While life seems more dangerous today than ever before for our nation’s adolescents, all it takes is a look abroad to see how bad things can really be. We are fortunate to live in a developed country where equality is a goal and opportunity exists.
Even with all of these great things, many of our youth choose to pursue a life of addiction. Again while the situation seems dire here, take a look at this African province.
Children have been dragged into prostitution and drug abuse by being lured into the houses called lolly lounges because the glass pipe/popper bottle used to smoke substances like crystal meth and tik is shaped like a lollipop.
The houses are used as drug hubs by criminals and gangsters.
Different types of drugs including heroin and mandrax are smoked in these houses and young girls are taken in and put on to drugs only to be used to “trap” men to spend money on drugs through prostitution.
These lounges have been around for more than a decade and society is well-aware of their existence. So why do they not put a stop to it? Sometimes the addiction is so bad that when these kidnapped girls are found they do not want to leave!
Girls have been rescued from these lounges as young as 12.
Africa and the rest of us all need to figure out a way to stop drug use. Is there a way? The obvious answer is finding a way to keep teens from ever using drugs.