Effect of Drug Abuse among University Student

Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a student trying to escape
from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great
discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A student
drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parents medicine chest to
score. Prescription drug abuse by students is on the rise. Also, students are looking to
prescription drugs to fulfil different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of
studying. Students may be just as likely to resort to drugs with speedy side effects, like
Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription painkillers to check out of
reality. Pressures on teens are growing, to succeed in sports or to get high grades to get into a
good jobs. Furthermore, because prescriptions drugs are prescribed by doctors they are less
likely to be seen as deleterious to teens health. The behaviour, drug abuse prevention
experts say, is notably different from the use of drugs like marijuana or cocaineThe goal
for many young adults is not to get high but to feel better - less depressed, less stressed out,
more focused, better rested. It is just that the easiest route to that end often seems to be
medication for which they do not have a prescription (Harmon 2005, p.1). There are three
major effect of drug abuse among student which are Neglected effect, Getting thinner and
less powerful effect, and Become aggressive and violent effect.

First of all, the effect of the drug abuse among university student is neglected effect. Drug
abuse damages short-term and long-term memory and can lead to problems with learning and
memory later in life. Drug abuse among students can result in serious mental disorders or
permanent, irreversible damage to the brain or nervous system. Brain damage among student
who abuse drugs includes brain shrinkage; impaired learning abilities; amnesia and memory
problems; impaired reasoning, perception and intuition; increased or decreased socialization;
and changes in sexual desire. According to ( Casa Palmira, 2009) students do not make
homework given by lecturers and cause them to be disciplined because they are not even
focused on what they are doing and are always excluded from other colleagues because they
prefer to be alone

Second, effect drug abuse among university student is getting thinner and less power. This is
due to the excessive effects of drug intake that the student will look thin in a short time and
their body becomes weak and lifeless with this indirectly it affects the emotions of the
students and the people around will be bewildered against them. The effects of drug intake
make the students unhealthy. A person might also try drugs just to fit in a social group, even
if the person had no intentions of using drugs. Adolescents can try out different roles and
observe the reactions of their friends to their behaviour and their appearance (Berndt, 2008).
For example, if a student experiences this kind of synthesis it will cause them to be lazy to go
to class and their performance will be affected and this will spoil their future. Students under
the influence of drug are more likely to make decisions that they would not normally make.
Poor choices could include but not limited to skipping classes, performing poorly at work,
driving intoxicated or engaging in unprotected sex. The consequences of poor choices such as
these can last a lifetime. (Bowman Hal, 2009)

Third, effect drug abuse among university student is become aggressive and violent. The
presence of drugs in violent events does not necessarily imply that the substances affect
perpetrators' or victims' behaviours. Besides, different substances affect individuals in
differentiated ways, based on their physiology, psychology, history, gender and other
personal and cultural factors. The use of illegal drugs is connected with violent crimes,
although there are rarely any data on the pattern of drug use and violence. Criminals who
use illegal drugs are more frequently into stealing and assaults than criminals who do not take
drugs and they commit crimes more often in periods when they take drugs more heavily.
(Latino Jue, 2005) Moreover, when students do not have enough money to buy the drugs they
want they will commit crimes such as stealing, robbing and snatching.

What we can conclude is the issue of drugs use among university students must
be faced as a top priority in all areas, with the aims of promoting prevention
programs geared towards this population, in which professors' participation
should be included. Both mandatory and optional subjects on the use of drugs
and alcohol in the graduate and post-graduate course should comprise more
hours. This research presents only part of the reality of the use of drugs in the
university setting and it considers that this kind of study should be more widely
conducted, taking into consideration more representative populations. Therefor
the major effect of drug abuse among university students is neglected effect,
getting thinner and less powerful effect, and become aggressive and violent effect.