Drug abuse among teenagers has reached epidemic proportions. It Doesn't matter how vigilant you are, your teenagers are going to be introduced to drugs at school, the very place you believe to be a safe environment. Mrs. Reagan's 'Just say no to drugs' campaign was a complete failure. The truth is that teens perceive adults as old stupid people that don't know their head from a hole in the ground. Parents, try as they may, face an uphill battle in safe guarding their children from the devastating effects of drugs.

The challenge is made more difficult by the fact that most of us have prescription drugs in our medicine cabinets. When confronting the issue of teenagers and drugs, you have to present a rational argument that distinguishes between necessary medications and street drugs. This isn't easy. Some well known prescription medicines are being sold at school as a way to catch a buzz. Teenagers don't know that these prescriptions are issued in duplicate or triplicate, as a method to control the use of specific narcotics. Not having experienced a real need for such drugs themselves, they could well conclude that their parents are experiencing and liking some high that they are somehow being denied.

Another problem with teaching kids about the issue of teen drug use is that our society does not make any distinction between drugs. Some medicinal drugs have a place, but when it comes to our youth and drugs, we tell them that every drug is bad. This is a deception. Some children need prescription medication for actual problems. Used improperly, that medicine can get a [kid who doesn't need it. Sometimes, that medication can have fatal consequences when used as a 'recreational' drug.

Kids are not able to make those distinctions. For example, a patient with extreme pain due to arthritis or cancer, may be prescribed codeine or another opiate to manage the pain. Children don't comprehend that this patient doesn't get high. That pain killer only dulls the pain. However, in the world of kids and drugs, this potentially dangerous drug becomes an opportunity toget a head change. They don't realize the difference.

One huge deception that encourages teen drug abuse is the fable of marijuana. This street drug is posited as the first step to drug addiction, thrown in the same bag as meth and ice. The minute that grade school kid tries marijuana, the kid sees that although it gets them high and they like it, they can keep this from their parents for years and they never know the difference. They conclude that the rest of the warnings issued on kids and drugs are deceptions. That's why they step into the grip of the invidiously dangerous drugs.

As a world village, we need to educate our teenagers. Explain the effects of drugs. Cocaine, crack, heroin and drugs like 'ecstasy' can ruin their lives or kill them. Be honest. We can protect our children.Addiction is a serious problem in our society today but with the "proper" education we can teach our future generations the realities of addictions and drug abuse.

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