Fight to keep young off drugs

One of the big problems facing our children nowadays is the problem of drugs. The government should indulge in a rigorous campaign to combat the ever growing cocaine/heroine meance threatening youngsters at a very tender age.

It is imperative that the message transmitted through the campaign should be to alert youngsters to the risk of becoming jobless, social outcasts and suffering bad health.

Former addicts could help to get the message across on TV. Parents should be given advice by way of leaflets about what to look for in spotting the problem and finding expert help if their children are on drugs, in the same way as I pointed out in my last article in relation to the ways and means of promoting contraception with a view to cutting down on the number of pregnancies among unwed single mothers.

The campaign should also feature warnings on radio and in newspaper advertisements.

Former addicts should be made use of by appearing in a 40 second TV film and say "it's crazy to say you don't get addicted - because you do". They should warn people tempted to try heroin that their friends will drift away and won't want to know them any longer.

I don't honestly think that tactics highlighting the risk of death from drug abuse should be used. Evidence gathered suggests that a shock-horror approach is at best useless and at worst counter-productive.

It would probably make no impact on youngsters with drug-taking acquaintances who might well appear to be living normal trouble-free lives - at least initially. Soft advice is better than shock-horror.

There are many tell-tale signs that point to youngsters possibly taking drugs - and parents should be told to watch out for them. One of the indicators is if a child develops sudden changes of mood, from being cheerful and alert to being sullen and moody, or if he or she shows unexpected irritability or aggression.

Lost appetite can also be a pointer and so can losing interest in hobbies, sport, schoolwork or friends. Bouts of drowsiness or sleeplessness can be a symptom of drug-taking too.

Youngsters taking drugs will probably also behave furtively and money and belongings may disappear to help pay for the habit. How many times in the local media do we come across such happenings?

Parents should be on the alert if they find unusual powder, tablets, capsules, scorched tinfoil, needles or syringes. But don't be over suspicious. It could be unfair - and push youngsters into drug taking, instead of away from it, say experts.

Experts' advice to parents on tackling the problem among others is:

Don't dwell only on the horrors and dreadful effects of drugs; do be prepared and talk with your husband or wife about how you would react if you found one of your children using drugs; do make time to talk to your children, particularly if they want to sound you out on the subject.

There really is little evidence to suggest that the young can be terrorised either by X-certificate propaganda or punishment into not experimenting with hard drugs.

The cool educational approach is worth trying in relation, not only to the youngsters most at risk, but also to parents more ignorant of the threat. In this day and age, quality time with our children has become too scarce and the limited time of both parents at home, makes sharing their childrens' problem a thing of the past!

The authorities cannot just sit back and do nothing! Research shows that parents are not aware what to do in the circumstances. Given that research shows an ever-increasing number of young children are being offered drugs, the campaign should be an ongoing one for the well-being of our future generation free from the scourge of rotten drugs.