Drug abuse among teens has reached tragic levels. No matter how on top of it you are, your teenagers will definitely be introduced 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 teens perceive adults as old stupid people that don’t know anything. Parents, try as they may, face a bitter war in protecting their kids from the devastating 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 rational argument that distinguishes 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. Teens don’t realize that these prescriptions are issued in duplicate or triplicate, as a method to control the use of certain narcotics. Without having experienced a real need for such drugs themselves, they could well come to the conclusion that their parents are enjoying some high that they are somehow being forbidden.

One more problem with educating kids on the issue of teen drug use is that this society does not make any distinction between drugs. Some medicinal drugs have a place, but when it comes to our youth and drugs, we tell them that every drug is bad. This is a deception. Some children need prescription medication for a legitimate condition. Used improperly, that medication can produce a high in a kid who doesn’t need it. Sometimes, that drug can have disastrous consequences when taken as a ‘recreational’ drug.

Children are not capable of making those distinctions. For example, a person with extreme pain because of arthritis or cancer, could be prescribed codeine or another opiate to manage the pain. Kids don’t comprehend that this person doesn’t get high. That pain killer only eases the pain. However, in the world of teens and drugs, this potentially dangerous drug becomes an opportunity tocatch a buzz. They don’t realaize the difference.

One major lie that encourages teenage drug use is the fable of weed. This street drug is posited as the first step to drug addiction, thrown in the same category as lsd and ice. The same houy that high school child tries weed, the child 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 come to the conclusion that the rest of the warnings about teens and drugs are deceptions. That’s the reason why they fall into the jaws of the extremely dangerous drugs.

As a nation, we need to educate our children. Explain the effects of drugs. Mescaline, crack, heroin and drugs like ‘ecstasy’ can devastate their lives or kill them. Tell the truth. We can protect our kids.Addiction is a terrible problem in our society today but with the “proper” education we can teach our future generations the realities of addictions and drug abuse.