I think it is unrealistic to think that teenagers should never try drugs, in a way alcohol is as bad. All you can do as a parent is to warn them to try a smaller dose than offered and don't get hooked on them. All the educational stories help, but what counts is your kid's personality, if it is self-destructive will use anything available. If you see your child is happy, does well at school, has friends and seems responsible, you need to overcome the parent's instinct and give them that freedom to experiment. I found some parents that did plenty of hard partying in their youth become moralizing and hypocrits with their children. I was happy when the day my daughter tried lsd she came home to tell me. Also on the point of trust I don't think it is bad to go through your kid's drawers if you suspect something, it is part of the duty to be a parent and you should make it clear to your teenage kid that that's the way it is, trust must be earned. Good luck.
Some of the people here who did some recreational drug use and are now functional members of society - well yippy fkn hoo, look at you.
Just because you did does not mean it is good for all. You all need to spend some time in a psych ward or hospital E.D on a weekend night.
I'm sure there is somebody in the world who drank drain cleaner and lived, does that mean you'd encourage your kids to - just a little bit, or 'reputable dealer' or in a 'safe' environment?
Some of the implied consent to your kids trying this, like telling them to try a smaller dose, is just madness.
I saw a 14 y/o try a hallucinogen once and throw himself at buses and cars in a 80 zone cos he thought they were giant pink bubbles. Serious.
I can't believe he lived - luckiest little bvgger in the world I swear.
I'd rather my kids got a bit pissed or tried ciggies, then had a bit of a lecture, than tried a harder drug and I will certainly never tell them it is OK if they just have a bit and don't get hooked. Yeah right, junkies got hooked because they wanted to.
I'm not as nieve to think that legalise drugs and all the social ills are cured in one fell swoop.
However i don't think there would be an increase in such instances.
i do believe that there would be better quality gear around, the criminal elemennt removed plus if its taxed properly then the money raised - suggestions of $78 billion in the US alone - would go a long way to creating better health services, better research etc into helping those who's use is problematic.
There was a report released in 2009 i think by some big players - president of columbia, mexico and brazil kofi annan and a number of others outlining how badly 'the war on drugs' has failed and how legislation needs to change.
worth a read if you're interested
www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/wp-content/themes/gcdp_v1/pdf/Global_Commission_Report_English.pdf
Drugs and drug use shouls be squarely a health problem dealt with and treated by health professionals.
The only way this can happen if drugs are legalised.
e0422713...you are at a very important time in parenthood and need to sit back and really think this thing out...because how you deal with it could turn your daughter against you and then your history...I have gone through it once (got two boys so it may be a little different)...and I'm now doing it again....my first boy is now over 30 and my second just turned 15 so I have had plenty of time to get ready
...but lessons learned from the first, have so far been really useful....you have to let them know that peer group pressure can be a relly stupid thing and that they will come across it all the time....there will always be the buddy who says come on dont be a whimp pop one of these...or whats wrong with you?... cant you pull a bong...and so on...I used to say to my boy ...stay straight and watch what a mess that buddy is at the end of the party....and you know...nobody tells you how good you feel when you take drugs...you got to tell your kids that you will feel f38cking great when you take drugs...on top of the world and bullet proof....then you have to tell them how you are going to feel when it wears off...stay as close to your kids as you can...be as good a friend as you can...tell em if you cant be good be carefull....if it aint organic there is reason for panic.....and above all else drum it into them that the best high they will ever find is...BEING HEALTHY.....my eldest came to me not long ago and said thanks Dad that was the best advice I have ever had....he still dabbled and had to feel the lows but he said it stuck in his head and he now knows the best high he can get....good luck.
Its inevitable that all kids will cross paths with drugs and alcohol. And a difficult subject to address with young adults. Im not a father but have been in a relationship with someone who's daughter took to alcohol like a fish to water. Smoking weed came next, as it was of course part of the menu for those she socialised with. I do believe that the glamourising of drug in movies and music dosent help. If a kid is led to believe its cool, then temptation will sit on their shoulder. I think if the victims of drug use got more widespread exposure instead of hidden away then maybe kids might think again if they think they will end up in a psych ward/ pimping themselves or their future partner for $$'s. Nobody see's the darker side of drug use, only the fun party element. Having been there with amphetamines and E's years ago i know it isnt all joy and happiness. The trouble with drugs is that the consequences dont become reality till later...long term. Kids who drink a bottle of vodka, yes get blown away but are feeling better again the next day. The same for a joint, yes it might send you green for a few hours but again in a few hours your feeling ok again. If the short term effects were more intense and offputting then maybe people might not pop another pill. But because they recover quickly with little or no apparent effects it is so easy to do it again. Talking to kids can be difficult i guess because they know better, and know someone who knows better still. If you take the candy from the top drawer then they will only go back to the sweet shop and buy more. You can only try to educate them, show them the reality if you can persuade them to just listen to you for half an hour. Then they know what is, and make the decision themselves. You cant force somebody not to do something, they have to decide themselves.
Myself i would take the drugs from the top drawer, drugs are drugs.
Its a difficult call, good luck m8.
I went through the same things with my parents. They were really open to me and in return I ended up being really open with them.
It didn't stop me experimenting, but once that communication line is opened up I think it definitely helped our relationship.
And hey I turned out alright!
Relli are you truly saying that we should legalise drugs and spend more money on health care / education?
But also stop telling people drugs are bad at the same time?
Did you even read SN's post about what he saw at the hotel? Or mine about the young fella trying to bounce off buses? Those problems will not go away if the Govt is selling the stuff! It will still have the same affect on users.
A couple of nutters shot people so we took lawfully owned firearms off sane people.
At the same time, people advocate legalising something that does no good at all, and at worse maims or kills.
Stop the world, I wanna get off. This is insanity.
In amsterdam under their liberal policies drug use actually reduced.
In the Netherlands 9.5% of young adults (aged 15–34) consume soft drugs once a month, comparable to the level of Finland (8%), Latvia (9,7%) and Norway (9.6%) and less than in the UK (13.8%), Germany (11,9%), Czech Republic (19,3%), Denmark (13,3%), Spain (18.8%), France (16,7%), Slovakia (14,7%) and Italy (20,9%) but higher than in Bulgaria (4,4%), Sweden (4,8%), Poland (5,3%) or Greece (3,2%).[25][26] The monthly prevalence of drugs other than cannabis among young people (15-24) was 4% in 2004, that was above the average (3%) of 15 compared countries in EU. However, seemingly few transcend to becoming problem drug users (0.30%), well below the average (0.52%) of the same compared countries.[26]
The reported number of deaths linked to the use of drugs in the Netherlands, as a proportion of the entire population, is together with Poland, France, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic the lowest of the EU.[27] The Dutch government is able to support approximately 90% of help-seeking addicts with detoxification programs. Treatment demand is rising.[28]
