Topic : 12/19 Generation Rx

Just recently I read an article from Teen Newsweek to my classes at school.  It was an eye opener to me. I knew about huffing and inhalant abuse already. The article emphasized the danger to the body.  What my students were amazed at, and believe me I emphasized it too....was:  you can die the first time you huff, although you may use it forty, fifty times and live, you could die with the first time!  That in enough should be enough to NOT use those things. Also, "white-out" the correction fluid is one of the products that kids use.  We do not and have not allowed it for student use in our school for years.  Air dusters that people use to clean computers, keyboards, etc......major high for kids.  Have you ever felt the icy coldness that the can gets as you use it to clean?  Imagine that chemical reaction going into your lungs, brain.

I think this is such a timely topic.  The more that parents are educated on these dangers, then  maybe some of the dangers can filter down to the kids...then less kids will die from just wanting a high.  The withdrawal symptoms after they have been on these inhalants keeps them wanting another "hit".  The tremors, hallucinations, and nausea makes them want another hit to make it go away.  It is as bad to their health as other street drugs.  If we don't  help our teens, who will?

     Sure kids need a safe place to go but why do they always need to go...

Parents need to make a commitment to their children to povide them and their friends a safe environment at home.  By safe I mean a place where they feel loved and respected because

the only way to keep your kids safe is to teach them respect for themselves and each other.

My kids are all grown now but I see parents and children in my travels and most of them not only

show no respect for others but no respect for each other. Kids today are spoiled (including my grandchildren). They have too much "stuff" and too much free time and not enough responsibility. We were all put in this life to learn patience and tolerance and respect follows naturally.

I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE TITLE OF THIS SHOW.  RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN SHOPPING AT A FEW DIFFERENT STORES AND I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE VARIOUS OTC COLD AND FLU, AND SLEEPING AID BOXES  EMPLY STUFFED INTO THE BACK OF THE SHELVES. THEN I WENT TO ANOTHER "DRUG STORE" AND NEEDED TO BUY SOME MEDICINE FOR MY DAUGHTER TO HELP HER COLD AND COUGH SYMPTOMS.  AT THIS PARTICULAR STORE I WAS ASKED FOR MY BIRTH DATE (OTHER MEDICINES REQUIRE SHOWING AN I.D.)  I WAS HAPPY TO COMPLY BUT I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I KEEP SEEING EMPTY BOXES.  NOW I KNOW WHY.  I AM SORRY THAT THESE MEDICATIONS ARE SO ASSESSIBLE TO ANYONE, YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE.  WE NEED TO THINK OF IDEAS THAT WILL STOP MAKING THESE TYPES OF MEDICATIONS EASY TO OBTAIN.  USE OF SECURITY TAGS, TAPE UP THE BOXES OR MAYBE LOCK THEM UP. THIS SHOULD INCLUDE THE MEDICINES WE KEEP AT HOME.  I HAD A GIRL FRIEND WHO BECAME A FOSTER MOTHER AND THE FOSTER AGENCY REQUIRED THAT ALL MEDICATIONS INCLUDING VITAMINS BE LOCKED UP, FAR OUT OF REACH FROM THE CHILDREN.  AND COMMUNICATION WITH OUR CHILDREN AT ALL AGES IS VITAL FOR SAVING THEIR LIVES.  LET'S DO ALL WE CAN TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE GROWING FAST. 

I first learned of these "household drugs" through the film Voice of the Victims, which mentioned the dangers of canned whipped cream, cough medicine, paint, etc., while dealing primarily with drugs typically used by slightly older people -- ecstasy and the club drugs, and alcohol.

The film taught me that all the drug programs out there won't work unless you reach the kids at an emotional level.  You don't do that with fear -- kids laugh at fear! -- you do it through reaching their hearts and breaking them.  When my kids watched the stories told of four kids who suffered drug tragedies, I watched them first identify with the kids, then cry as the stories of the tragedies were told by their moms and friends.  It worked -- my daughter tells her friends about the movie, and one girl at her high school watches it every weekend before she goes out.

So if you're worried about your kid, you need to find out how to reach him/her at an emotional level.  They need to hear people they can relate to tell real stories about what happened to them from cough syrup or skittles or huffing.  Victims of these drugs do talk about it at schools, churches, etc., so keep your eyes open for that.

If you're interested in the film, go to Voice of the Victims (dot) com.

I was the one with all the "drugs" around me.  All legal from doctors.  It all started with a serious back injury thal almost crippled me.  I had two operarions to repair the damage but sad as it may be was only the beginning of a hell worse than any one could think.  After the operations the doctors told me never to gain weight so I added more drugs to my list.  Diet pills ontop of very strong pain pills.  Because I was in pain all the time, I could not sleep at night, so I added more pills to my list.  Sleeping pills.  I started by taking one a night to help me sleep, but after a while I increased the dose and later on ended up taking up to 10 sleeping pills just to fall asleep. In the morning waking up was hard.  I mannaged to hold on to my job, pretending nothing is wrong.  This went on for many years.  Being in a big city made thing easy for me to get hold of high volumes of pills.  More than one doctor and no questions asked.  I was hooked on that pills until one night trying to fall asleep and my body started shaking like some one in shock.  My heart was racing, and I felt terrible.  I believed I would not wake up the following morning and was sure I will die if I don't stop taking the pills.  I made it through the night and that morning I realised there was something else wrong in my life too.  It was'nt just taking drugs, I was unhappy in my job too.  So I went  to work and resign.  I packed my stuff and went home.  I took all my pills and flushed them down the drain.  That was the last time I ever took those damn pills that ruled my life for so long.  Later on I found out I didn't fool my husband  by hiding the pills from him.  My personality chanded after taking the pills and there were times that he would plead with me  not to take so many pills, to stop but I would'nt listen.  But that is in the past now.  I regain controll over my life.  Today I am happy and on top of it I started my own company.  I did not go for rehab and it was hard the first couple of days after I got rid of my "crutches".  This is the first time I am telling people my story.  No one can say they will never fall in the trap of drug addiction.  It does'nt matter what your choice of drug is, the first thing to do is to recognise you have a problem and then start taking back your life one day at a time.  I know, I was there and it was living hell.  It in not just teenagers using drugs.  Adults are also likely to fall in to the habit of taking stuff that may be harmfull, legal or not.  I am clean for the last 10yrs. now.  By telling my story I hope to help some one in the same situation 

I just wanted to say that I am one of these teenagers taking prescription drugs on a daily basis. I know that its wrong but it's my way of coping with the horrible things that have been happing in my life. I don't do illegal drugs (crack, coke, pot, etc) and i dont huff paint thinner or anything like that. I mostly take pain killers and large amounts of advil. Typically i can function normally while under the affects of these drugs but there have been several occasions when ive taken too much i have come down with terrible headaches lasting for days, a high fever, and have thrown-up. my parents have no clue as to whats going on. i know what i do is wrong but im addicted and i cant stop doing it. i just want everyone to hear about this from someone is experiencing it and to warn other teenagers to STAY AWAY from drugs of any kind.

  - Missy