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Is Your Child Abusing Drugs?
(ARA) - Are your kids more distant than they used to be? Do they seem tired all the time and moody, yet when asked if something is wrong, insist they're okay and storm off? If so, they may be dealing with more than just growing pains. They could be abusing drugs.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 50 percent of students will have tried an illicit drug by the time they finish high school. Statistics show that in 2005, 6.9 percent of 8th graders, 11.4 percent of 10th graders and 13.9 percent of 12th graders had used sedatives, tranquilizers or narcotic drugs other than heroin in the past 12 months.
What can you do to prevent your children from falling into the ugly trap of drug abuse? Experts say you should educate yourself about what's out there, talk to your children early and often about the dangers of drugs, know the warning signs of abuse and let your kids know you plan to test them for drugs on a regular basis.
"Drug testing sends a strong message to the child that substance abuse will not be tolerated. It also provides them with an excuse they can give a peer for not wanting to participate," says Dr. Amelie Ramirez, a public health physician.
So how do you go about helping your child stay drug free without antagonizing them? A good resource to turn to for advice is www.HomeDrugTestingKit.com, a Web site developed to offer parents an avenue to handle possible substance abuse in their home before government steps in due to an arrest or other life event.
The site contains such helpful information as a glossary of common street drug terms; specifics about the physical and mental health dangers associated with the use of various drugs; and a downloadable 30-page pamphlet called "Keeping Your Kids Drug-Free" from the Office of National Drug Control Policy. There's also a link you can click on to order a home drug testing kit.
"A big part of what we do is educational," says company president Amanda Beihl. "There are still a lot of people who don't know these types of products exist. The Home Drug Testing Kit screens for a variety of substances -- including marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, opiates, PCP and nicotine -- through the use of a testing card that is dipped in a urine sample. Results are delivered within three to five minutes.
A basic single substance test costs $3. Two, three and five substance tests are also available. If it's alcohol you want to measure, for less than a dollar a test, the Guardian Angel Personal Alcohol Test is available in packages of 2 or 4 individual test strips. Simply place a test strip on the teen's tongue to determine their blood alcohol level.
To learn more about preventing drug abuse, or to place an order for a Home Drug Testing Kit or a Guardian Angel Alcohol Test, log on to www.homedrugtestingkit.com.
Copyright ©2006, ARA Content
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