Posts Tagged youth drug abuse

Drug Testing in Schools

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Abuse Prevention, Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Testing on March 28th, 2010

Why do schools conduct drug testing?

Not all schools conduct drug testing, but those who do aim to decrease drug abuse among youth. Drug tests in schools help fight drug abuse by prevention and early mediation. Students would think several times before succumbing to peer pressure on taking drugs and alcohol, as they are aware of the school’s stand on this matter and they may also be afraid of getting caught during drug tests. Students who are already into using drugs may be immediately referred for treatment. Early mediation usually makes the process a lot easier.

drug testing in schoolsWill drug testing of students eventually eliminate drug abuse in schools?

Drug testing must not be taken as a stand-alone solution. It is an important part of a school’s drug policy, but not its only main part. An effective drug policy should consist of programs for prevention, detection, intervention and treatment. Only a well-planned drug policy will be able to help a community effectively reduce drug use.

Should a student be suspended or expelled after testing for drug use?

The drug testing policy of a school must be adopted not to punish those who are using drugs, but to help them through rehabilitation as well as to help others who are not using understand the risks of drug abuse and avoid use of illegal drugs.

What are the drug testing methods available?

The school administrators may choose, according to their community’s needs, among the drug testing methods available, such as hair follicle, urine, oral fluid (saliva) and sweat testing. These methods  may differ in the kind of drugs detected, the detection time, the testing time, the ease of collection of samples, the accuracy and the cost.

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Concrete Signs of Specific Drug Abuse Among Teens

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Abuse Prevention, Drug Addiction on December 6th, 2009

While quite a number of parents who brought their children to rehabilitation centers would say that they did not notice signs of drug abuse early on, there are some parents who share some common observations on the changes manifested by their kids who abused drugs. On the other hand, there are some people who may be experiencing these changes due to reasons other than the use of drugs. Thus, these signs must not be taken as the ultimate indicators of drug abuse, but rather as a guiding checklist so parents can conduct further investigation on their children’s habits.

teen drug abuseCocaine Abuse: Teens who abuse cocaine may become suddenly irritable and short tempered. They can also suffer from paranoia, panic attacks, sleeplessness, hallucinations and depression. Also check for loss of appetite and dilated pupils.

Marijuana Abuse: Having bloodshot eyes is probably the most noticeable sign of marijuana abuse. Your teen may also manifest excessive eating, excessive laughter, reduced short-term memory, mood changes and lethargy.

Depressants Abuse: Since depressants temporarily diminish the function of a specific part of the mind or the body, most common symptoms for the abuse of depressants would be slower motor coordination, lethargy, disorientation and slurred speech.

Check also for physical items that may substantiate your suspicion. Look for capsules, tablets and pills that you normally don’t use at home. Even if the tablets are common over-the-counter drugs, be suspicious if your child is carrying around quite a number of it. The presence of cigarette rolling papers or small pipes, the smell of burnt rope, and the sudden use of room fragrances (that can mask certain odors they may want to hide) may also be taken as warning signs.

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Peer Pressure and Drug Abuse in Teens

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Addiction on November 27th, 2009

These days, many teenagers have found their way to drugs. Perhaps it can be said that mass media played a significant role in influencing the drug use of teenagers today, but that is beside the point here. However, looking at how adolescents begin this habit is a matter that must definitely be looked into.

So, how does teenage drug use usually begin? To answer this properly, let us look at the user in question: the teenager. Remember that teenagers are known for being headstrong, sometimes rebellious, and that they experiment in a lot of different things in order to establish their identity in the world. However, not all of these experiences are necessarily good, and some lose themselves because of it.

teen drug abuseIn establishing this sense of identity, teenagers look to their peers as their reference groups and  they look up to them in order to define for themselves what being “cool” means, even if these same peers are known drug users.

Here, contact between the adolescent and the peer group can influence him to participate in drug use. He would then proceed to try rather than risk being labeled as “uncool”, a label that he would much prefer not to have for the length of his adolescent life.

Of course, the more the teenager gets into drug use, the harder it is to get out. The negative effects would include physical changes, mental instability, as well as adverse behavior. And the sad thing about it is that his peer group will not support him emotionally if he has fallen too far down the path of addiction.

In this way, peer pressure is also a factor that can determine the teenager’s drug use, especially since it is during this stage that the sense of self-identity is nurtured. If you’re also a teenager who is pressured by your friends to do it, think for a moment — Are you really willing to throw your life away this easily, merely based on not wanting to be labeled “uncool” if you don’t smoke pot, or sniff coke? Think about it, and better think hard.

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