This Is Scary

Counterargument

 Though some young people deal drugs for selfish reasons such as wanting  a lot of money without working for it, self gratification, or creating a certain image for themselves, many others find drug dealing to be one of their only option in what they might see as a hopeless situation.

Just Some Research

I read two articles a few days ago that really made me think.

Teen Face Drug Charges
Several teenager, all in the same region, are suspected of drug dealing. Some were caught with drugs and drug  paraphernalia on school grounds.

Homeless No More 
A competitor on a reality show, Top Chefs, recounts her  experience as a child (12 years old)  helping  her family by  selling drugs. She was forced to enter the drug business with her brothers when her mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor and they could barley survive.






 If you want to see the article yourself they are below:

http://web.ebscohost.com/src/detail?sid=20fec266-47e4-42fe-9f3d-c90fea4d92ef%40sessionmgr13&vid=1&hid=25&bdata=JnNpdGU9c3JjLWxpdmU%3d#db=n5h&AN=2W63120410381 

 http://web.ebscohost.com/src/detail?sid=3dac9e5a-33c5-4cf2-b2da-eabf07980140%40sessionmgr4&vid=1&hid=25&bdata=JnNpdGU9c3JjLWxpdmU%3d#db=ulh&AN=26221163

Thesis

 Because they need money to support themselves and their family, believe drugs are their only option, and need money to support their own drug habits many young people deal drugs.

What you need to know

•  Frosty Wooldridge,an American journalist,  "Since the beginning of the crack cocaine sales in the mid 80s, youth have been on the front lines of the distribution and sale of drugs." 
• Young Children are killed everyday because they are carrying hundreds of dollars worth of drugs.  
• According to a study done by NBC news " 4 in 5 have seen students drunk, high, and dealing on grounds"

The Great Debators Comparison

In The Great Debaters a group of African American young adults compete against other teams in debate competitions. The movie centers around their lives in a time period (1930) where racism was at its peak and it showed how they rebel against prejudice in there own way.Though the movie had many great characters with inspiring  and heartbreaking stories Henry Lowe, one of the debaters, had a problem some youths in Orange,NJ can emphasize with. Henry was an young alcoholic. Like many drug users Henry's drinking habit stemmed from not being able to control everything that was happening around him, he craved control. He got his fix from bars and parties that provided him with no consideration to what they were doing to this young man. Teen drug dealers are enabling drug users like the people that gave Henry drinks did.  Teen drug dealers may also doing  it as a means of controlling there situation and perhaps others around them. Drug dealing can become its own addiction.

Possible Solutions

- Create programs that show alternatives to dealing drugs
- Find better ways to get teens to understand the damage they are causing to their community
-Get police involved