Walking into the Milwaukie High School girls’ bathroom at 8:30 am you will find groups of girls hidden in the stalls, or openly using nicotine and marijuana.  The smoke densely fills the air.  These students can be found in the bathrooms during passing periods, bathroom breaks, and before and after school. Though most schools reinforce their rules and policies, teens tend to find ways to rebel.  But is the problem strictly attributable to students, or can Milwaukie do more to prevent drug and nicotine usage on school grounds?

     The fire alarm is triggered almost once a week at Milwaukie due to smoke hazards in the bathrooms. The alarm interrupts every class and brings the students outside in the cold for several minutes until the entire building is searched.  Milwaukie continues to reinforce the zero tolerance for smoking policy and yet this continues to happen.  “During the first two weeks of school, I believe we had at least two or three fire alarms set off because of smoking.  It literally happens so much and it’s so annoying. I think Milwaukie workers should do more about it,” says Nyah L, a sophomore at Milwaukie.  The students are fed up with the constant distraction.  Not only that but the fear of peer pressure when walking into the bathrooms is becoming more clear.  “I usually don’t like using the non-private restroom at Milwaukie because the public ones are always full of boys vaping and doing other stuff.  Even though I don’t do those things I don’t want to be around it, especially at school,” states TJ Tachie, a freshman at Milwaukie High School.  The problem is not just seen in girls’ bathrooms, but all around the school.  The more precautions and restrictions that Milwaukie provides the less normality of drug use on school campuses.

     Creating a healthier, more supportive environment at Milwaukie is a must.  Being able to connect with High Schoolers on not only an educational level but an emotional one as well can help influence students’ problem-solving skills.  Forming a stable collaborative space where students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts can support the mental health of High Schoolers and reduce anxiety and stress.  Milwaukie can create this stable environment by creating more online anonymous analyses of students’ mental health and what they need. Not only that, making addiction a more open conversation in not just health classes. Many teenagers turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms when going into adolescence, especially when they are unable to control their negative emotions.  “During 2020 I was in a depressive state, and that’s when I started smoking and using other substances like nicotine.  But when I started using that stuff my mental health got worse.” says a 16-year-old girl who would prefer to remain anonymous at Milwaukie.  Our students are being affected by the stress of school and other outside causes.  Milwaukie counselors and student boards can do more to support High Schoolers and prevent the use of drugs.

     Many students struggle with nicotine and marijuana addiction.  Due to this addiction, it is harder for students to control themselves during school hours. Milwaukie can be doing more to support our students in succeeding and overcoming these unhealthy coping mechanisms.