When Saying “No” Feels Strange

He did not plan to smoke that day.

He was standing outside his school gate, bag on his back, waiting for the van. A boy from his class took out a vape. Another smiled and asked him to try. He refused at first. Everyone laughed, not loudly, not cruelly just enough to make him feel small.

Someone said, “You still don’t do this? Everyone does.”

That was it.

No fight. No pressure. No force.

Just one simple feeling: being different felt uncomfortable.

This is how drugs are entering the lives of children and teenagers today. Not through crime. Not through darkness. But through normal life. Through schools, friends, phones, and social media. What should shock us is not only that young people are using drugs. What should shock us is that they no longer see a reason not to.

Drugs Are No Longer Hidden They Are Part of Daily Life

In the past, drug use was secret. Today, it is open. Children talk about vapes the way older generations talked about chocolates or soft drinks. Cigarettes are no longer seen as dangerous; they are seen as common. Pods and nicotine devices are discussed like gadgets.

Many young people say the same thing: “Everyone is doing it.”

When something becomes common, it stops feeling dangerous. When it stops feeling dangerous, it stops being questioned. This is exactly what has happened with drugs in Gen Z.

The problem is not that one child tries something. The real problem is that refusing now feels strange, while using feels normal.

The Role of Social Media in Making Drugs Look Safe

Social media has changed how young minds learn. Children today do not only learn from parents and teachers. They learn from screens.

They see influencers smoking without consequences. They see reels where vaping looks cool, calm, and stylish. They hear songs where drugs are linked with confidence, freedom, and success. Over time, these images send one strong message: this is harmless.

What they do not see are the real results. They do not see addiction. They do not see panic attacks. They do not see damaged lungs, weak focus, or long nights of regret. Social media shows the action, not the result.

A child cannot understand danger if danger is never shown.

Why Children and Teenagers Are Most at Risk

The most dangerous part of this crisis is age. Drug use is starting earlier than ever before.

Children between the ages of nine and twelve are already aware of vapes and cigarettes. Teenagers between thirteen and seventeen are trying them. By the time they reach college, many are already addicted.

The human brain does not fully develop until around the age of twenty-five. This means young people do not feel long-term danger the way adults do. Their brains are still learning control, patience, and judgment. Drugs disturb this process.

When addiction begins early, it does not just affect health. It affects thinking, emotions, and behavior for years to come.

Why Gen Z Is Turning to Drugs

One major reason is social pressure. Today’s peer pressure is quiet. No one forces anyone. Instead, refusal brings jokes, distance, and feeling left out. Young people want to belong. They want to fit in. When everyone around them is doing something, saying no feels risky.

Another reason is emotional stress. This generation is under pressure from all sides. There is academic stress, family pressure, money worries, and constant comparison on social media. Many young people feel tired, confused, and lost. Drugs do not solve these problems, but they make people forget them for a short time.

There is also a lack of honest education. Many parents believe their children are too young to talk about drugs. Many schools avoid deep discussion. This silence creates curiosity. Curiosity without guidance leads to mistakes.

What Drugs Actually Do to the Body and Mind

Drugs do not only harm lungs. They change the brain.

Nicotine and other substances create fake happiness by forcing the brain to release pleasure chemicals. Over time, the brain forgets how to feel good naturally. This leads to dependence. A person does not use drugs to feel good anymore. They use them to feel normal.

Young users often face anxiety, weak memory, low focus, anger issues, and sleep problems. Over time, risks increase. Heart disease, lung damage, depression, and other serious illnesses become more likely.

Many deaths linked to drugs do not happen suddenly. They happen slowly, through disease, accidents, and mental health collapse.

Why Young People Die Because of Drugs

Young users often believe they are in control. They believe they can stop anytime. They believe nothing will happen to them. This false confidence is dangerous.

Deaths happen because of overdose, mixing substances, weak bodies, and mental health breakdowns. Sometimes it is not even the drug alone. It is the stress, the silence, and the lack of support that push a person too far.

Most of these deaths started with “just trying once.”

The Responsibility of Schools

Schools cannot ignore this problem anymore. Teaching only books is not enough. Schools shape behavior.

When schools avoid talking about drugs, students learn from the wrong places. Schools must educate students honestly, in simple language. They must create safe spaces where students can talk without fear. Teachers must be trained to notice early signs of addiction.

Punishment alone does not fix addiction. Understanding does.

The Role of Parents: Talk Before It Is Too Late

Parents often believe that strict rules will protect children. In reality, connection protects children.

Children who feel heard are less likely to hide. Parents must talk openly, without shouting or fear. They must explain reality, not just give warnings. They must listen more than they speak.

A child who feels safe at home is less likely to seek escape outside.

What Governments and Society Must Do

This is not only a family issue. It is a social issue.

Governments must control the sale and marketing of vapes and nicotine products. Online content that targets young users must be regulated. Schools must be supported with proper programs. Mental health support for youth must be taken seriously.

Ignoring this problem today will create a broken generation tomorrow.

A Message to Young Readers

You are not strange if you say no. You are not weak. You are not missing out.

Trends change quickly. Damage stays for life.

Real strength is not doing what everyone does. Real strength is protecting yourself when others don’t.

Conclusion: Normal Is Not Always Right

The biggest danger today is not drugs themselves. It is how normal they have become.

When society stops questioning, children suffer. When silence becomes common, damage grows quietly.

If we want a better future, we must speak now. At home. In schools. Online. Everywhere.

Because once addiction feels normal, saving lives becomes much harder.