Drug Crimes: Talking to Children and Teens about Drugs & Alcohol

As parents, caretakers, and family members, it’s our responsibility to make sure our kids know the inherent dangers of drug use. It’s important to convey that even occasional drug use has negative consequences. Besides immediate and long-term health effects, casual drug use can lead someone to seek out stronger drugs in an attempt to continually heighten the experience.

Knowing the effects of drug use is a good start. We must empower kids to refuse drugs when they are offered. Each of the most common drugs has its own unique side effects, but all can be devastating to developing minds and bodies. Young people often witness trusted adults and film stars using alcohol, for example, and seek to emulate that behavior. We need to teach children and teens about the damaging effects of alcohol to counter these glamorized portrayals.

Cigarettes

Once regarded as an acceptable – and even desirable – vice, cigarette smoking has fallen out of favor. That’s largely due to overwhelming evidence of the disastrous health effects of smoking. Still, too many young people pick up the habit of smoking due to peer pressure.

Marijuana

While possession and personal usage of marijuana have been decriminalized in several states, the health effects are still very real. Marijuana is often consumed via smoking, which can cause lung damage. In addition, young bodies and minds are still developing – these drugs can reduce memory, critical thinking, and the ability to concentrate.

Alcohol

In most areas, alcohol is legal for adults over a certain age – in the U.S. that’s 21 years old. It’s sold in convenience stores and readily available. In part, due to this easy accessibility, alcohol is the most commonly abused drug. Hundreds of people die every day from drinking too much.

  • Alcohol’s Effects on the Body – This list of health dangers from alcohol is both informative and frightening.

  • Effects of Alcohol on Your Body – This page details alcohol’s side effects, from the perspective of those treating addiction.

  • Dangers of Alcohol – Some of the lesser-known consequences of alcohol abuse include an increased risk of anemia and cancer.

  • The Dangers of Alcohol to Kids and Teens – The deleterious effects of alcohol are amplified when abused by young people.

Cocaine

While it was heralded as a party drug in the 1980s, cocaine is anything but fun. Cocaine’s extremely addictive nature means that some people suffer powerful cravings for it after just a few exposures. Cocaine increases heart rate and blood pressure, causing some users to develop potentially fatal cardiac issues.

Heroin

Heroin is readily available and cheap to buy. When combined with the powerful high of each dose, it’s easy to see why heroin use is so concerning. It can be difficult to judge a safe dose of heroin because its potency varies. Many people who quit using heroin but later relapse suffer overdoses because the potency increased from the last time they used.

Opioids

You may have seen news coverage about the opioid epidemic and wondered what it was all about. Opioids are powerful painkillers that carry a risk of addiction. Unlike cocaine, heroin, or other illicit drugs, opioids have proper uses. When properly prescribed, opioids can remove the burden of unbearable pain from surgical patients. However, they are so powerful that their use must be carefully monitored and controlled.

Methamphetamine

Abuse of the drug called “meth” has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Easy, cheap access to meth makes it difficult to eradicate from the streets. Dangerous meth labs have been discovered all over the country, as opportunists seek to take advantage of addicts.

  • Meth Abuse – This comprehensive article details how meth is used and the effects it can have.

  • Methamphetamine Abuse – This article features tips on identifying signs of addiction.

How Drugs Harm the Body and Affect Development

Some of the effects drugs have are obvious. There’s the initial high, the inevitable “coming down,” the smoker’s cough. But what about effects that aren’t so apparent? While different drugs affect us in various ways, we know that the long-term consequences can be severe. Several classes of drugs, from methamphetamine to stimulants, can cause cardiac issues like irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, and premature heart failure. Over time, drug use can rewire the brain and cancel out the body’s natural reward system. That means that the longer drug use continues, the harder it is to stop.

Saying No to Drugs

Peer pressure can be a powerful force at any age; it’s especially strong for children and teens. That’s because young people are often working toward finding their identity. Belonging to a group can provide stability and camaraderie, so it’s natural to want to fit in. When the group (or just some members of it) offers drugs or alcohol, it can be hard to resist. No one wants to be seen as uncool or judgmental. That’s why it’s important to talk to teens about how to refuse those offers. Depending on the situation, it may be possible to politely decline, or to make an excuse.

Miscellaneous Drug Information

A problem like drug abuse can’t be solved with just one strategy, or by one group. The first step is understanding the scope of the problem. To make real progress, we need global initiatives and a consistent approach. We need to provide substance abuse workers with the training and funding they need if we hope to reduce the terrible effects of drugs.