The Question Of Teenagers And Drugs Needs Our Adamant Attention

Drug abuse among teens has reached tragic levels. It Doesn't matter how vigilant you are, your teens are going to be exposed to drugs at school, the very place you think should be a safe environment. Mrs. Reagan's 'Just say no to drugs' campaign fell flat on its face. The fact is that teenagers perceive adults as old stupid people that have never seen the outside of a paper bag. Adults, try as they may, face a bitter war in protecting their children from the ravaging effects of drugs.

The battle is made tougher by the fact that most of us have prescription drugs in our bedroom drawers. When confronting the issue of teens and drugs, you have to present a sound argument that differentiates between necessary prescriptions and street drugs. This isn't easy. Some well known prescription medicines are being sold at school as a way to catch a buzz. Kids don't know that these medications are issued in duplicate or triplicate, as a way to control the use of specific narcotics. Not having experienced a legitimate need for such drugs themselves, they could well conclude that their parents are experiencing and liking some high that they are somehow being denied.

One more problem with educating kids on the issue of teen drug use is that our society does not show any differences between drugs. Some pharmaceutical drugs have a place, but when it comes to our youth and drugs, we say that every drug is bad. This is patently false. Some kids require prescription medication for actual problems. Used improperly, that medication can produce a high in a kid who doesn't need it. Sometimes, that drug can have fatal consequences when taken as a 'recreational' drug.

Children are not able to make those distinctions. For example, a person with extreme pain due to arthritis or cancer, may be prescribed codeine or another opiate to ease the pain. Kids don't understand that this person doesn't get high. That pain killer only dulls the pain. However, in the world of kids and drugs, this potentially dangerous drug becomes an opportunity tocatch a buzz. They don't know the difference.

One major lie that encourages teenage drug abuse is the fable of weed. This street drug is posited as the first step to drug addiction, thrown in the same bag as pcp and crack cocaine. The same houy that grade school kid tries pot, the kid sees that although it gets them high and they like it, they can hide this new habit from their parents and it doesn't make them crazy. They make the conclusion that the rest of the warnings about teenagers and drugs are lies. That's why they step into the grip of the insidiosly dangerous drugs.

As a world village, we need to educate our teens. Explain the effects of drugs. Cocaine, crack, heroin and drugs like 'ecstasy' can ruin their lives or kill them. Be honest. We can help our kids.Addiction is a serious problem in our society today but with the "proper" education we can teach our future generations the realities of addictions and drug abuse.