Rui En: Hi, have you all heard about the news that two teenagers from

Massachusetts, United States have been arrested and charged with drug trafficking on the
21st February, 2017? This news has been spreading rapidly over the world.

Sammi: Yes, the pair was arrested on a Friday afternoon after Detective Gabriel
DAgostino allegedly observed a drug deal in the John Street neighbourhood.

Li Yan: According to the detective, he said he saw a man come out of an apartment,
walk up to the SUV driven by one of the teenagers and made a brief transaction with the
another, who was seated in the back. The vehicle was searched after being stopped by the
detective at North Main Street and the police seized a large and varied cache of suspected
narcotics.

Ming Xuan: Drug trafficking cases may be common all around the world; however, what
makes this case unusual is that the pair is both star students! They are so committed in their
studies and did very well in high schools; one of them has even been offered scholarships by
two colleges. During a bail hearing about two young students with no prior records facing
serious drug charges, Judge Edmund Mathers claimed that This is an unusual case.

Rui En: As a matter of fact, teenagers nowadays tend to become more reckless and
put in less effort in their future. A huge number of them are reluctant to get a job and their
typical daily routine consists of surfing the net for hours. This is not a very good
phenomenon.

Li Yan: Speaking of teenagers, there is an enormous raise in the numbers of teen

suicide each year. These undesirable yet unpredictable social conditions about youths are
becoming the core problem that our country is facing now.

Ming Xuan: That is also the reason as to why everybody is scowling due to the worsening
of these social situations. It is hard to picture the consequences if this killer of youth is left
unaddressed. The worst case scenario will be the destruction of our country.

Sammi: With multiple cases such as drinking alcohols, violence, lurking around, or
better known as truancy, vandalism, and many more resurfacing, this is like a deep hole that
will never end until every living teenager is swallowed by it. If these conditions do not come
to an end, there will be no future for us to look forward to.

Rui En: Every issue has its reasons. I guess the main reason why all these social
problems are happening is because of three primary sources which are no stranger to
anyone. Peer pressure, lacking of parents love and lastly, the impact of technology or social
media. These are the three factors that lead to the downfall of teenagers which was once
the hope of our future.

Li Yan: Friends play an essential role in our life. No man is an island. We need
friends to help and guide us through the never-ending road of acquiring knowledge. As an
example, without friends, there is no way we can have a happy school life.
Ming Xuan: However, not all of our friends can bring out the best in us. Some of them
might even have influenced us in the wrong way. The real reason why teens are taking drugs
and committing illegal acts, for instance, is because of the people they called friends.
According to the lecturer from Faculty of Leadership and Management (FKP), Islamic Science
University of Malaysia (USIM), Madam Marina Muneera Abdul Muttalib said that, in todays
schools drugs are very common, peer pressure usually is the reason for their usage. Some
may ask, Why cant they just reject them instead of doing what they know they shouldnt
have done? Well, this is because they dont want to feel left out of their social circle by
saying No. They are afraid of getting rejected by their peers, lose friendships which would
eventually cause them to become depressed.

Sammi: Furthermore, career obsessed parents and increasing divorce rate are
another major factor why all these unfortunate social problems among teenagers are
happening. Parents these days tend to be blinded by their own materialistic pursuits which
in turn caused them to be more focused on their work. As a result, lesser time is spent with
their children. Without a loving family, the emotional condition of teenagers can be affected
badly. If this condition persists, they will get themselves involved in social issues to release
their unhappiness, stress, or anger.

Rui En: That is an obvious truth. If the child is not getting enough attention and love
from his parents, he will start to inhabit negative thoughts and lack rational thinking to
distinguish between the good and the bad. Slowly, they will find themselves as a part of the
underworld. Moreover, teenagers nowadays are so hypocritical that they have such good
behaviour in front of their parents but behind their back, they turn into a beast that destroys
our nation.

Sammi: Not only those, teens do not think twice before they act. They think it is cool
to drink and drive. According to their mind-set, this is the right and only way to be a part of
the society. Sometimes, they will also drink alcohol or smoke to release the stress
accumulated in school. Some will even be mocked or laughed at if they resist following the
trend.

Li Yan: While on the subject, alcohol is known as one of the silent killers.
Consuming alcohol will not only turn someone into an alcoholic but will also cause serious
brain damage due to long term overdosing. Based on multiple researches, there were 270
alcohol related deaths in the year 2015 and this topic has made it to the headlines of several
newspapers. In addition, underage drinking is also a form of violation of rules which can
bring someone behind bars. It is an imperative that parents, schools, media, and so on,
educate the teens about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and how drugs affect their bodies.
If they are taught properly, then they will be able to make an educated choice.

Ming Xuan: True. With the number of social cases rising, it is obvious that social media
has also played a part in the moral degradation among teenagers. These social networking
sites can affect the kids in a great scale if they are allowed to use them. The reason is that
sometimes, people share photos on social media that contains violence and sex, which can
damage the behavior of both kids and teenagers. Moreover, it has also brought negative
impacts on our overall society as these kids and teenagers involve themselves in crime
related activities under the influence of social media.
Sammi: The downside of social media doesnt only end here. Over the century, it has
also brought light to cases such as cyber bully. The term cyber bullying is defined as
deliberate use of digital media to spread false, embarrassing, or hostile information about
another person.

Rui En: On top of that, online harassment is also one of the prime causes of
profound psychosocial outcomes including depression, anxiety, severe isolation, and,
tragically, suicide. A number of studies have proven that one out of ten students is currently
facing the above mentioned mental illness.

Li Yan: Do you all see that, surprisingly, all of these problems are connected to one
another, like a chain reaction? The teens start feeling stress when they are exposed to peer-
pressure and competition at school. Many teens take to drinking and smoking in order to
relieve the stress. Many teens feel further stress when they get bullied online. Others may
become easy targets of online predators and once treated badly, they turn to more harmful
practices.

Ming Xuan: True. Those who cannot find love at home or support at schools start to
build relationships with friends in school or local areas, resulting in unsafe or underage sex,
and possible teen pregnancy. Many become addicted to drugs and harm themselves when
they cannot get results. Many teens resort to crimes once they feel they cannot get any help
or support. So, here comes the question, what are the ways can we overcome these social
ills which are getting out of hand?

Rui En: First of all, parents play a crucial role in shaping their childrens behavior.
Therefore, they should always be willing to sacrifice their time to solve the problems faced
by their children. Not only that, parents should also pay close attention to the people their
children are friends with and consistently make sure that they socialize with those who have
good moral character. Proper parenting is vital, especially in the very formative years of the
children, so that they can grow up with the manners and teachings taught by their parents.

Sammi: Besides parents, the authorities also portray a vital role in resolving social
problems. For example, television programmes which show violence, sex and glorify other
negative aspects should be restricted. Furthermore, there should also be stricter
enforcement of the ban on pornographic material.

Ming Xuan: Last but not least, everyone, including religions, educational and social
institutions as well as individuals and the media must work hand in hand with the authorities
to combat these social issues afflicting our teenagers. Additionally, it is important that
people, especially youths, do not get into the rut of moral decay. Patrick F. Fagan, who is
Senior Fellow and Director of the Centre for Research on Marriage and Religion at the Family
Research Council, says that religious practice promotes the well-being of individuals, families,
and the community.

Li Yan: In a nutshell, we should all take part in the mapping of a strategy that can
channel our youths toward healthier lifestyles. Bear in mind that, Every cloud has a silver
lining. Therefore, lets pull our weight together, we can all put this tragedy to an end and
create a carefree society!