Educating Teenagers on the Dangers of Drug Abuse Seen as Vital

Posted by azdrugrehabctr on July 6, 2015 under Addiction Trends, AZ Drug Rehab News, Prescription Drugs | Comments are off for this article

In the past, one tactic used in order to keep teenagers from experimenting with drugs was to pretend that the problem did not exist. This means that many parents and schools, in their fear about drug use, never discussed the inevitable curiosity that teenagers would experience and the definite dangers of substances like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription painkillers.

It soon became clear that this approach to drug education was not a good one. More and more teenagers find themselves in situations where they are presented with an opportunity to experiment with drugs or alcohol. Instead of hoping that one’s child will not succumb to peer pressure or curiosity, experts agree that it is best to arm children with facts about drugs and alcohol and help guide them into making the right decision. Children presented with facts have a better chance of not being tempted into drug use, and oftentimes those facts can counter the things their friends or other drug users may be saying to them.

Some helpful facts to discuss with children can include things like when an addiction is likely to start, what drugs do to the body and developing brain, how drug and alcohol abuse can affect one’s long term plans and what sort of danger the drugs pose.

According to a recent study, 90% of adults that are addicted to illegal drugs started using substances before they were 18. So, while not all teenagers who experiment with drugs are doomed to a life of addiction, the vast majority of addicts began their journey to drug addiction as a child experimenting with drugs. There is still debate surrounding marijuana if it should be considered a gateway drug (a gateway drug is a substance that opens the door to other substances can ultimately lead to an addiction). Some experts are saying that prescription painkillers are the new gateway drugs.

The popularity of pills like Roxycet, Percocet and Vicodin has led many people to dependency, and then on to a heroin addiction. Since heroin is cheaper and easier to obtain, prescription painkiller addicts often resort to this drug to keep their habit satisfied.

Teenagers are surrounded by pressures almost as soon as they get into high school. Drugs and alcohol may be one of the most common problems they have to deal with. In order to equip children with the best tools to stay away from drugs, parents and educators need to arm them with the facts. Overall, the more information that is shared about the devastation caused by substance abuse, the better the chances are that people of all ages will make healthier decisions regarding drugs and alcohol.

Singer Admits to Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Posted by azdrugrehabctr on September 20, 2014 under Prescription Drugs | Comments are off for this article

Robin Thicke has had a roller coaster of a year. His song “Blurred Lines” was a huge success. The fan and media attention that he received from the hit single was enough to jump-start a lackluster career, however there have been some serious problems along the way.

Several months ago Thicke’s wife, Paula Patton, left the singer after almost twenty years of marriage. He has recently come out to say that the separation was because of his behavior and that he has also been under the influence of drugs and alcohol. In addition to his substance abuse problems, Robin Thicke is also being sued by the family of Marvin Gaye, claiming that “Blurred Lines” is a copy of “Got to Give It Up”.

During his recent deposition, Thicke admitted that he was so heavily under the influence of drugs and alcohol throughout the making of the song and the press afterwards that he doesn’t remember much. He admits to abusing prescription painkillers like Vicodin and Norco. In fact, Thicke is on the record during several interviews claiming that he helped write “Blurred Lines”, however he now says that it was mostly Pharrell Williams and that he just wanted to share in the credit of having written such a hit song.

Prescription drug abuse is a problem that is being felt throughout the country. Shockingly, children are the most affected by the prescription drug abuse trend. More and more high school children are coming into contact with prescription drugs and the peer pressure to try pills like Vicodin and Norcos is continuing to mount. When singers like Robin Thicke also abuse prescription painkillers what message does it send to our children?

Even with the concentrated efforts of law enforcement, policy makers, health care providers, educators and parents, fighting prescription drug abuse among teens is a losing battle when Hollywood openly admits to abusing the same drugs.