Will Drug Testing Help Resist Peer Pressure?

                                                                                         

There are parents and schools all over the country doing drug testing. Some of the kids see it as an imposition, others welcome it. There’s no question that they’re going to be offered drugs, and many students – in grade school, high school, and colleges or universities – don’t want to take them. But they’re pressured to do so and made to feel like they’re not cool if they don’t.

Drug testing gives them one more reason to say no. Instead of refusing on the grounds that it’s not good for them, or they just ‘don’t do drugs’, they also have the option of saying “Are you crazy!? What about the drug testing? That’s just stupid.”

It gives them a chance to say no while making them actually look cooler than the guy offering the drugs.

This might seem like the long way around. Why not just say no? While many adults may not have a problem with being different – and may even welcome the opportunity – most kids and young adults aren’t up to it. Their social life often revolves around school, or people they know from school, and their acceptance into that group.

However, drug testing is by no means the only action necessary. A prerequisite to saying no to drugs is wanting to say no. Drug testing might scare someone into not taking drugs at times, but they may well take them when they know testing won’t be done. On spring break, during the summer or on other lengthy holidays, for example; they know that whatever drugs they take will be out of their system by the time they could be tested again.

By then, it may be too late. If someone takes drugs all summer, there’s a good chance they’ll be addicted, or worse, well before autumn.

Another problem with relying on drug testing is that it often doesn’t include prescription drugs – painkillers, sedatives, tranquilizers, stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall (used as ‘study drugs’ in college, and very popular). Pills are now the drugs of choice for many young people and prescription drug addiction and abuse is rampant. Any testing that doesn’t include prescription drugs is going to miss the boat completely.

How do you get your son or daughter to want to say no? Education is a big factor. They have to understand drugs, what they are, and what they’ll do to them. A strong and loving family life is also vitally important, as is involvement in activities they love that don’t involve drugs.

But no one is immune to the drug addiction or abuse; there are no guarantees.

If you think your son or daughter is already taking drugs, get them help through an addiction treatment center immediately. A good drug rehab program will get down to the bottom of why they’re taking drugs and help them resolve it. If you’re lucky enough to not have that problem, get busy with the education, drug testing, helping your kids build a life with purpose and strengthening the family right now.

About the author:
Gloria MacTaggart is a freelance writer that contributes articles on health.

info@drugrehabreferral.com

http://www.drugrehabreferral.com


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