Divorce

   In today's American society,  forty to fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce.  While going through a divorce, parents will sometimes fail to acknowledge the effect this will cause on their child. Studies show that divorce can have a negative impact on the children that are involved.  The added stress of having parents go through a divorce could influence teenagers to turn to drugs and alcohol. Although drugs and alcohol prevent certain health risks, it will always have a negative effect because it lowers IQ, results in bad decisions and weakens the immune system.
   The abuse of drugs and alcohol could harm a persons body in many various ways.  These substances can damage a person's immune system.  This would make the body susceptible to disease and illnesses.  Drinking too much alcohol reduces the amount of white blood cells, which stops the body from being able to kill germs.  Abusing alcohol also results in nutritional deficiency.  It has also been found that smoking marijuana can cause severe respiratory damage.  "The inhaled smoke from marijuana is often combined with tobacco which is known to cause significant damage to lungs, including the leading cause of lung cancer and emphysema".   According to sources, teenagers from ages 15-19 with divorced parents are 39% more likely to do drugs.  Drugs and alcohol destroy not only a persons physical health, but their mental health as well.
   Substance abuse can affect a persons education and brain.  The brain of a human develops until the age of 25.  By smoking or abusing drugs, it damages the brains wiring.  Teenagers who abuse drugs have lower grades and a higher rate of absences which results to them to drop out of school.  1/3 of school dropouts indicate substances were one of the main reasons they made the decision to leave school.  With no education, addicts will fail to get successful careers that can support them.  It has been found that drugs such as marijuana can reduce your IQ up to 8 points.  Drinking too much alcohol will not only drop your IQ, but your babies as well.
   Many teenagers who get in trouble with authorities have admitted to being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  "The is an undeniable link between substance abuse and delinquency."  In a recent study, it was found that 39% of youth under the age of 18 were on a certain substance at the time of their offense.  Stress and depression, added to a broken home will sometimes push teens over the top.  A study found that of 113 delinquent youth, 82% admitted to being heavy drug and alcohol abusers.  Abusing substances, will cause teenagers to not make the right decisions, and get in trouble with authorities.
 With the number of divorces filed increasing each year, parents must remember to acknowledge the impact it will cause on their children's lives.  Divorce not only affects the couple, it affects their family's lives as well.  Divorce is one of the main factors that cause teens to abuse drugs and alcohol.