In the past school year, student drug abuse has been a huge obstacle for education. Students who abuse drugs struggle with mental health and addiction while continuing to live life as normally as possible. Staff are under pressure to stop this epidemic, some even having to patrol restrooms during school hours to make sure students are not doing anything they shouldn’t. However, another party has been cast aside and forgotten; sober students. 

Drug abuse is an issue to more than those who are directly abusing. 

Keeping everyone safe has to continue to be a priority for administrators and staff, but for kids who haven’t done anything wrong, the process can be extremely tedious. For example, when someone is caught with an illegal substance in a restroom, usually, everyone in the restroom must be searched and possibly drug tested as needed. For those who were simply using the bathroom, it can be irritating to have to miss class in order to undergo this procedure.

Unfortunately, many students have friends and family members who abuse drugs during school hours, so when these innocent kids get grouped in with those who are struggling with addiction, they can feel deeply conflicted. Many students may want to try to help their friend or family member get clean, but oftentimes, addiction runs deeper than they may realize. If a student is caught selling drugs on campus, it is a huge deal. Additional students, like siblings, may be brought into an administrator’s office to be searched and questioned. This causes innocent students to miss class.

Understanding that the main concern of all staff is to keep people safe and sober is a difficult conclusion to come to sometimes. Those struggling may not want the school involved in their lives, but they should expect it when they bring drugs on campus. Narcotic abuse affects every person around, even if it may not seem like it at first glance.