Troubled Teens Resources

If drug abuse were the rarity in today’s society instead of the norm it has become, a parent could be excused for dismissing disturbing signs in their teen’s demeanor as displays of the normal angst or insecurities that beset most youngsters approaching adolescence.
Those innocent times are long past and a parent must remain constantly observant to all of the behavioral nuances that their at risk teen exhibits.

“You’ve started noticing the odd $20 bill missing from your wallet.

The teenager that once openly shared the details of his life, now takes to locking his bedroom door. He begins sleeping in late and goes about the house with a glazed look.

There are suddenly new friends on the scene but you don’t know their names or their numbers.

Individually, any one of these things could mean nothing. But collectively, they could point to the early signs of a big problem: drugs.

“You often hear parents say, ‘He or she isn’t the same kid I used to know’. If you can say that, something’s wrong,” says Constable Gord Fleming, Whitby youth officer for Durham Regional Police.
[…]
Education across the grades is still key to preventing teens from experimenting with drugs in the first place, says Ms. Lowery. She points to programs currently in place like Racing Against Drugs for Grade 5 classes and the Values Influences and Peers (VIP) program for Grade 6 students.

“Obviously we’re not going to talk to kindergarten classes about crystal meth,” she adds. “But maybe we talk to them about the dangers of cigarette smoking or the safe use of medications.

“The modelling we do as adults is also incredibly important.”
(Source)

Statistics indicate that drug abuse is starting as early as elementary school. Consequently, many schools have implemented pre-intervention drug awareness programs to make the young child aware of this danger, much as it is par for the course to teach young children to be cognizant of strangers and sexual predators. Sad as it is to introduce these elements into a young child’s innocent exploration of their world, it has become a necessity.

If you are a parent of young children, make yourself aware of which intervention program your schools offer so that you can supplement your child’s awareness at home.