Substance Abuse Statistics Among College Students are Alarming!

According to (Matics,Greg Feb. 2010) from the Jackson Harold Newspaper article stated the statistics were stunning in the rise of local drug abuse.  (Haskins, Amy) public health educator with the Jackson County Health Department and project director for the Jackson County Anti-Drug Coalition presented statistics of growing drug use.

In the 2009 survey conducted by (Haskins) 21.8 percent of 10^th graders, 33.3 % of high school juniors and 23.3% of high school seniors admitted to drug use.  More alarming was the fact the survey also gave a 10% increase of sixth graders that have begun the cycle of drinking, 11.2 showed tobacco usage and 12% were currently using marijuana.   Haskins further said, “West Virginia has experienced a 550% increase in prescription drug abuse.”  West Virginia residents average some 15 prescriptions each.  These statistics provided a “Take Back Program” disposing of unused prescription drugs is being planned by the Jackson County Anti-Drug Coalition for Year 2 of their grant.  Looking over the statistics, drug usage continues to rise with an extremely high percentage rate of youngsters abusing prescription pills which were astronomical and of huge concern.  The survey helped them acknowledge a severe drug problem within their state and they were able to determine a plan of action by the results.

According to an article published by (Leinwand,Donna; March 2007, USA TODAY) 5.4 million full time college students use drugs and also binge on alcohol at least once a month by a study that was conducted portraying an urgent problem on college campuses around the nation.  The study was released by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.  The study found that students had a higher level of drug usage than the general population in the public sector.  22.9 % of students meet the medical condition for alcohol or drug abuse dependence – compulsively abusing substances despite the negative consequences involved, comparing with 8.5% of all people 12 and older.

     The study also included students who admitted to abusing painkillers such as Percocet, Vicodin and OxyContin.  Compared to the survey from 1993 it only rose 1 percent that year and in 2005 it increased to 3.1 percent.  The percentage of the students smoking marijuana heavily jumped from 1.9% in 1993 to 4% in 2005.  Cocaine and heroin rose from 5.4 in 1993 to 8.2 in 2005.  The percentage of students who admitted or reported to binge drinking three or more times during the week rose from 19.7% in 1993 to 22.8% in 2001.  The study found in 2005, 83% of arrests on campus involved alcohol.  These percentages also show a growing increase in drugs and alcohol but the most shocking in this survey was that college students had a higher percentage rating than those that were not attending college 12 and older.  This was a surprising result to me as many people are veiled into believing most drug problems occur with the less fortunate and uneducated.  This should be a wakeup call to college campuses to bring awareness and to try to bring it under control.  This was a national survey so the statistics of college students using drugs and alcohol are very high and should be a concern for the health and safety of the students attending colleges.

References: 

Leinwand, D. (March 15, 2007) College Drug use, binge drinking rise. USA TODAY.

Matics, G. (February 2, 2010) Substance abuse statistics among youngsters alarming. The West Virginia Jackson Herald.

Are we Presenting the Truth or Tradition?

1. What are some ways the Christian gospel is perceived in our culture?

Many people believe in our culture that we can reach God through good works, so primary most people think we can be a good person and do good things. Jesus paid the price for our sins, so no amount of good works can pardon your way into heaven. It is not through good works, but by faith and the good works flow naturally by our belief and love of the Savior. There are many misconceptions that we can confess our belief of the Savior and He will bring abundant prosperity, so in our culture the prosperity gospel can bring deceptions. Jesus said according to (NIV, Matt. 16:24) " If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me".

2. What are some specific moral reasons people may reject the Christian gospel?

One of the main reasons is a sense of pride. Pride blocks change, and that comes along with transformation and sacrifices. In our Western culture we are people that are ruled by self. This is a huge reason many will turn away from the gospel, because they want to live their own way. We live in a generation of quick fixes, and transformation takes time and growth. We want to have it our way, and accepting the gospel means we give our life over to the Savior.

3. What are some specific moral reasons people may reject the Christian gospel?

There is a great deal of confusion within many of our churches. We have to trust and believe in Christ, and not in our religion. I think a great deal of this has to do with tradition that has nothing to do with the word of God. Self righteous attitudes can attribute to the effect of making others feel loved or unworthy. People may be in oppressive bondage, and feel that they are not good enough. This is Satan's greatest lie. Jesus will accept anyone right where they are. Most have a perception that if they are not perfect, God will reject them. They do not understand the gift of salvation, mercy or grace. Most people have not studied on their own, and have also dealt with spiritual abuse. We should never fall into the trap of listening to anyone or anything without examining it with the word of God. It could also possibly be they have been raised in another doctrine their entire lives. It is hard to break free from what you are use to. Again the issue of pride will blind us to search out the truth.

4. What are some specific intellectual reasons people may reject the Christian gospel?

The majority of adults are learning the theories of evolution in universities today. Evolution had flooded the public schools and students are not learning about these things at a young age. They are being taught Darwinism, that ultimately scatches God away from the black board. We fail to examine things for ourselves, or to take the time to examine both sides of the issue. We see social media has taken on this same effect on our children. Astrology, New Age movement, and also atheists have flooded outlets of the younger generation. For the younger generation many will seek to solve their problems through Psychology and other outlets like drug and alcohol. Most people do not understand the power of the Holy Spirit, and how it can direct our lives and shape us into the purposes of God.

5. What can Christians do to address these objections and better communicate the Christian gospel?

Jesus was a friend of sinners. He may have not agreed with their lifestyle but he would listen to them. He primarily could see through to their heart. Loving your neighbor regardless of who they are is a step in the right direction. No one cares about what you have to say, until they can see how much you care. We will not agree with other people all the time. They will not have the same belief system that we do, but we can be a light to them by the way we live our lives through Jesus Christ. We need to understand more, listen more, and learn more about one another instead of judging. If the only friends that we ever acquire are merely Christians, I am not sure how well our ministry will be. We must be the light in the dark places. Our focus should be on Christ first, and he demonstrates the greatest love of all.

References:

The Holy Bible, New International Version Matthew 16:4

The Greatest Paradox of Confusion about the Commision of Christ

Paradox of Confusion about the Commision of Christ

Most people are not taught about the discernment of the Holy Spirit.  Discernment is allowing the Holy Spirit to direct our lives.  There is; however, a huge paradox of confusion at times, because God calls Christians to be set apart and then the scriptures turn around and instruct us to go into the world. 

     Christ knew the hearts of all He came into contact with, because he was the Son of God.  He was all knowing.

     We are called to be in the world, but not of the world.  The night before the death of Christ, He prayed for the will of God over the lives of the disciples in every area of their life.  His prayer was not to take them out of the world, but He wanted them to be protected from the enemy.  It is my belief that we must look at, listen and understand the world in which we live for the sake of advancing God's Kingdom.  It is the calling of us in his plan of redemption.

While avoiding to live as the ways of the world, we are still called to live in it, and to also understand it.  Christians were set apart for stewardship.  Christians are not intended to be locked away and oppressed by fear.  We can easily forfeit our calling if we are living out of the world verses going into it. 

     Temptation is not sin unless it is entertained by our actions.  If we cannot watch television, listen to the radio or read a book without falling into sin, then we should not engage in these things.  If an evil thought enters our minds, and we have rejected that thought then no sin has been committed.  If we; however, take pleasure in preverse thoughts we have fallen into a sinful position.

     We must not allow sinful thoughts to build nests in the process of our thinking. 

 In my closing statement I would like to express that Jesus was tempted in every way imaginable, and yet he did not sin.  Christ promises that we will never be tempted beyond what we are able to bear, and he will not leave us without a way of escape.  In Ephesians 6 we are reminded of the warfare we will battle in the world.  Ephesians 6:13 instructs us to take the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

     We carry a sheild of faith so we are able to quench all the feiry darts of the wicked.  Our final aim is to carry the Sword of the Spirit in all our goings.  We are to go into the world wise as serpants and harmless as doves.  Understanding a fallen world helps us to understand our own purposes in life.  All things work together for good to all those that are called according to his purposes.