FREE ESSAY ON DRUGS IN THE FAMILY

DRUGS IN THE FAMILY

THE FAMILY AND DRUG ABUSE
The purpose of this piece of writing is not to compare the different methods of
approaching drug prevention, or say what methods are not working. It is to simply state
that the more the family takes action or gets involved with each others live, problems
such as drug abuse will become obsolete. Many different attempts to lower the drug rate
have been in placed by society. But despite years of anti drug campaigns within the
school and media, drug abuse amongst teenagers in society continues to rise. At home drug
testing and emphasis on anti drugs within the family will prove to lower the use of
illegal drugs amongst teens. 
More and more teenagers are experimenting with illegal drugs in today's society. A
1996-1997 PRIDE survey of more than 140 
000 teens showed that drug abuse amongst eleven to fourteen year Olds is rising. 11.4% of
jr. high students monthly use marijuana, cocaine and other illicit drugs. The number of
new heroin cases involving the youth increased by 53%. A study done at the University of
Columbia has found that drugs are more readily available and used by the youth. Other
surveys have found that drug abuse by high school seniors jumped 27% in 1993, 20% in 1994
and another 9% in 1995. At the age of twelve to seventeen, 2.9 million teens have used
marijuana, compared to 1.4 million the past year. As if these statistics were not
shocking enough, I found that in 1996 24% of eighth graders, 21 to 38% of tenth graders,
and 29 to 40% of twelfth graders have been using marijuana. The fact that these problems
exist makes one think what is being done to protect today's adolescents from a life of
drug abuse. Despite these facts, there are programs in place. 
The educational system has provided a variety of service projects and courses to help
combat the ever growing drug problem. In today's society the Federal government has
required public schools to teach drug prevention since 1987. Also if you play any sports
in high school, students are required to sign a contract stating they will stay drug and
alcohol free. Teachers and other authority figures within the school, are constantly
preaching against drugs. The fact that the drug rate is so high is causing the government
to reexamine the approach they are taking and the substance contained in what they are
teaching. Drug tests and rewards serve as a deterrent and as a reason to stay drug free.
In Red Deer Alberta students voluntarily participate in drug testing. The students which
pass then receive cards which allow them discounts at over one hundred and fifty
businesses. If more programs such as this were put into place the drug problem may be
lower. But until that has happened we must rest the solution heavily on the shoulders of
the family. Children need to be prepared for the world. Educational facilities can only
do so much. They can not take the lead in the war against drugs. The family has to.
Other organizations have been situated to uniquely fight against drug and alcohol abuse.
The Rotarian international organization, with more than one million and one hundred
thousand members, have devoted there time to help support the war on drugs. In fact, in
1992 they approved a ten year emphasis on drug prevention. In Spring Valley British
Columbia, they initiated a program for teens who's parents are substance abusers in order
to break the cycle. In the program they council teens and walk them through the daily
problems they may face. This program is a positive step taken in order to erase the drug
problem. The Rotarians have also taken steps outside of Canada. In France the Rotarians
have purchased homes that will be used as a shelter for substance abusers. The addicts
are allowed to stay as long as they need to in order to break the habit. These programs
would not be needed if the family took it upon there selves to help there children. If
parents educate their children, they are less likely to end up in a place like this or to
use drugs. A family can be a powerful tool if it is used correctly. 
The programs place in society in order to abolish the use of illegal drugs will have
little effect on children unless the anti drug process/problem is carried out/cared for
at home, by the family. Statistics have proven that children who are educated on the
effects of drugs from their parents use drugs 57% less than others. That is a humongous
statistic. This stat is the basis for my argument. Over half of the population does not
use drugs as long as there parents talk to them. There are many other processes one can
do other than verbally telling a child the effects and dangers of drugs, although it is a
important tool. Tools such as at home drug tests can act as a deterrent from using drugs.
There are two types of drug testing that are done at home. A urine test. This test shows
previous three or four days of drug use. The test that is the most effective is the hair
test. For this test you need fifty hairs that are an inch long. The hair shows the past
ninety days or three months. This test will be available over the counter. It is called
PDT-90. These tests act as a deterrent. Although the fear of being caught by there
parents helps solve the issue another process that is effective is incentives. They are a
strong factor in deleting the drug problem. If a teenager does not use drugs, savings
programs could be initiated. Car insurance premiums, a raise in allowance, and other
positive enforcement are also offered. If a teen thinks the will get a "prize" they will
be tempted to not use drugs. Although many of these techniques are tried by other
organizations, the family's participation and involvement in a child's life can prove to
be most affective. 
To continue to prove my point, I decided to research it myself. I recently passed out a
survey to twenty high school students enroled in Brantford Collegiate Institute and
Vocational School to test my thesis. I found that 50% of students that I surveyed have
admitted to using illegal drugs. Of these students 85% of them feel their family can do a
good job of getting through to them on issues such as drugs. Another fact to back my
point of view is that 90% of the students surveyed felt that drugs would look less
attractive if they spent more time with their families. Even more empowering than that is
that 85% of the teens who use drugs are not close to there families. The main reason this
survey was sent out was to find out if teens who participated in family functions used
drugs. The 25% of the students who stated they spend time as a family more than seven
times a week, all stated that they have never used drugs. While the students who didn't
spend time with there families used drugs more than one time a month. The results of my
survey that I received were exactly as I anticipated. Statistics and every day examples
have proven to show that parental evolvement can reduce the use of drugs.
Although social organizations, including educational facilities, have stressed anti drug
us, statistics have shown that in order to reduce the drug use rate, the family must get
involved. Time must be spent as a family in order to bond. Families play an important
role in today's society. Children may not seem like they do, but they listen to their
parents, they respect them. In order to solve the drug problem, we must first solve the
problem of teenagers and broken homes.
Bibliography
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