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Teen Drug Use

The scariest thing about teen drug use is not the bewildering variety of threats facing parents today. Nor is it the seriousness of the consequences facing teen substance abusers. By far, the most frightening aspect of teen drug use is the lack of attention most parents tend to give it.

According to the United States Surgeon General, substance abuse is the leading contributor to teen deaths – between the ages of 14 and 21.(1) Even for those who survive their teenage brush with substance abuse, the future isn’t very bright. Kids who drink by the time they hit their mid-teens, for example, are 400% more likely to become an alcoholic than those who wait until 21.(6) It’s a time bomb that can take decades to go off. As this page is being written, an unprecedented number of senior citizens are flooding drug detox and rehab centers in an effort to kick the patters of substance abuse that they learned as teens and young adults.(5) Most will not be successful.

For most who succumb to it, addiction is as final as it is fatal. In the mid to long-term, 90% of alcoholics and drug addicts relapse into substance abuse after completing their prescribed course of treatment. (2)(3)(4) But far too many of us make the incorrect assumption that drugs like heroin or methamphetamine should be our primary concern. In fact, alcohol kills more kids than all other forms of illicit drug use combined.(7)

Take the time to become educated about this all important subject. Be the parent who actively shields their loved ones from the horrors of substance abuse. Take charge of your future and defend it against the threats that stand to ruin everything that your family has worked for. We’ve developed these tools to help you.

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Preventing Drug Use It is possible to raise a bulletproof child. With the right planning, you can virtually inoculate your family against substance abuse. This segment will bring you up to speed on the latest issues and techniques from the realm of substance abuse prevention. It doesn’t have to be hard or complicated, it just has to be deliberate. Learn the incredible amount of information you can gleam from something as simple as a Hug. Click here.
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Drug Fact Sheets If you’ve ever wanted to know a little more about an old or new drug, you’ve come to the right place. These fact sheets and tutorials will provide you with the background on today’s most commonly abused drugs. Learn how to identify them. Become familiar with their effects. Take a look at the paraphernalia commonly associated with their use. Be the best informed parent on the block. If you give us the time, we’ll give you the power to protect your kids. Click here.
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Detecting Drug Use Fortunately, many parents lack experience and expertise from the drug world. So we’ve gone out and compiled it all for you. We’ll teach you how to detect drug use by evaluating the subtle signs and examining the small pieces of evidence that are often left behind. You’ll learn what to look for in the home, the car, and even in their behavior. The tips you gain here, may make all the difference in your fight to stay ahead of the curve. Click here.
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Diagnosing Drug Use This section will eliminate any concerns that you have regarding your ability to actually detect intoxication or impairment. Many parents miss the opportunity to intervene in a cycle of substance abuse, only because they don’t trust their instincts. We’ll help you differentiate between teenage mood swings and teenage drug use. We’ll give you the tools and tests you need in order to trust those instincts. The process is far easier than you might think. Click here.
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Responding to Drug Use Even the best of families can be burdened by substance abuse issues. How you respond to it will determine the extent of the problem and the severity of the consequences that you’ll be forced to suffer. Whether you’ve just found cigarettes in your child’s backpack, or come home to find them passed out on the living room floor, we can give you the direction you need to competently address the issue. Do it right. This could be the last chance you have to save your child’s life. Click Here.

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Reference:
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, 2007.
2. Polich, J.M.; Armor, D.J.; and Braiker, H.B. Stability and change in drinking patterns. In: The Course of Alcoholism: Four Years After Treatment. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1981. pp. 159-200.
3. Hunt, W.A.;Barnett, L.W.; and Branch, L.G. Relapse rates in addictions programs. Journal of Clinical Psychology 27:455-456, 1971.
4. Marlatt, G.A. & Gordon, J.R. Determinants of relapse: Implications of the maintenance of behavior change. In: Davidson, P.O., and Davidson, S.M., eds. Behavioral Medicine: Changing Health Lifestyle. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1980. pp.410-452.
5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies. (June 17, 2010). The TEDS Report: Changing Substance Abuse Patterns among Older Admissions: 1992 and 2008. Rockville, MD.
6. Grant BF, Dawson DA: Age at onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence: results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiological Survey. J Subst Abuse 1997; 9:103–110
7. Grunbaum, J.A.; Kann, L.; Kinchen, S.A.; et al. Youth risk behavior surveillance: United States, 2001. MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 51(SS0 4): 1–62, 2002. AND Young, S.E.; Corley, R.P.; Stallings, M.C.; et al. Substance use, abuse and dependence in adolescence: Prevalence, symptom profiles and correlates. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 68(3):309–322, 2002.