Drugs

“I was curious about what the drugs were like. I kind of wanted to fit in. Some people were taking prescription painkillers, and I wanted to see why.”


Joel
Words Can Work®: When Talking About Drugs

Half of all students today will try an illicit drug by the time they finish high school.1 Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug among youth, and it is more potent than ever.2 The use of prescription drugs has tripled among 12- to 17-year-olds in the past 14 years.3

Joel started drinking and using marijuana in seventh grade. By tenth grade he was addicted to the prescription painkiller OxyContin®. “My parents raised me with very good morals and values,” he says. “But all that went out the window when I started using drugs.”

Parents often ignore signs of their kids’ drug use. The reason is a combination of wanting to believe a child, despite his or her lies, and pure denial. “Denial is wishing it away,” says Joel’s father, Herb, a school superintendent. “We made every mistake in the book.”

No parent thinks their child will abuse drugs. Herb urges parents to be watchful. “If you suspect your kid is doing drugs,” he says, “trust your instincts.”

Help your child avoid drugs. Talk early and often about the dangers of drug abuse. Be involved in their lives. Help build their self-esteem. Know their friends and their friends’ parents. If you are suspicious, take immediate action. Get professional help.

Remember: Kids who learn about the risks of drug use from their parents are only half as likely to start using.4

Read Issues and Answers at wordscanwork.com for more about this topic.

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
2. NIDA
3. Dr. Howard Markel, University of Michigan
4. Partnership for a Drug-Free America

© 2006 Blake Works, Inc.

< Back