AHS Views

Every day I see articles telling parents to discuss drugs with their children if they want them to stay drug-free. Statistics show that kids whose parents talk to them about drugs are 50% less like to take them. But often parents don’t know what to say and, because of that, don’t talk to them about the subject at all.

Really, all that’s really necessary is to educate your kids. Do a little research and find out about drugs yourself - that’s the first step. Do an Internet search for information on methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, MDMA, and marijuana to start with, and then find out about prescription drugs. There are many prescription drugs to watch out for - any tranquilizers, sedatives, sleeping pills, antidepressants, painkillers, ADD and ADHD drugs like Ritalin and Adderall (they’re similar to methamphetamine and cocaine) are very common.

Find out how they work and their side effects. You can also read stories and articles about drug addicts, or former drug addicts, and find out how drugs have affected their lives.

Once you know a little about it yourself, talk to your kids.

If you start when they’re really young - they may be offered drugs in the schoolyard or by a friend by the time they’re 8 or 10 - they’ll know that drugs are very dangerous and they’ll refuse to take them. Or, at least, there’s a 50% chance they’ll refuse. Not a guarantee - but better than the chances if they don’t know what they’re getting into.

Start by bringing it up in conversations when the opportunity presents itself - during a TV show, a commercial about drugs, when seeing someone on the street who is homeless and might be on drugs, and so on. Or take the time to teach them about their body and how it works, and fit it in there. 

If your kids are a little older, it would be a good idea to have a sitdown for the express purpose of teaching them about drugs.

Some parents think their kids will never get on drugs so they don’t take the time to do this education. But kids from all walks of life, even great kids who seem close to perfect, try them all the time. No one is immune.

Many parents don’t find out their kids are taking drugs until they’re already at the point of needing addiction help. Opening up the subject through education early on will help prevent that and, if they do experiment, they’re also more likely to be willing to talk about it so you can nip it in the bud.

I recently had occasion to meet one of the major marketing people for perhaps the best-known energy drink. More caffeine than about 10 cups of coffee in one little can. She confessed to having been wired on this stuff - but said she’s now down to about 6 cans a day. I don’t know the stats on her drink specifically but, for some of them, that’s the equivalent of about 64 cans of coke. A day. What are the possibilities of this leading to taking drugs?

Caffeine is addictive, although it doesn’t produce anywhere near the serious side effects of drugs when you try to get off it, but I wonder how many people who drink energy drinks in these amounts wind up getting into drugs. When you’ve had that much false energy pumped into your body, you’ve got to feel drained and lifeless when you stop drinking it - which opens the door to saying yes to a little ’pick-me-up’ offered by a friend. A pick-me-up that might include methamphetamine, cocaine, or one of the many meth-type prescription drugs that help keep you awake.

According to some research, energy drinks might well be gateway drugs. Roland Griffiths, one of the authors of a Johns Hopkins Medical Institution study on caffeine intoxication, said there is evidence that energy drinks are gateway drugs. He suggested that the drinks should have FDA warning labels - not about the gateway drug end of things, but about the possibility of caffeine intoxication.

One of the commenters laughed at this - said if the FDA was going to put warnings on energy drinks they should also put warnings on Coca Cola, pointing out that the name came from COKE - i.e. cocaine. But it hasn’t contained cocaine since 1929, so no need for the FDA to do that. I hope the commenter isn’t disappointed to find that out.

Personally, I would see a kid drinking a lot of energy drinks as a warning sign. Either there’s something physically wrong with the person - so they need energy desperately - or they’re wired. Or they’re just stupid. In which case, I’d definitely be worried since there’s a much better chance of them saying yes to an offer of a little pill that will create the same effect. Maybe someone will give them a Ritalin or Adderall. Especially if it’s a college kid trying to stay awake or using ’study drugs’ (speed) to focus.

When a person does one thing that’s harmful to their body, they’re more likely to do another. And it could get them in a lot of trouble. Including the eventually need for addiction help.

My advice? Check into it. 

Performance-enhancing drugs are in the news again - this time it’s with sports, check out Why Isn’t There Nearly As Big A Fuss About Amphetamines In Baseball As There Is About Steroids? Some people have even suggested prescription painkillers should also be disallowed as, without them, some athletes couldn’t perform, hence, they’re performance-enhancing drugs.

Amphetamines are used as performance-enhancing drugs all over the place - not just in sports. Ritalin given to kids who are acting up in class instead focusing on their studies, college students taking Ritalin and Adderall to improve their concentration (and enable them to stay awake) while cramming for exams - it’s all performance-enhancing.

And while their performance is being ‘enhanced’, their brain is getting addled (is that why they call it Adderall?), and the individual’s potential to perform without drugs is at risk.

Some people, lots of them, get addicted to drugs like Ritalin and Adderall. And when their prescription runs out, they sometimes turn to the drugs’ illegal counterparts - methamphetamine, crystal meth, and so on - to get the effect they crave.

And some kids even drop out of college when they can no longer get their performance-enhancing study drugs. They just can’t do the work without it. What kind of employee are they going to be when they can’t even study a subject without taking drugs? Very bad scene.

Lots of people seeking addiction help started drugs when prescribed amphetamines by their doctor. When they get into treatment they may still be taking the same prescription, or they could be getting the same drugs through illegal means, or they may have moved on to street drugs.

Amphetamines have become common place. Parents of college age kids really should check and see if their kids are taking them. Once they’re of age, they can go to a doctor and get their own prescription without your permission or knowledge. You’re only going to find out if you ask.

And if they are taking them, get them the addiction help services they need. They’re like lots of other drugs - they’ll create a temporary positive effect, damage the body and mind in the process, and will make your kid dependent on them or addicted to them.

I feel sorry for these kids. They think they’re doing something wise, but that’s no way to get through college. If they need drugs there, they’ll probably need to continue them in the workplace.