The unprecedented number of young people who have died from drugs has changed some of our perceptions around this issue.
Because funding for drug education was greatly reduced in the first decade of the 21st century, parents are faced with a problem. Should we drug test our teens and pre-teens?
Trust is given and trust is earned; it goes both ways. To start off with a lack of trust is not an enlightened way to parent. We’ve resisted calls for drug testing in the past, but now it has become an important safety issue. Drug prevention policies save lives.
Do sports and academics shield your teen?
Many parents don’t realize is that no child seems to be immune from the social pressure in today’s culture. Teen drug use went down during COVID, because of lack of contact with peers. However, COVID did not stop social media drug sellers.
If you think that being a good student and a responsible person may shield your child, you could be wrong. Read A Father’s Testimony About Chris’ Short and Tragic Life. Johnny Stack also was not protected by his innate intelligence and superb math skills.
Athletes often say that they would not want to compromise their abilities by smoking, drinking or using drugs. Teens who participate sports and certain activities can be drug tested. The policy, which survived review by the Supreme Court, assures greater safety in school activities. Yet not all high school districts use drug screens on their athletes.
No part of the country appears too isolated to be affected by the drug users and sellers, so parents must be prepared.
The influence of peers
More than 50% of teens will not be able to withstand peer pressure. Peer pressure peaks at age 14. For this reason, parents may use the preventative measure of drug testing before it can happen. If your child begins high school knowing he or she will have random drug tests, it may give them a way out of of peer pressure.
Every child is different and you probably know your child more than anyone else. A change in personality is often a sign of drug use, but too often parents brush off these changes.
Again and again, we hear the reason teens begin their drug use in order to fit in. They hear all kinds of promotional statements such as: “It’s just pot,” “not addictive, and “everyone does it.” Why would they resist in this social environment?
For teens, the legalization of marijuana coincides with a decrease in the perceived risk of marijuana, according to surveys. “Despite marked increases in THC content and availability of cannabis, there has been a decline in perceived risk and an increase in use of THC extract products among youth in the United States.”
If your child has been caught using drugs, drug testing can be justified. In this case, it just may save a life. The THC today and the other drugs today are more destructive and more deadly than they were when we were growing up.
Tell your children of past drug use?
If you used pot without big issues later, remember that you used at a time when it was less socially acceptable — not for teens, but in the larger society.
Today many more teens are growing up with parents who use marijuana and other drugs and feel no stigma around it. Keeping drugs illegal is the best form of harm reduction.
If they come to you and ask if you ever used pot, honesty is best.
Today we have the knowledge that the THC is so much stronger (10x or more), and that THC can trigger extreme mental health problems. Tell Your Children the Truth About Marijuana Mental Health and Violence.
The many different types of drug tests
Thoroughly research the types of tests available: urine, saliva, blood and hair follicle tests. Some have said that the hair follicle test is the most accurate.
If you child uses marijuana, please contact Every Brain Matters or Mar-Anon for advice on what to do. Another group, Johnny’s Ambassadors, has advisors for the various states, who help you if your child needs to get into treatment.
