Kids, Drugs, Parents and Death.

**UTVols2** · January 15th, 2007, 10:04 PM

I am glad I was not exposed to most of the drugs that kids are exposed too today when I was in school. The worst things we did when I was in school was drink and smoke dope, none of this cocaine, prescription drugs, and all that other crap that they are exposed too. I know if I was exposed to this stuff in school and peer pressure and all I am sure I would have been tempted to do them..... IMO Parents need to be more aware of what their kids are doing, that is where most of the problems are.

**imported_mega** · January 15th, 2007, 10:09 PM

They were there man, I saw alot of Coke and pills. Never say any oxy's or anything that extreme but the other stuff was there. The majority of those people are dead or in prison now though so I guess they are pretty much a prime example of why not to get into that junk.

**UTVols2** · January 15th, 2007, 10:13 PM

I know they were there, just not as prominant as they are today. You had to really search for them if you wanted them not just show up on any street corner and there they are like Tylenol.

**imported_elp6n** · January 15th, 2007, 10:32 PM

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I honestly think that there should be a program in schools showing the side effects of specific drugs and the harm that they can do to someone instead of being taught that drugs are "bad" without showing what harm that a certain and specific drug can do.

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We had the DARE program growing up. They came to school every Wednesday. Drug eduction was specific, we were taught what they looked like, smelled like, what category they were in, what they did to a person, etc.
And look at all the dopeheads that came out of my generation. It's apparently "cooler" to listen to a friend than a cop that comes to you weekly for years. I just dont understand how people can forget all we were taught those years. Did they just not believe what we were taught?

**imported_trumpet1988** · January 15th, 2007, 10:48 PM

I had that DARE program from like first to 6th grade. The cop kept mentioning something every session, "Don't touch stuff that isn't safe to put in your mouth".

Some people say that the cops are being jerks and that they don't have to listen to them. I'm kind of sick of the anarachy fad that seems to be going around. It's always "me" who is the only thing important in this world.

Yeah, some cops are jerks, but when it comes to drugs and such, how do you want them to react? Give you a pat on the back when you do drugs and say "good job buddy"?

I've talked to some people who were arrested and say they still do drugs. Maybe the punishment from the law wasn't enough?

I'm no cop. I don't plan to be a cop, but to those cops who are strict when it comes to issues such as this, congratulations.

If I have to use harmful substances to be cool then I think I'd much rather be part of the "uncool" community. People do it to be cool.

**jtw61194** · January 15th, 2007, 11:05 PM

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.