By B. Maurice Ward, Judge Charles V. Johnson Youth and Law Forum Organizing Committee
Young people can encounter alcohol, marijuana, counterfeit pills and other substances without fully understanding what they contain or how they may affect their judgment and decision-making.
That’s why young people need honest information about drugs and alcohol before they find themselves in a situation where they have to make a choice.
The choices young people make while under the influence are not always small choices.
Alcohol can interfere with brain functions involved in judgment, memory and coordination. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says adolescent brains are particularly vulnerable to alcohol’s negative effects and that alcohol misuse during adolescence can affect brain development.
Cannabis also can affect thinking, attention, memory, coordination and decision-making. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the brain continues developing until around age 25 and that cannabis use during adolescence may affect the developing brain. The effects can vary depending on factors including the amount and potency of THC, frequency of use and age when use begins.
Counterfeit pills present another danger.
A pill obtained from someone other than a licensed pharmacy may not contain what a young person thinks it does. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration warns that counterfeit pills can contain fentanyl and that a potentially lethal amount of fentanyl can fit into a very small dose.
That means a young person may not always know exactly what they are putting into their body.
Substance use also can make an already difficult situation harder.
A disagreement with another person may require judgment and restraint. A dangerous situation may require someone to recognize the risk and walk away. Peer pressure may require the confidence to say no.
When judgment is impaired, those decisions can become more difficult.
This matters when young people are already navigating school pressure, family conflict, neighborhood violence, social media disputes, trauma or pressure from their peers.
Drugs and alcohol don’t exist separately from those circumstances.
They can become another risk in an already complicated situation.
The Judge Charles V. Johnson Youth and Law Forum is about altering trajectories — giving young people knowledge and tools that can help them make informed decisions.
That means we must speak plainly.
Young people should not assume a pill is what someone says it is.
They should not assume they will make exactly the same decisions while impaired that they would make sober.
And they should not assume that a situation will remain under control simply because it started that way.
Parents, mentors and community leaders have responsibilities, too.
We must talk openly about drugs and alcohol.
We must give young people accurate information.
We must create safe spaces for conversations.
And we must help young people understand the risks before they face them.
Our young people deserve honesty, not silence.
They deserve to make choices with a clear mind.
They deserve a future that isn’t changed by one impaired decision.
Your life matters.
Your choices matter.
And we are here to help you choose a different path.
