June 2009 Newsletter
June 1, 2009
At Risk
by Cheryle Jones Andrews
Children are exposed to drugs every day. They see adults taking medicine for headaches , classmates using inhalers for asthma , commercials for medications on TV and in magazines, and even people on the news being arrested for drug use. The subject of drugs can be very confusing – and dangerous – for kids. The younger a child is when he begins to use drugs, the more likely he is to develop problems associated with drug use, such as acts of violence, unplanned or unprotected sex, school failure, or driving accidents. The average age that a child first experiments with marijuana is 14. And many kids become curious about drugs even sooner. Even children as young as 5 can become involved with drugs. Inhalants, in particular, are abused more often by younger children than older ones. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 6% of U.S. children have tried inhalants by the time they reach the fourth grade.
What Is This?
Do you know the difference between normal childhood behavior and behavior caused by drug or alcohol use? Changes in hairstyle or dress may alarm parents but may be normal behaviors. On the other hand, changes that are extreme or sudden may signal drug use. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does my child seem withdrawn, depressed, or tired?
- Has my child become hostile or uncooperative?
- Have my child’s relationships with other family members changed?
- Has my child dropped his old friends?
- Has my child lost interest in or drastically changed his appearance?
- Has my child lost interest in hobbies, sports, or other favorite activities?
- Have my child’s eating or sleeping patterns changed?
- Does my child suffer from headaches, nosebleeds , or other physical problems for no apparent reason?
- Have I noticed the odor of chemicals or drugs around my child? Do aerosol products at home seem to be used much too quickly?
Positive answers to such questions may indicate drug use. However, these signs may also apply to a child who is not using drugs but who may have other problems, such as depression or an eating disorder. Why do teens use illegal drugs? For some of the same reasons they abuse other drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco:
- To relax
- To feel better
- To get out of a depression (doesn’t work!)
- To escape problems
- To gain peer acceptance
- To fit in with a group
- They lack confidence
- They are insecure
- They try drugs “just once” and get hooked.
Data indicates that teens are a generation at risk. They feel pressure from others to do drugs . Once they try, they get hooked and loose the power to choose.