Adults should ask... why are young people using legal and illegal drugs instead of learning how to live happy, healthy, productive lives?

1. Why Kids Take
Drugs

2. George Will's national editorial, "Should
U.S. legalize drugs? It's a double-edged
sword," needs discussion. Will states,
"20 percent of all prisoners - 500,000 -
are incarcerated for dealing illegal
drugs, but alcohol causes as much as
half of America's criminal violence and
vehicular fatalities." Interdiction and
incarceration cost billions, so some say,
"Let's just try legalization."

3. Today, drugs impact children as young as
ten, sniffing, puffing and drinking for a
thrill or just to feel good. Adults should
ask... why are young people using legal
and illegal drugs instead of learning
how to live happy, healthy, productive
lives?

4. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE AMERICAN FAMILY?
Drugs have been around for centuries! As
a mother, grandmother and crime
prevention specialist for 35 years, I
have seen American values, attitudes
and parenting skills change which
helped create the drug epidemic.

5. Problems begin in weakened families. (Today, 1
in 4 women are raising children within abusive
relationships) A growing number of adults are
divorces, separated or single. Too often adults
become, "helicopter parents" in the name of
"love." They don't let children make mistakes,
solve problems or suffer the consequences for
bad behavior. Continually hovering, rescuing
and controlling a child's life, takes away their
self-confidence, making him or her weak and
dependent. Children become anxious,
depressed and vulnerable targets for bullies or
they can become bullies.

6. Sensitive children often suffer in silence as they
struggle to fit in and be accepted. When
children lack self-awareness, they don't learn
how to handle rejection, failure or humiliation.
They may focus on emotional pain and blame
themselves. That reaction often leads to social
isolation, anger and depression. Or, they may
learn to keep secrets, manipulate or lie because
adults think their children can do no wrong.

7. Without self-awareness, children don't trust their
intuition and can become followers or may
bully others because they are not on a path to
discover their own identity. When children feel
anxious and powerless, they can find escape in
drugs, which masks the real problem. Or, they
might find new and dangerous "friends" on the
computer. Many children have not been taught
how to cope with the "slings and arrows" of
life!

8. WHAT CAN ADULTS DO?
Children need two major factors in their
life to help them take responsibility for
their future.
1. Learn to live by their inner spirit to
grow strong and resilient.
2. Create networks of support to learn
how to develop healthy relationships.

9. The media bombards children with images of
beautiful people, sex and violence. Parents
have to seek out ways to give children the
emotional support they need to stay on a
healthy life path. Support for parents can be
found in churches and synagogues where
children can find positive extended families
with nurturing mentors and role models.
Connected, self-aware children do not become
socially isolated or turn to drugs.

10. Children need self-confidence to speak up and
say NO to "friends" who can manipulate them
into taking drugs, having sex and getting into
an abuse relationship (teen dating abuse affects
1 in 5 youth). As children become self-aware,
they learn to trust their conscience to guide
them and trust their instincts for protection. A
parent's reward will be a responsible child with
a good foundation to help them lead happy,
healthy, productive lives.

11. Resources:
http://acadiamalibu.com/the-government-lies/
http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Kids-Take-Drugs!
&id=7002176

12. Thank you for reading!