Kids and Drugs – What Parents Need to Know

As the parents of children growing up in today’s society, you may be alarmed to read about the statistics dealing with drug abuse among kids. While many of these adults are familiar with the older drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, the newer ones may be confusing. The following is a brief explanation of some of these “New Age” drugs and the symptoms to look for if your children may begin abusing them.

One of the drugs that you may have heard of is “ecstasy,” which is the street name for MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine). This drug causes hallucinations and also acts as a stimulant. Used by many children much in the way that people used LSD in the sixties, the effects of using MDMA are much the same as those caused by amphetamines and cocaine. These include sleeplessness, confusion, depression, anxiety, paranoia, and drug cravings. It also causes muscle tension, profuse sweating, and an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Usually found in a white pill form, this drug is also known as “Adam” and “XTC.” If you suspect that your child is taking “ecstasy,” you should talk to him and explain the dangers involved in using this particular drug. If a user ceases to abuse MDMA, there are no withdrawal symptoms that are known to accompany some other substances.

While many parents know what cocaine is, many do not realize that crack is also a form of this drug. Powdered cocaine is mixed with water and baking soda and heat is applied, leaving a rock of purified cocaine. This crack rock is then smoked, giving a more intense “buzz” than regular cocaine can give. Due to the activity of smoking as compare to snorting this drug, the effects of crack last for a much shorter amount of time.

The symptoms of crack use are much the same as they are for regular cocaine. These side effects include hyperactivity, increased heart rate, and higher blood pressure. Due to cocaine’s effect on the appetite, excessive use can lead to serious malnutrition and a substantial weight loss. Long term or large quantity use can lead to a heart attack, stroke, seizures, respiratory failure, and even death. As the addiction to crack is mostly psychological, there are no physical withdrawal symptoms when the user quits.

Prescription drug abuse is also becoming a growing problem among America’s youth. One such drug is oxycontin, a pill that is used as a painkiller. Also known as “hillbilly heroin,” young people tend to smash the capsules, allowing them to snort or swallow a more potent dosage of the drug than the time-released capsule will allow. The resulting “high” is compared to the buzz that people receive when doing heroin, thus the nickname. Many drug centers are reporting large numbers of cases of oxycontin addiction in young people, many of which had no legal prescription for the drug.

The symptoms of this drug include euphoria and may be accompanied by stomach and bowel problems. It can also cause respiratory problems and organ failure when used over a long period of time. When a long time user is taking off the medication, they will experience withdrawal symptoms similar to those of other addictive drugs, such as heroin. If you think that your child is abusing oxycontin, you should confront him immediately. If he experiences withdrawal symptoms, you should seek medical help as he may become very ill and disoriented.

These are just a few of the many drugs that seem to be becoming a problem with today’s youth. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s possible drug usage, you should talk to a doctor or other health professional to make sure that you have all the information that you will need to help your child overcome his drug dependency.

Marijuana Addiction and Withdrawal. What Parents Need to Know

Marijuana is addictive, it can limit your potential, increase your risks for a number of psychiatric disorders, and there is a withdrawal syndrome associated with the drug.

Marijuana today is not what it was even a couple of decades ago, and parents may be underestimating the threat that marijuana poses to today’s teens.

The potency of marijuana has increased many-fold in the last couple of decades alone, and it is as much as 6 times as strong as the marijuana of the 60’s and 70’s. With increased potency unfortunately comes an increased risk for social and health problems and addiction, and with addiction, the inevitable need to detox off of the drug.

Addictions professionals now recognize marijuana as an addictive drug, and there is a documented syndrome of withdrawal symptoms that occur when marijuana addicts try to break free from their habit. The intensity of these marijuana withdrawal symptoms may not be as great as with drugs like heroin, and they may not be as dangerous as a detox off of alcohol; but they are real, they are unpleasant, and they do pose a threat to recovery.

What are the symptoms of marijuana withdrawal?

Marijuana withdrawal symptoms can include insomnia, irritability, aggression, nausea, a lack of appetite, headaches and very strong cravings for the drug. So strong are the cravings and so uncomfortable are the withdrawal symptoms, that many people cannot get past the initial few days of intense withdrawal, and use marijuana again if only to make the symptoms of withdrawal go away.

Marijuana abuse and addiction is the number one reason for a teen entry into drug treatment or drug rehab, and so strong is today’s pot, that many thousands of kids have developed addictions strong enough to require residential treatment, and untold more thousands have developed as yet untreated addictions.

Heavy marijuana use brings an increased risk of present and future psychiatric problems, including depression, anxiety and psychosis, is linked to certain cancers, is linked to developmental delays, and is strongly and negatively linked to academic performance.

How to beat an addiction to marijuana

The reality is that an occasional joint is very unlikely to do much damage, and many people can use marijuana recreationally at this occasional level. But when recreational use becomes regular abuse, and possibly addiction, the detrimental impacts of marijuana on quality of life and potential become very evident( The problems of marijuana addiction).

Many thousands of kids (and adults) need drug treatment each year for assistance bettering an addiction to marijuana, if someone you love is having difficulty reducing their usage or quitting altogether, there are programs and therapies available, and these can be very helpful for anyone committed to quitting.

It is not unusual for anyone to need professional help when dealing with an addiction, and with marijuana addiction, as with any dependency, it is unlikely to go away on its own; and the sooner it’s dealt with, the better the ultimate prognosis.