What is your role as a parent to help prevent drug abuse

The drug called Ecstasy/MDMA is just one of several that children as young as 8th graders are abusing. Ecstasy is a human-made drug taken orally as a capsule or tablet. The short-term effects include feelings of mental stimulation, emotional warmth, enhanced sensory perception, and increased physical energy. Adverse health effects can include nausea, chills, sweating, teeth clenching, muscle cramping, and blurred vision.

If you suspect or find out your child is actually abusing this drug or is involved in any kind of drug abuse what steps can you take to help them overcome the addictions?

A family-based prevention program should include:

1. Enhanced family bonding and relationships;

2. Education for parents to learn parenting skills;

3. Developing, discussing and enforcing family policies on substance abuse;

4. Training in drug education and information.

What is family bonding?

Family bonding is the foundation of the relationship between parents and children. You can strengthen your family bonds through skills training on parent supportiveness of children, parent-child communication, and parental involvement.

One of the cornerstones for drug abuse prevention is parental monitoring and supervision. As a parent you can enhance your parenting skills with drug prevention program training.

Benefits of participating in a drug prevention program are:

• Being able to provide consistent rules and discipline for your child;

• Ability to talk to your children about drugs;

• Techniques of how to monitor your children’s activities;

• Techniques of how to get to know your children’s friends;

• Techniques of how to understand your children’s problems and concerns;

• And becoming involved in their learning.

The importance of this parent-child relationship continues through adolescence and beyond.

Below are some resources to help you find drug prevention programs:

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

• Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), DHHS Phone: 301-443-9110

• Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), DHHS

Phone: 404-639-3534

Phone: 800-311-3435 (toll-free)

• Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program

U. S. Department of Education (DoE)

Phone: 800-872-5327 (toll-free)

• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ)

Phone: 202-307-1000

• Knowledge Exchange Network, SAMHSA, DHHS

Phone: 800-789-2647 (toll-free)

• National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and

Drug Information (NCADI), SAMHSA, DHHS

Phone: 800-729-6686 (toll-free)

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, DHHS

Phone: 301-443-3860

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), NIH, DHHS

Phone: 301-443-4513

As a parent you need to educate yourself as much as possible about drug abuse, stay in touch with your children’s activities, and listen to their problems and concerns.

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