The Question Of Teenagers And Drugs Needs Our Undivided Attention

Drug use among teens has reached tragic levels. It Doesn’t matter how on top of it you are, your teenagers will definitely 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 was a complete failure. The fact is that teenagers perceive adults as old fuddy-duddies that have never seen the outside of a paper bag. Adults, try as they may, face an uphill battle in protecting their young ones from the ravaging effects of drugs.

The challenge is made more difficult 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 rational argument that differentiates between necessary prescriptions and illegal drugs. This isn’t easy. Some well known prescription medicines are being sold at school as a way to get high. Teens don’t realize that these medications are issued in duplicate or triplicate, as a way to control the use of certain narcotics. Without having experienced a legitimate need for these drugs themselves, they could well conclude that their parents are enjoying some buzz that they are somehow being denied.

One more problem with teaching children about the issue of teen drug abuse is that this society does not differentiate between drugs. Some medicinal drugs are needed, but when it comes to teens and drugs, we tell them that every drug is bad. This is patently false. Some teens require medications for actual problems. Not used as prescribed, that medicine can produce a high in a kid who doesn’t need it. Sometimes, that medication can have lethal consequences when taken as a ‘recreational’ drug.

Kids are not able to make those distinctions. For example, a person with unbearable pain because of arthritis or cancer, could be prescribed codeine or another opiate to help with the pain. Kids don’t comprehend that this patient doesn’t get high. That med only dulls the pain. However, in the world of teenagers and drugs, this potentially dangerous drug becomes an opportunity toenjoy a different reality. 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 category as heroin and mescaline. The minute that middle school kid tries marijuana, the child sees that even though it makes them feel good, they can hide this new habit from their parents and it doesn’t make them crazy. They come to the conclusion that the rest of the warnings about teens and drugs are lies. That’s why they step into the trap of the extremely dangerous drugs.

As a society, we need to teach our kids. Teach them the effects of drugs. Ice, crack, heroin and drugs like ‘ecstasy’ can devastate their lives or kill them. Tell the truth. We can defend our teens.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.