Addiction, obsession, an unrelenting dependency on something: this is a vice, defined. Many kids die each year due to drugs, alcohol, smoking, or partaking in other risky behaviors. It is very difficult to break away from your addiction once you have become addicted.

There are many reasons why people become addicted. It could have been caused by peer pressure, thirsting for people to notice them, role models that are addicts, and so many more.

“I really dislike it when I see kids addicted to drugs,” said junior Noah Hewett. “I think it really messes with people, and I think the people that are addicted to drugs or vaping should think about how unhealthy and how bad addiction can be for you.”

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse(NIH) , people with addictions are more likely to have one or more health issues, this could include lung and heart disease, stroke, cancer, or mental health conditions. Addiction can cause depression to the point where some may start having suicidal thoughts. The list goes on and on with what negative effects addiction can cause people.

“I go to two or three funerals a year for kids that were either my former students or students now that have died based on their actions or someone else’s actions,” said assistant principal Karla Stanley. “There’s a lot of kids that turn to drugs because their parents or guardians are on drugs or witnessed them doing drugs.”

Parents and guardians play a vital role in preventing their children from becoming addicts. If you have numerous people in your life that are addicted or have been addicted to a substance, then you are more likely to become addicted yourself. Some parents or older siblings give their child, or younger siblings the drugs.

“I think drugs are the bane of our society,” said English teacher Renee Harless. “I think there are multiple reasons that people become addicted. The first of which is probably genetics. If you have an addictive personality, that’s in your DNA.”

Multiple lines of research have shown that genes influence the numbers and types of receptors in one’s brain. Gene’s account in 60% of the tendency to become addicted and 54% to stop.

Addiction can bring out the worst in people. There’s ways to stop, and there are solutions, but the solutions don’t just happen by themselves: the people have to put in effort.

“There’s people that can help you stop,” said Hewett. “I think everyone should realize that there are ways to stop their unhealthy obsession with whatever their addiction is”.