NCJ Number
120869
Date Published
Unknown
Length
36 pages
Annotation
This information guide on drugs and youth for parents and educators reviews the characteristics and effects of various drug types, lists the signs of drug use, and suggests how parents and educators can help prevent juvenile drug use.
Abstract
The booklet opens with a discussion of the most commonly used drugs, called "gateway drugs," alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. This is followed by a description of the other major drug groups and the most popular drugs in each category. The drug categories are cannabis, stimulants, depressants, narcotics, hallucinogens, and inhalants. A discussion of addiction stages focuses on experimentation, occasional and regular use, and dependency. Also discussed are how to get help and overdose and medical treatment. A discussion of risk factors for adolescent drug and alcohol abuse covers a family history of alcoholism, family management problems, parental drug use and positive attitudes toward drugs, early antisocial behavior and hyperactivity, academic failure beginning in middle to late elementary school, little commitment to school, alienation, peer drug use, and early first use of drugs. Some suggestions for parents and educators are to have a clear family policy on drug use, involve children in family responsibilities, pay attention to children's grades and attitudes about school, know children's friends, sponsor drug-free parties or activities, and cooperate with other parents in the school to help create a drug-free environment for adolescents. Resource list, 5-item bibliography.