Drugs & Your Family

In June, teens are amped for summer vacation. But as the school-free weeks go on and on, boredom usually sets in. And that’s where problems could start. According to reports, summer break is when a lot of teens take drugs for the first time. Here are some activities to keep your young loved ones engaged to, hopefully, have a drug-free summer vacation.

Young people are getting drugs online, perhaps now more than ever.

We all know that the emotional damage bullying has on a child can last well into their adulthood. But now, a recent study has also cast a light on the connection between bullying and future drug use.

High school steroid use has been on the decline for many years. Still, 45 percent of high school seniors do not see a great risk in using steroids once or twice, according to the Monitoring the Future 2016 Survey. This, coupled with the availability of the drugs online, could signal danger to teens that don’t know or understand the risks.

According to a study, young people who hadn’t used drugs up until their senior year in high school are more likely to use marijuana once they start college than their peers who don’t go to college. Here are a few ways you can prevent your young loved one from using any drug before they head off to school and while they are in college.

All parents strive to have an open and honest relationship with their teens. However, if your young loved one is dealing with drug addiction, they often become secretive, and as parents you may find answers in their rooms or vehicles. For those facing this serious issue, here are a few common places your teen could be hiding drugs. 

You are going to see that once the addiction starts it is often too late. By telling somebody, you could be saving a life.

While heroin overdose deaths have fallen since 2017, they are still higher than they were 10 years ago. Why is this happening?

What is prescription drug abuse? Prescription drug abuse is when someone takes a medication prescribed for someone else, takes their own prescription in a way not intended by a doctor or dentist, or takes a medication to get high, according to DrugAbuse.gov. Prescription (RX) drugs are the most commonly abused substances by teens after marijuana, synthetic marijuana (spice), and alcohol. 

Prescription (Rx) and over- the-counter (OTC) medicines are legal products that should be used only as directed. Unfortunately, many teens are using opioid painkillers and OTC medicines to get high.