commonly believed, homicides," Chris Mooney, a writer for American Prospect, advises the creation of legislation to prevent childhood access to firearms as well as to encourage increased vigilance by gun owners when teens are present in the home. Among the technologies advocated by Mooney are child trigger locks and smart gun technology that prevents anyone but the gun's owner from firing the weapon. Mooney suggests that such initiatives may help prevent impulsive suicide attempts, the result of which "means access to a gun can easily turn a passing bout of depression into a tragedy."

Suzanne Vogel-Scibilia, a psychiatrist and a member of the board of directors of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, maintains that one means of reducing teen suicides may be found in early treatment of mental disorders, as well as in the increased use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to reduce anxiety and depression. Vogel-Scibilia, who has bipolar disorder herself, notes the roles undiagnosed psychological disorders play in destructive teen behaviors: "Youth with untreated mental illnesses also tragically end up in jails and prisons---research shows that 65 percent of boys and 75 percent of girls in juvenile detention have at least one psychiatric diagnosis. They fail or drop out of school---leading to a greatly diminished future as citizens and productive workers." With increased access to quality treatment of these disorders, teen crime and suicides may be reduced.

Peer pressure constitutes another major influence in adolescent behavior; whether it manifests itself as a body image disorder or the pressure to engage in negative behaviors like smoking, the results are often negative. Pediatrician Bruce Epstein highlights the risk of smoking to teens, noting, "Many teenagers begin smoking because they underestimate the likelihood that they will become addicted to cigarettes. In the United States, however, 6 million teens continue to smoke, despite their knowledge of potential health hazards, and studies show that 75 percent of teens who begin smoking in high school are still smoking five years later." The push to smoke is a typical hurdle facing teens; the average smoker begins in adolescence, creating a habit that often extends throughout his or her life. The daily stress to conform acts as a heavy weight, and activists advise that adults must encourage practices and legislation that help teens navigate past the potential deadly pressures of adolescence.

Resources
Epstein, Bruce. "Teen Smoking Is a Serious Problem." Teen Smoking. Ed. Hayley Mitchell Haugen. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004.
Mooney, Chris. "Stricter Gun Control Would Reduce Teen Suicide." Teen Suicide. Ed. John Woodward. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005.
Vogel-Scibilia, Suzanne. "Antidepressants Can Prevent Teen Suicide." Teen Suicide. Ed. John Woodward. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005.

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