At this point in American history, it is important for parents to learn as much as they can about current drug trends. One of the reasons that this is so imperative is that teens and young adults have begun using drugs that most people would not think of as a way to get high. The drug trends have drastically changed over the past 10 years. One of the key ways to prevent addiction in our youth is through education. This responsibility should not lie solely on the shoulders of a child’s school; parents have the potential to play one of the most important roles.
Prescription Medications; One the New Types of Drugs to Look Out For
Many parents may not think to look out for prescription medications. At this time, prescription medication abuse is second only to marijuana in the United State. One of the prescription drugs that many young people commonly abuse are opiate pain medications.
These drugs are extremely physically and psychologically addictive, plus they have the potential to decrease quality of life. However, this is not the only type of medication that is widely abused and has a potential for addiction. Another medication that parents need to be aware of is prescription anti-anxiety drugs that are benzodiazepines, including Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax and Valium.
Some kids are also using other drugs that are traditionally used to treat psychological disorders such as ADD/ADHD medications and antidepressants. One of the reasons that kids use ADD/ADHD medications is because these drugs are stimulants that can affect a person’s system like cocaine or meth does. Many kids feel that using these medications as a way to get high is safer than using illegal drugs, because they are in fact legal.
However, these drugs can be just as dangerous. They can cause severe heart problems and other side effects that are seen in chronic stimulant abusers. Most people who are prescribed these medications must undergo rigorous physicals and checkups regularly to make certain that these drugs are not harming their system. Most kids who abuse these drugs do not have a prescription for them and may not know that these drugs can cause these side effects. Some antidepressants can be dangerous as well, because of the psychological and physical dependencies that can create withdrawal symptoms when a person quits using them.
Don’t Be Fooled, Marijuana Can Be a Gateway Drug
Another thing that parents should know is that statistics show that tobacco use down and marijuana use up among teens. The fact that there are less kids smoking cigarettes these days than there a decade ago is encouraging, but the increased use of marijuana is a problem.
Marijuana can act as a gateway drug. One of the reasons for this is because marijuana is illegal in most states and must be purchased from dealers. Once kids are willing to cross this boundary of legality, their boundaries for other illegal drugs naturally have a tendency to lessen. In addition, marijuana use also introduces a person to artificial euphoria. After some time, they may find that marijuana is no longer giving them effects that they feel work. At this point, they may go on to try other harder drugs.
Synthetic Marijuana
Some kids enjoy the high that they get from marijuana but are afraid of using illegal drugs. Some of these kids have begun using what are known as designer or synthetic drugs that are made to mimic the effects of marijuana. The synthetic drug that is sold as synthetic marijuana is often called herbal incense or potpourri. It is a blend of herbs that is sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids that are supposed to mimic the effects of the natural cannabinoid found in marijuana called THC. Not all cannabinoids cause euphoria, but some do. The original synthetic cannabinoid that was found in these drugs was commonly known as synthetic THC. Many users say that the effects that this drug caused were indeed quite similar to ones caused by natural marijuana.
However, since that time, synthetic THC has been banned and made illegal and replaced with other synthetic cannabinoids and chemicals. Many users of synthetic marijuana say that these new found ingredients are likely to cause effects that are different than ones caused by synthetic THC. Many people have experienced negative side effects from using synthetic marijuana since the chemical makeup of it has changed. Some users have suffered from hallucinations, both auditory and visual, loss of consciousness, a complete lack of coherence, incoherent speech, panic attacks, feelings of doom and impending death, increased blood pressure and heart rate, feelings of suffocation and a lost sense of reality.
One boy smoked synthetic marijuana while sitting in a hot tub. He was apparently by himself and lost consciousness and then drowned. As a result of this and other stories, the government is trying harder to render these drugs illegal. However the success of this endeavor has been short-lived, because manufacturers simply change the chemical formulation of these drugs so that they are not illegal. Then, they sell them as common household products (like bath salts, for example).
Preventing Drug Addiction in Kids
Talking to one’s children about the use of addictive substances is important so kids are informed on what to look out for. It is also important that parents set a good example in the home, because statistics show that children who live in a home where one or both primary caregivers are addicts are more likely to suffer from an addiction later on themselves. It is also important that kids spend ample amounts of time with their families because this has been shown to increase their sense of self-esteem.
Rehab programs like Narconon of Georgia are up-to-date with the latest in drug trends as well as drug education. If you have more questions or would like assistance on how to discuss drugs with your kids, please call one of your local Narconon rehab centers today.
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