Young people today face more serious hazards in their larger environment than young people did just a generation ago. Today, young people can be exposed to AIDS, a deadly disease, as well as a number of other serious sexually transmitted diseases like herpes and genital warts that were far less common then. Violence levels also are higher, including sexual assault. Having impaired judgement and awareness, as occurs with the use of drugs, is simply more risky in these dangerous times. Adolescence is an important period of physical development.
Adolescence is an important period of social and emotional development.
During adolescence youngsters are doing a lot of very important social and psychological maturation. They are deciding who they are as individuals, differentiating themselves from their parents and others, developing plans and aspirations in their lives, learning to get along with others and form friendships, and learning to get along with the opposite sex and to be comfortable and confident in their own sexual identity. They are also trying to perform well academically so they will be able to reach some of their long-term goals, such as being admitted to college, performing well in college, and getting a good job. These are important tasks in this stage in life, and being high much of the time is detrimental to completing these tasks. These tasks can also be anxiety provoking, and drugs are often used to escape the anxiety and the tasks, leaving some of the important work of adolescence undone.