remember liking it more and more,” Eminem reported to Rollingstone. Earlier in his life, he took 9th grade three times and never passed. At this point in his life, he was most likely addicted as a teen. This shows that anyone can get addicted to legal drugs as well as illegal drugs.

There is a solution. Stricter laws need to be put in place to outline drug dealers and the consequences for selling drugs to minors. More dire consequences would make people think twice before selling drugs to teens. These consequences could be higher fees and more time spent in prison. Action needs to take place to stop these drug dealers from continuing this crime. The dealers give these teens access to drugs, and if we can eliminate that, then this problem can be solved. Another factor to help solve this problem would be to host a drug awareness presentation in front of all the students in a school. If they are aware of how easy it is to get addicted, then they will be able to walk away from drug dealers offering them dangerous drugs. Drug addiction needs to be taken to their attention. Having knowledge of the effects will make teens more immune to drug dealers trying to lure them in. They try to get teens addicted, so they continue to have a customer. Being aware of the problem can help stop this. If we take action to stop these drug dealers, then these teens can be saved before it’s too late and they get addicted.

Dealing drugs to minors is a problem in many communities. It gives teens access to various chemicals that they do not need. If they have enough of any type of drug then they will get addicted. It doesn’t matter if it is alcohol, marijuana, or even cocaine. Most teens do it because they believe everybody is doing it, but that isn’t true. Prescription drugs are just as bad as illegal drugs when used incorrectly. Eminem almost died due to overdose on prescribed drugs. The main problem is accessibility. It ruins their outlook on life, and gets them unfocused on their goals.