The Next Generation

When most people think of trends they think of fashion and pop culture, not hookahs and blood-sucking, but that’s exactly what a lot of teenagers and young adults are getting into today—at an alarming rate.

Troublesome trends have always existed; that’s nothing new. What are new are the trends themselves. Today’s teens and young adults are more likely than ever to become addicted to prescription medication. Many share ADHD medication at school as a way of preparing for difficult exams.

While this generation hasn’t taken up smoking as vigorously as its predecessors, today’s teens are using hookahs and chewing tobacco in the false belief that they are less harmful than cigarettes.

Today’s teens are also more likely to be tanorexic. This is a term referring to tanning bed addiction, which increases the risk of fatal melanoma by 75%.

Other bad habits include texting while driving, which has proven fatal in many instances, using electronic technology at night, which leads to fatigue during the day, and increased noise exposure from MP3 players, which can lead to early hearing loss.

There is even a disturbing vampire trend among teens that goes way beyond an obsession for young adult fiction and film. Biting and sucking blood has become glorified in the media, leading to a modern vampire movement. Teens bite and suck each other’s blood, risking bacterial infections and even HIV transmission.

If you suspect any of your friends has become involved in a dangerous behavior, confront them about it. Hold and intervention if necessary. It may take a lot of courage to stand up to your friends, but they’ll thank you for it in the end.