Illegal Drugs And Our Children
With all the hype about the war on drugs and the marketing slogan of "just say no" our children are still susceptible to illegal drugs. Illegal drugs and our children is unfortunately a reality that will never escape us. So let us look at how best to minimize our children’s exposure to substances that invade and disrupted their everyday lives. Let us look at what the experts say about how best to deflate our children’s desire to consume illegal substances.
The Report
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) declares that our children are the foremost users of illegal drugs. Their drug of preference, reports the ONDCP, is heroin -cocaine is the second runner up. The young person’s preference for heroin is directly related to its cost. It is cheaper "to do" heroin than cocaine. Cocaine, crack or powder, has its strong hold on middle class young people and continues its reign among this group. Marijuana, legal in some states, also inexpensive coupled with alcohol and other drugs ranks third in use. The ONDCP’s report introduced the alarming presence of an up and coming drug, Methamphetamine. This drug is prevalent among West and Southwest males. Hallucinogens and "inhalant abuse" are substituted regularly by our children for heroin and cocaine.
A report by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) alerts states and the federal government about the prevailing presence of drugs in public and private schools. A high percentage of high school along with middle and elementary school students should expect to be offered and or use illegal drugs. This all translates into the interruption of a good education due to disruptive student behavior, tardiness, truancy and injuries. The fiscal cost of these interruptions along with covering the cost of special education and extensive care is $41 billion; this is as per the CASA.
What Parents Should Do
CASA heartily calls parents to be more involve in the eradication of drugs in school. The report believes when parents rally against the presents of drugs in schools the success rate of removal is infinitely more successful than any other group fighting the war on drugs. CASA projects drugs are present in schools due to the complacency of teachers, principals, administrator and the community. As long as these groups continue to be passive about the reality of drugs, CASA declares that every one of our children will be introduced to illegal drugs and alcohol. Whether or not they "use" depends on their support system at home, in the church, and the community. The gloom and doom report states that even with the great support system, our children are more than likely to use because of the high visibility of drugs. Repeated exposure to illegal substance our children will begin to think it is socially acceptable to part take in all activities of drugs, which can extend to selling as well as using.
Do you know if illegal drugs are present in your child school?
What Schools Are Doing
As a parent if you ever read a school's conduct policies, you are guaranteed to read a chapter or two on the illegal use of drugs on school property. Your child will be expelled from school and persecuted by the courts. CASA says that this "zero-tolerance" policy is counterproductive. The report states specialty classes on the negative consequences of the use of illegal drugs is not a permanent deterrent. The organization believes the only way to prevent drug use among our children is the village - parent, teacher, students, principals and community.
The Redirect Method
When the village works together to rise a drug free child, CASA says attention must be place on peer pressure and free time. What our children do or do not do with their free time is directly connected with their drug use. So children with friends that "use" and have too much free time is more likely to try drugs. Consequently, peer leisure time is the main culprit in illegal use of drugs. Experts assert when peer leisure time consist of anti-cultural behavior it becomes easier for adolescence in these groups to try drugs and alcohol. They recommend leisure time be converted to "extracurricular activities" which helps young people become more goal oriented and less incline to participate in deviant behavior.
Specific Activities
Experts expound on the importance of cultivating children’s leisure time and the types of event that define positive leisure time. They explained since children look to have fun, look for excitement and adventure it is not a good idea to ignore these traits. They recommend placing children in martial arts, sports, clubs, art classes and music programs. Single parents who are concern about cost look to your community center and or church, they offer some of these activities at zero to little cost. Regular participant in these events, experts detailed, channels adolescence's energy and hence prevent temptations to engage in illegal deeds. These leisure time activities experts assert, will save our children from the woos of deviant behavior, drug and alcohol use.
For parents with children already using, the battle against substance abuse is more difficult than any average struggle. There are many options available, go to your state’s website under Child Protective Services for what is available in your state. These options will not come easy or cheap and at the end of the day as you rest your sleepless head on your pillow think about applying “tough love” because it is your only defense. You can place your child in as many programs as available but if you do not stand firm against illegal use and activities, if you continue to make excuses for your child’s behavior, if you ignore the signs then all is lost and your child can never become a productive social being.
