"Dream like you'll live forever, live like you'll die tomorrow."

-James Dean

Teens are stereotyped. Everybody has some sort of conception, or depending on who you talk to, misconception about teens. Don't tell me you've never heard an adult sigh, and say "Oh, teenagers."

We're known for our parties, sex, and contraband. I don't know anybody my age who's never lied to their parents about one thing or another. It's inevitable, really.

But, really, I think teens really do deserve all the flack that's thrown at us. Ask yourself this, do you have enough fingers and toes to count all the people you know, under the age of 18, who've either drank or done drugs?

Personally, I can't.

It's pretty crazy, really. We can't accept good clean fun. We've gotta dirty it up.

But is that little bit of thrilling fun really worth the unavoidable consequences?

Many times in our life have we been constantly reminded of what will happen to our lungs, our brain, our appearances if we flood our system with these gross chemicals.

Athletes can't, or rather shouldn't, do it because they've got their lungs and breathing to think about. Singers can't afford to dry out their vocal chords. Brainy kids need to keep up their thinking abilities, which diminish from use of narcotics.

Schools bring in doctors and scientists to tell us all about these dangers. Counselors who've worked with screwed up kids will come in and share their stories. Sometimes, those kids themselves will be convinced to talk to us and try to sway us from following in their own tragically mislead footsteps.

Only, maybe not in so many words.

Really. After all they show us, I sit in my seat and think, how can some people be so stupid as to ignore all this evidence and go on with their recklessness? Why when you know you could damning yourself to emotional, physical, and mental problems would you go ahead with this?

When you smoke marijuana you're inhaling over 400 chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic, which means cancer causing. It's also found that pot smokers are more likely to become suicidal and have anxiety issues than people who don't use the drug. Schizophrenics should be especially careful, as the drug can increase psychotic symptoms.

Weed can also cause increased heart rate and paranoia among its users.

We've all seen pictures of blackened, burned-looking lungs. We've been shown pictures of livers that have been mutilated by over consumption of alcohol. We know that all this may very well be the consequences of a reckless lifestyle, and yet, we ignore these specialists, statistics, and testimonials and we dive right into it all.

We should do what they tell us, guys. We should follow the rules and guidelines they've set down for us. Is that little bit of fun worth cancer and all that other gross stuff? Hm?

The answer is no. We've gotta be smart kids and we've gotta be good kids. Let's join together and make this goal a reality!

This lady through her extensive abuse of cocaine, fucked herself up.