Hey there – in this series, I hope to explore the different substances teenagers are known to be using, and dive into the big question of why. The past 20 years have seen massive growth; with the boom of the tech industry, to the rise of social media. While these changes have definitely brought numerous benefits to people around the world, allowing us to connect in a way that we couldn’t before (namely stay in touch during a global pandemic this year) like anything, they also have their downsides. Social media has brought increased pressure on teens, to look and behave a certain way…and this stressor combined with the already existing social pressures of middle and high school have caused many teens to turn to substances for support and relief. With this series, my hope is to explore which substances have gained the most popularity among teens, what harmful side effects of using those substances are, and why teens turn to substances in the first place. As a teenager myself, I’m hoping that this series will help educate me on substances, so that I can gain a better understanding of why exactly they’re mentioned so much in everyday life. And as a reader, I hope that anyone who’s here will get to learn something they (maybe) didn’t know before! Happy reading!