Childrens Corner

5. MARIJUANA USE

1. USE OF DRUGS AMONG TEENS AND THE REASONS WHY THEY USE IT

We all know that there are smoking teens. But it does not end with smoking only. Teens are using and abusing drugs such as alcohol and marijuana. And unfortunately, the use of drugs are becoming more and more common.

Teenagers are becoming involved with alcohol and illicit drugs in many ways. Unfortunately, teenagers often don’t see the link between their actions today and the consequences tomorrow. Using alcohol and tobacco at a young age increases the risk of using other drugs later. Some teens will try and stop, some will continue to use drugs seldom, without serious problems. Others will become addicted to drugs and will use more dangerous drugs that will cause them serious harm.

Teen years are a time for trying new things. Teens use alcohol and other drugs for many reasons, including curiosity, because it feels good, to reduce stress, to feel grown up or to fit in. It is difficult to know which teens will experiment and stop and which will develop serious problems.

The reasons why teens use tobacco, alcohol and drugs:

To feel grown up: Children want to be like adults. To children grownup means freedom. It means making his/her own decisions. It means to be able to do what they want to.
Parents can help children understand and accept that there is a difference between what is appropriate and legal for adults and what is appropriate for children. With their parents' help teens will realize the danger of using illicit drugs.
To belong: The most important and natural part of growing up is to fit in and belong to a group. It is natural that children want others to like them. Sometimes the group they want to join is using illegal drugs and tobacco and a teen may turn to these illegal drugs just to fit in and belong.
Teaching kids the danger of alcohol and other drug use is not enough. Children need to learn how to refuse and avoid the use of illicit drugs. Parents have to help kids deal with peer pressure.
Feel better and relax: Some children develop unhealthy ways to deal with their problems and stress, and they use illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco to ease their problems. They think illicit drugs and alcohol will comfort and cheer them.
Many factors can help youths choose not to use alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Children need to learn how to deal with stress, how to make healthy decisions, and how to relax.
Parents have to be aware of their kids problems and stresses to help them. Parents have to offer support and help children develop skills to cope with life in a positive way.
It is important for children to have someone to talk to about their problems, express their concerns and feelings. Good communication, love and support will help kids stay away from illicit drugs. Parents have to spend quality time with their kids and listen to their concerns. Kids need to talk about their fears, unhappiness, happiness, and need to know that they are not going to be judged.
To take risk: In early adolescent years, youth are courageous and may have high-risk behaviors. They think nothing bad will happen to them. Today, using drugs is a dangerous risk for children. Parents must talk to their children and explain that using alcohol, illegal drugs and tobacco is not an acceptable risk-taking behavior.
Curiosity: Children are very curious about tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs. Although, for many years they learn in the school and home from parents that illicit drugs are harmful and dangerous, some children will still try illicit drugs just to satisfy their curiosity.

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2. PREVENTING DRUG USE

Today many parents are concerned about alcohol and illegal drug use and they need help to deal with this frightening threat to their children's health and well-being.

Schools and community groups can help parents on drug and alcohol abuse. Schools have a vital role in the development and delivery of drug education to young people. It is important for schools to recognize the value of engaging in discussions with young people, parents, professionals and members of the community about drug education and prevention programs. However, it is important to note that ‘schools alone cannot ‘solve’ the drug problem. Parents have a vital part in drug education. It must begin at home long before the classroom and school.

Building strong relationships with children plays a major role in preventing kids from experimenting with drugs.

Here are some tips on what parents can do to prevent the drug use.

Parents can:

Have strong, loving relationships with their children.
Be available for their kids when needed.
Talk and listen to their kids.
Praise their kids.
Teach standards of right and wrong.
Set and enforce rules for behavior.
Provide knowledge about the risks of using drugs. Show the facts about drugs and drug abuse.
Be a good model

Setting Rules Against the Use of Drugs:

Although parents are concerned about illegal drugs they hesitate to discuss drug use with their kids. Some parents believe that their kids couldn't become involved with illicit stuff. Others don't know what to say or how to say it, or they are afraid of giving ideas to their children.

Parents are responsible for setting rules for their kids. When it comes to drug use, strong rules need to be established to save kids from the harms of drug use. Parents have to make the rules clear, and discuss the consequences of breaking them.

Be clear. Tell what the rules are.
Explain the reasons of your rules.
Tell what behavior is expected.
Explain the consequences of breaking the rules, such as what the punishment is going to be.
Tell your kids “no drug use” applies at all time and everywhere, either they are at home or in a friend’s home.
If the rule is broken react calmly instead of yelling or threatening him/her harshly.
Be firm and expect the child to obey your punishment.

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3. HOW CAN I TELL IF MY CHILD IS ABUSING DRUGS?

When children use drugs, most of the time, they show many different signs, which parents need to be aware of. No one symptom is a definite sign. Often parents are confused with a teen’s normal behavior and a sign of possible drug abuse but there are quite a few signs that can be recognized. Regrettably, many parents often disregard these signs as normal teenage behavior and as a consequence they don't notice that their kids are using drugs. Parents have to keep in mind that every child is in danger of drug abuse. If you notice a number of signs of drug use, you should talk about your concerns with your child.

What to look for:

Friends: You have to take a close look at your child’s friends. Friends are more important than ever during the teen years. Because the influence of friends is so great, the wrong friends can affect your teen terribly such as convincing your teen to become involved in drugs, alcohol abuse, and tobacco use.
Parents need to be aware of what's happening to their child at school and with friends. If your child is hanging out with a new group of young people lately, be aware of these new friends and the influence on your child.
It is a good idea to make your home open and available to your teen and his friends often so you can have an idea who your child’s friends are.

Changes in behavior: Be aware of your child’s mood change. Does he/she seem very happy one day and depressed the next day? Are there constant emotion swings? Does he/she act unfriendly and distant? Has your child lost interest in his/her previous activities and hobbies? Does he want to be alone and isolate himself from family? Has your child developed a violent side? Does he suddenly burst of anger?

Changes in physical appearance: Do your son's or daughter's eyes look funny? Are they red all the time? Glazed? Puffy? Are the pupils real large or real small? If so, there's a real good chance your child is using drugs.

Changes in eating or sleeping patterns: Does your child sleep at inappropriate times? Does he/she sleep way too much or way too little? Does he stay up too late or even all night and refuse getting up in the morning at a certain time?
Does he/she eat way too much or way too little? Has your child lost weight?

Change in school performance: Does your child skip class? Has he lost interest in doing his/her homework and assignments? Have your child's grades lowered? Does he seem to have a lack of motivation in school? Does he/she have discipline and behavioral problems in school?

Excessive money spending or money disappearing: Drugs cost money. If your child keeps coming to you needing money, or if money keeps coming up missing from your purse or your wallet, you need to have a serious talk with your child. Especially if they always seem to need 20 dollars or 50 dollars -- round amounts -- since that is often the price drugs cost.

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4. SIGNS OF STRESS AND THE WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

Some times stress could cause use of drug, alcohol and tobacco. Parents have to be aware of their teen’s problems.

Some signs of stress your adolescence might show:

Angers easily
Misbehaves frequently
Fights often
Easily frustrated
Often moody
Refuses to do what he or she is told
Little energy
Doesn’t care about personal hygiene and appearance
Short attention span
Often sleepy
Unusually hyperactive
Often depressed
Cries easily
Falling grades
Low self-esteem
Does not talk positively and nicely about self
Withdrawn
Change in eating habits

Some ways to help reduce stress in your teen’s life:

Have your child talk to you about his/her feelings and concerns.
Give the habit of good nutrition and exercise during the early years.
Give your child a big hug whatever their age is or take a long walk with him/her before and/or after a stressful situation.
Help a child learn from mistakes and learn to forgive.
Teach them the value of forgiveness of others and of themselves.
Don’t exhaust your child by having too many activities all at once.
Set up a special time each day just for the two of you. Read a book together, watch a TV program, or bake a dessert.
Show that you trust in your child’s ability to handle problems and new challenges.
Get your child’s idea in solving problems or about dealing with a stressful situation and show him/her how pleased you are with his/her care and consideration.
Help your child to express anger positively, without showing aggression.
Help your child learn from his/her mistakes and learn to forgive

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5. MARIJUANA USE

USE OF MARIJUANA AND IT'S EFFECTS

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug among youth and according to the research, marijuana causes a number of harmful physical and mental effects.

According to research marijuana affects:

The brain
The lungs
The heart
Memory
Pregnancy
The ability to meet and solve problems

Marijuana damages, weakens or harms:

Psychomotor skills
Attention and memory, ability to concentrate, learn and keep new information.
Ability to make good decisions.
Healthy social relationships

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WHAT EVERY TEEN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MARIJUANA

Long-term studies show that use of other illicit drugs among youth almost never occurs unless they have first used marijuana. Every teen should know that:

Marijuana is illegal: Marijuana can get teens suspended from school. Using, sharing, holding, buying, or selling marijuana is illegal.
It is harmful to your health: Marijuana is dangerous to everybody’s health such as heart, brain, and lungs. It weakens motor skills like those necessary to drive a car.
Ruins social relationships: Marijuana hurts the social life, education, and family ties.
Reduces the ability to concentrate: It impairs the users attention, concentration, and coordination such as the ability to do things like sports, studying etc.
It is not cool: Something that is unhealthy, dangerous and illegal cannot be cool. It won't make you happy or help you learn. Nobody becomes popular with the use of marijuana.
Resist peer pressure: Be strong. Say no to drugs. Once you say no then there is going to be less pressure as time goes on.
Do not need it: Use of marijuana won’t help to reduce stress or solve problems, it will create more problems. To solve problems it is better to talk to someone about them such as friends, family, and other adults you trust.
Should not try it: Everybody does not use drugs. Do the rights thing. There are many teens that enjoy life without drugs.
It leads to the use of other drugs: Using marijuana at a young age increases the risk of using other drugs later. Many teens become addicted to marijuana and will use more dangerous drugs that will cause them serious harm.

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REASONS WHY TEENS BECOME INVOLVED WITH MARIJUANA

According to research:

Parents don’t discuss the danger of drugs with their children.
Teens are left with less adult supervision because of societal changes.
Young people have more access now than they had ever had before.
Youth are receiving the message by different sources such as magazines, song lyrics, videos, movies and symbols on clothing or other products that Marijuana is cool and everybody is using it.
In recent years people were led to believe that marijuana is of less concern.
People were even led to believe that marijuana could have benefits.
Some of today’s parents used marijuana earlier in their lives or are still using and may not be comfortable to counsel their children against it.

Teens need to be informed about the facts regarding marijuana. Teens should know that the majority of people in their age do not use marijuana.

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THE REASONS TO QUIT SMOKING MARIJUANA

Live longer.
Lungs will be healthier.
Save money.
Brain won’t get damaged and remember more.
People will stop nagging you to quit.
You won’t smell bad.
You won’t be worried about doing something wrong, illegal and getting arrested.
You will drive better and safer.
You won’t be moody one day, happy the other day, and so you will have healthier relationships with family and friends.
You will be able to think clearly and be able to make healthy decisions.
You will have more desire and motivation to do things.
You will engage more with healthy activities.
Your parents and friends will be proud of you
You will enjoy a better social life and friendships.

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