Parents In Denial?

Drug Use Is Serious! Drug and Alcohol Abuse Leads To Serious Problems.

Most adults acknowledge that drug experimentation by teens is risky and can lead to serious trouble. But some say “it’s only marijuana,” or “it’s only alcohol,” or “it’s a rite of passage.” Not any more. The world has changed, and so have the drugs. In fact, the marijuana of today is stronger than ever before. And kids are using drugs and alcohol at a much younger age, when their bodies and brains are still developing and more vulnerable to their effects. Drug and alcohol use can lead to many negative consequences, including bad grades, broken friendships, family problems, physical injuries and trouble with the law.

Substance use (including alcohol, which is illegal in all 50 states for people under the age of 21) can change the direction of a young person’s life — physically, emotionally and behaviorally. It can weaken the ability to concentrate and retain information during a teen’s peak learning years, and it can impair judgment, leading to risky decision-making that could involve sex or riding in a car with someone under the influence of drugs.

“Experimentation,” even with marijuana, can also lead to addiction. Not everyone progresses from use to abuse to addiction, but it is a dangerous road, and there is no way to know who will develop a problem and who won’t. Research shows that kids start using drugs and alcohol because they feel the need to take risks or they believe it will help them fit in or feel better. Sometimes they use drugs because they are seeking relief from stress or feelings of depression. And it’s important to remember that there is, sometimes, a genetic risk for addiction — just like heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other diseases.

Drug and alcohol use by teens is not something to be taken lightly. More teens are in treatment for marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined. A 1998 study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that if a teen starts to drink at 15, he or she has a 40 percent chance of alcoholism or alcohol dependence as an adult.

Marijuana affects alertness, concentration, perception, coordination and reaction time, many of the skills required for safe driving and other tasks. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana. Marijuana use can also make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the road. Regular use of marijuana leads to some changes in the brain that are similar to those caused by cocaine, heroin or alcohol.

How can you tell if your child is using drugs?
It is difficult because changes in mood or attitudes, unusual temper outbursts, changes in sleeping habits, changes in hobbies or other interests are common in teens.

Signs and Symptoms - What Should You Look For?

• Negative changes in schoolwork; missing school or declining grades
• Increased secrecy about possessions or activities
• Use of incense, room deodorant or perfume to hide smoke or chemical odors
• Subtle changes in conversations with friends, e.g., more secretive, using “coded” language
• New friends
• Change in clothing choices — new fascination with clothes that highlight drug use
• Increase in borrowing money
• Evidence of drug paraphernalia, such as pipes, rolling papers
• Evidence of inhaling products and accessories, such as hairspray, nail polish, correction fluid, paper bags and rags, common household products
• Bottles of eye drops, which may be used to mask bloodshot eyes or dilated pupils
• New use of mouthwash or breath mints to cover up the smell of alcohol
• Missing prescription drugs — especially narcotics and mood stabilizers

These changes often signal that something troubling is going on and may involve alcohol or drugs.