Kids, Drugs, Parents and Death.

I had this same discussion last week at a conference I had to attend, but the subject was sex and not drugs. As a parent and educator, it is my opinion that kids don't trust adults, think adults are stupid, and stuff like this won't ever happen to me. I can say that, because I was like that and I believe most teens would tell you the same thing. The education is there. The messages are being sent via multiple routes. The consequences for alcohol and drug offenses are way stiffer than they were 20 years ago. I hate to sound cynical, but the bottom line is that most kids learn the hard way. This young man's death is tragic and may save several lives. But, experience tells me that it won't make a dent in the problem. I would be more concerned with the cause rather than the solution, to be very honest. For the most part, taking drugs is a voluntary action. A person knows whether it's right or wrong; knows what their intention is for taking the drugs; has been told prior to taking the drugs that it can be potentially harmful. So, with all that, why still take them? It is a question that really bothers me, both as a parent and a teacher. I told my class, in very unspecific terms (because I only heard that a student had died), about this instance. Sure, it shook them up. But what about next week, month, or year? At some point kids have got to quit being kids and start thinking about the finality of their lives. Tomorrow ain't guaranteed. Sorry if I'm preaching.

Buy them a gun or a fishing pole...first off, neither of those is giving kids interaction with the opposite sex normally.

I would tend to agree that it would be good if that was the case, but most of the people I know or knew who were big into fishing were drunk or drinking 1/2 the time they fished. Let's not go into those who are drunk all night on hunting trips then out in the morning hungover or still buzzed.

I agree that those are good options and something to help, but most people hunt either alone or with a hunting buddy. Kind of the same boat fishing. That's not giving them too much interaction, which is where most of the partying comes in.

We have slowly took away a lot of what the kids use to have.

But now what if they had it back in this age. Crusining was a cool thing. Some drink and it was just a social thing. But times have changed. Can you bring it back and not have what you have now or more of it.

I don't know or have the answers. Just trying to point some attention to a problem. One that will not end quickly.

Having known this kid personally makes it harder. A good kid known for just wanting to be what he was a kid. Play around and yeah maybe sneak a drink occassionally. Most of what he did was to get attention. And to be accepted. Peer pressure in some ways.

But a kid that will not play in his final senior football game, get to go to the prom. Get to do all the things he should of gotten to do.

It was his choice to experiment. A choice i know if he could recall he would.
My only problem with all of this, other than a young man losing his life, is the ease with which all these prescription drugs are hitting the streets and all over.

I don't have all the answers. But i will challenge those who work around kids and with kids. Pay attention. Be nosy. If it may save a kids life. Or maybe help out in some way. Maybe you will benefit. I know some don't like that. And i've had some tell me they don't.
But someone has to look out for these kids and teach them.

Soon we may be erecting a wall of those lost to the battle of drugs. Maybe that will be the ever day reminder. If it's put at the local schools in an area where it can be seen.

Honestly im just tired of seeing it hushed up and over. We got some serious drug problems from all age groups in this area. It's time we realize that and that we ask for some help. How many has to perish before we do realize it?

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Buy them a gun or a fishing pole...first off, neither of those is giving kids interaction with the opposite sex normally.

I would tend to agree that it would be good if that was the case, but most of the people I know or knew who were big into fishing were drunk or drinking 1/2 the time they fished. Let's not go into those who are drunk all night on hunting trips then out in the morning hungover or still buzzed.

I agree that those are good options and something to help, but most people hunt either alone or with a hunting buddy. Kind of the same boat fishing. That's not giving them too much interaction, which is where most of the partying comes in.

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Your brush is a little too big.

Lets see broad brush
using words like 'normally' 'most of the people I knew who were big into fishing', 'most people hunt alone or with a hunting buddy'...

Don't think I made it broad, but I think you can most people don't hunt or fish with large groups. I mean the posting you all have done on here, sounds like most of the time its a couple of you.

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you must not have been paying attention, wise county has done the same the past few months, and their investigations are ongoing.

the ultimate responsibility for these kids however is their parents. one major problem though is that a lot of the parents are doing the same thing.

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Gotta agree there six4three. Looking at the arrests last week in Lee, I noticed alot of the same last names with ages varying from say 55-18. Putting two and two together, it seems like a lot of it was families doing the same stuff. Its really sad.

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Buy them a gun or a fishing pole...first off, neither of those is giving kids interaction with the opposite sex normally.

I would tend to agree that it would be good if that was the case, but most of the people I know or knew who were big into fishing were drunk or drinking 1/2 the time they fished. Let's not go into those who are drunk all night on hunting trips then out in the morning hungover or still buzzed.

I agree that those are good options and something to help, but most people hunt either alone or with a hunting buddy. Kind of the same boat fishing. That's not giving them too much interaction, which is where most of the partying comes in.

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You are lumping all hunting and fishing into drunk party barger's and [censored] hunters which has nothing to do with hunting but more with settin on a tailgate getting drunk.

Teaching a kid to really hunt and fish is a very viable means to keep them off drug's and they are getting interaction with their parents and gives parents more time to teach their kids the values needed to keep them off of drugs.

Nope afraid I'm not lumping. I said most that I know who were big into it. No question there are some who don't but there are quite a few who do and to say otherwise would be a joke

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Nope afraid I'm not lumping. I said most that I know who were big into it. No question there are some who don't but there are quite a few who do and to say otherwise would be a joke

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Don't look at all of the Clintwood slob hunters and Flanagan fatass fishers and consider them to be a representative of the outdoors community as a whole.

That would be like me saying all of the black people in Norton deal drugs just because a few have been arrested for it. Or that all of the police in Coeburn are offering no tickets as long as they get a [censored].

Are there slob hunters and fishermen out there? Of course. But you must not have very much experience out of Dickenson Co.

There are far far more responsible hunters and fishermen than there are slob outdoorsmen.

Ok lets think about that for a second. One of the biggest reason I know that most people in this area don't go up hunting in Bath county or such anymore was because of the liquored up hunters. Lets consider out Cherokee area and such about drunk fishers and boaters.

Sorry if the so called brush hits you or some of your friends or things but oh well. Never said that it was 70% of the population, just a better portion than you are wanting to admit.

However the biggest issue I had with that as an alternative is the social interaction. Heck you can give a kid a porno mag and they can have fun all day too, but thats not going to really help fix the problem, or the relation to drugs, which is kids in a social environment. There has to be places to go, things to do that they can do with groups, and opposite sex. Most people don't think of sitting in the woods being quiet as a good date. Ditto for fishing. Its fine for people to do, and great that you like/love it but you're not exactly the kids trying to find someone, now are you?