FALL PLAY
“A Christmas Carol” has a successful run.
OPINION, Page 2
THE 3 E’s
SPORTS CAPSULES
Seniors head into finals with graduation as the ultimate goal.
SPOTLIGHT Page 3
Check out how the winter sports started their seasons.
SPORTS, Page 8
THE PEPPER BOX RITENOUR HIGH SCHOOL
ISSUE 4, VOLUME 44
9100 ST. CHARLES ROCK ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63114
DECEMBER, 2017
Teen drug use declines, but factors still influence those at risk Drug and alcohol awareness classes and the recent deaths of celebrities lead to drug abuse decline in teens By LILA IRBY Pepperbox Staff Drug abuse is defined as a perpetual use of mind altering substances. Currently, the United States is subject to a steady incline in drug abuse. Paramount to this is the opioid epidemic that contributes to the increase. In October, St. Louis County was given one million dollars in grants in order to take action against it. Often, drug abuse results in addiction. In some cases, it can spiral into overdose, which, in consequence, may be fatal. According to a study in a CNN article, “This is America on Drugs,” nearly sixty-one percent of overdoses lead to death. American teens have been systemically warned of the negative impact drug usage can have on one’s life. In elementary school, D.A.R.E., a widely known acronym for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, teaches young students about the dangers of drug use, warding them from the pressures of peers. In middle school, the subject of drug abuse is delved into. Students are given classifications of drugs, as well as an elaborate list of symptoms, and the effect that stimulants and depressants can have on the brain from a cellular standpoint. Despite the increase in drug use in the US, drug abuse in teens has been at a decline over the past few years. Tested in every two years of high school students, the National Institute on Drug Abuse determined
that 9.8 percent of 10th graders exhibited usage of drugs, excluding the use of marijuana. The same study determined that 14.3 percent of 12th graders used such. Compared to numbers of previous years, the results have dwindled nearly 9 percent. The general consensus is that, while numbers rise for the majority of the US, teen drug use is at an all-time low. However, the remaining 9.8 and 14.3 percent of students are still at risk. The use of drugs in school can limit the academic drive of students by altering their attention span, mood, and focus, and therefore, their options after the graduation. Often, the abuse of drugs strains cognitive function, which can cause grades to plummet. Angela Lane, Forensics teacher at RHS, said that, often, drug use in students is caused by trauma, and may be used as a coping mechanism. “Some of the kids that you see that are just not saying anything could be using something that they did before school because they just don’t want anyone to know what’s happening at home,” Lane said. Lane also commented of the effect of drug usage in an educational setting. “[There is] a lack of focus when they’re doing their education. Some of them think they can handle it, and that makes them able to focus more, when actually they’re being a lot slower and not getting things done, and missing things,” Lane said. Some studies indicate that students may be learning
Created on Wordart.com such behaviors through the entertainment they consume. A study by PMC yielded results that suggest that listening to rap music was “significantly and positively associated with alcohol use, problematic alcohol use, [and] illicit drug use.” In August, a rap artist, Lil Peep, overdosed on the prescription anti-anxiety medication, Xanax. This is just one instance of overdose in the entertainment industry, where reports of drug abuse are a highly normalized occurrence. Counselor at Ritenour, and former educator with the NCADA (National Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse), Dina Durnin, commented on
Pipeline leak in South Dakota causes outrage By HANNAH CORNISH Pepperbox Staff The plight of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe sent the media into a frenzy, as Standing Rock and its supporters held continuous protests that lasted from April of 2016 to February of 2017 against an oil pipeline that would be built through their land. Despite all the fighting against it, the pipelines were still constructed. The Standing Rock nation’s worst fears were confirmed, when on November 16, the Keystone Pipeline leaked 210,000 gallons of oil into a field in South Dakota. Oil pipelines that traverse
through the Midwest have been a subject of controversy since their beginning stages. Most of the world might not have heard of the pipelines if there had not been so much protest against them. Pepper spray, bite dogs and rubber bullets were some of the methods used by authorities to “control” these protests. Ritenour Social Studies teacher, Catherine Lampshire spoke of her views on how the government handled the protests. “Violence begets violence. Those seeking change must not act with violence but must be willing to suffer it for their cause,” Lampshire said. Although the pipeline that caused so much controversy was compromised, the leak
did not make its way into any water system. However, that does not reduce its severity and potential to be harmful. The leak could very well cause groundwater contamination. TransCanada, a North American energy company responded to the leak the day of its occurrence. A company statement read “the safety of the public and environment are our top priorities and we will continue to provide updates as they become available.” Ritenour social studies teacher Alexander Terrance, a member of the Mohawk tribe, spoke of his views on the pipelines, its effects, and the business involved with it. SEE PIPELINE LEAK- 3
the impact of drug abuse in the entertainment industry, and how this issue affects students. “I think that entertainment, especially music, impacts the way teens view drug abuse. There are very few song lyrics today that do not have words that refer to substance use and abuse. Society accepts these lyrics by purchasing the songs and this leads to glamorizing substance use and abuse,” Durnin said. Durnin also spoke about the exemplification of drug abuse by celebrities. “Also, the reports of so and so celebrity just went to rehab or is returning from rehab also glamorizes substance use
and abuse because often times teens look to celebrities as idols and they strive to be like them. In reality, they don’t see the damage that it has done not only to them physically and mentally, but how it impacts the people around them,” Durnin said. The results of which, she believed were detrimental. “The other consequences that can occur are addiction, jail, broken relationships, job loss, and poverty. Each of those are complex and have various levels of consequences depending upon the drug of choice and the individual’s life choices,” Durnin said.
INDEX
NEWS..............Front Page OPINION................Page 2 NEWS.....................Page 3 SPOTLIGHT...........Page 4 SPOTLIGHT...........Page 5 SPOTLIGHT...........Page 6
Check out information from this issue, as well as additional content from the Pepper Box and KRHS on ritenourlive.org
SPORTS..................Page 7 SPORTS...................Page 8