What’s one of the surest ways to give your children a brighter future?
Keep them away from drugs and alcohol.
Ninety percent of all addiction occurs because of what happens during the teen years, according to the Partnership For a Drug Free America.
That’s the statistic parents really need to hear, says Debbie Moak, director of the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family. Her office works with nonprofit groups and coalitions on funding and strategies to solve community problems like domestic violence and substance abuse.
“If you get the teen years right, you can win,” said Moak, who is also a mom to two grown sons.
While it’s not always easy to talk with teens, the time and effort invested now is much easier than a lifetime of addiction.
Parents need to talk with their children often, Moak said. “I think we need to be open, but at the same time age appropriate,” she said. “Make sure the conversations stay focused on the kid. Don’t let it be focused on what you did and didn’t do.”
She found it helpful to talk with her children by hanging out with them late at night.
“As a mom who’s been down this path, I just find it to be true,” Moak said. “Kids are often more open late at night. We tend to get more information by just hanging out. Make sure it’s a two-way conversation, not a lecture. Too often, kids tell us something and we blow up or react in fear and it shuts the conversation down. We have to be able to hold a two-way conversation.”
Moak suggests using examples of family members or friends who struggle with addiction. “I think real stories can really resonate,” Moak said.
COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION AS PREVENTION
Jamal Givens, director of prevention and wellness for CODAC Behavioral Health Services, agrees that parents need to have frequent conversations with expectations and consequences laid out before there’s a problem.
Because the average age of Arizona children who start using drugs and drinking is 13, those chats need to start as early as third grade, Givens said.
“Going from fifth to sixth grade is a transitional period and that’s when you begin to see youth having the opportunity to use and more going on in their lives,” Givens said. “They find themselves more stressed out, dealing with older youth on campus exposing them to new things, so building that resiliency before you get to that point is a good thing to do.”
It doesn’t help that drug use is often glorified on social media and television shows, while the negative effects are not shown, said Givens, who recommends talking about those consequences.
Research shows that children who have clear expectations set before them and good parental influence are less likely to use drugs.
“Most teens who do not use tobacco or illegal drugs credit their parents as a major factor in that decision,” said Diana Jimenez-Young, program director at Child & Family Resources.
“We encourage parents to talk to teens about the risks and harm of drugs and alcohol use and misuse,” she said.
“If parents show a strong disapproval for use, youth are less likely to use,” she said, adding that the more facts teens have about drugs and alcohol, the more informed choices they make.
Marijuana isn’t harmless
With prescription drugs, marijuana and alcohol readily available, substance abuse is a growing problem among Arizona’s youth. Parents should educate themselves as to what drugs are available so they are aware of what the children are exposed to, Moak said.
“Sadly, people believe that (marijuana) is not an issue, but I’m here to tell you it is a gateway for far too many kids because exposure to substances at early ages effects the brain and it does change the brain,” Moak said.
“And, it’s not the same pot of years ago. Whereas years ago, it was probably 3 percent THC, today they’re using things like butane hash oil dabbing. Those substances can super charge your pot to be 85 to 90 percent THC. So we are fooling ourselves if we believe there’s going to be good outcomes with youths using pot.”
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects.
SUBSTANCE USE IN PIMA COUNTY
Researchers queried more than 48,000 students statewide in grades eight, 10 and 12, including 2,500 in Pima County, on substance abuse as part of the 2014 Arizona Youth Survey.
The results shed some light on how substance abuse takes hold. The survey found that youth under the age of 15 who start using drugs are more likely to later abuse drugs, while youth who start at a later age are more likely to have “lower drug involvement and a greater probability of discontinuation of use.”
More than 40 percent of the high school seniors reported that they had consumed alcohol in the last 30 days, more than 20 percent had used marijuana and around 10 percent had used prescription drugs. Those numbers were twice as high as eighth graders surveyed and all saw a slight increase over the 2012 survey.
Pima County’s numbers were slightly higher across the board than the state average.
“Alcohol is the most used drug in Pima County, with marijuana being second,” said Sal Calabrese, probation supervisor at Pima County Juvenile Court. “The kids we see in drug court are very hard core users. They have various issues with drugs. Some are binge drinkers, others are basically marijuana smokers. Then we have others who use opiates, meth, cocaine, kids who abuse cold medicine. They generally start at age 11 for the kids that use hardcore.”
Court records show that of the 8,160 referrals made to Pima County Juvenile Court last year, 1,327 were for drug-related offenses. Of the 611 juveniles given probation last year, 40 percent were ordered into substance abuse treatment; 65 percent of those were adjudicated on at least one drug-related offense.
RISK FACTORS Versus PROTECTIVE FACTORS
There are many factors — community, family, school and peers — that influence the likelihood that a teen will abuse drugs or alcohol.
Children raised to feel they are a valued part of the family, have meaningful opportunities to participate in family responsibilities and receive praise and encouragement for a job well done, are less likely to use.
Meanwhile, children raised in families high in conflict, or whose parents use illegal drugs or are heavy users of alcohol are more likely to have substance abuse problems. That’s also true of children who are not provided with clear expectations of how they should behave.
“The reality of peer pressure is that often youth are more likely to use drugs and alcohol as a way to fit in or often turn to drugs and alcohol to overcome challenges and stressors going on in their lives,” said Jimenez-Young. “Substance use becomes the solution to their problems.”
Again, parents should start early to teach coping skills and the ability to self soothe to handle boredom and pressure, Moak said, noting that “kids who have developed self esteem and coping skills can manage life’s stressors and disappointments.”
Teaching teens refusal skills and ways to redirect the conversation when offered substances can go a long way, Givens said.
“Say my best friend is saying ‘Let’s skip school and go drink behind Circle K,’” Givens said. “What I could say is ‘I know you want to do that, but you know what, there are some girls over there. Let’s talk to them instead’ or ‘I have a really cool video game. Let’s go do that after school.’ If they have a stronger constitution and don’t care how they are perceived they could just say ‘heck no. I’m not doing that. You’re crazy.’”
Jimenez-Young suggests practicing scenarios of someone offering drugs or alcohol and teaching them to leave the situation. “Use humor and help them to be creative while practicing a lot,” she added.
Another recommendation: Use the stories our children tell us about what other kids are doing as conversation starters.
ONE SCHOOL’S STRATEGY
As part of Red Ribbon Week — the alcohol, tobacco and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed in October — Catalina Magnet High School counselor Marie Welding put together a panel to help students to think about consequences.
“I want to draw students’ attention to drug abuse prevention and safety,” said Welding, who invited speakers from agencies that students would encounter if they were caught with illegal substances. “I want all the kids to hear that if they choose drugs this is what’s gonna happen and it won’t be a pleasant journey.”
The panel consisted of officers from Tucson Police Department, probation officers from Pima County Juvenile Court, a substance abuse counselor, a prosecutor, a victim services specialist from Mothers Against Drunk Drivers and a 24-year-old recovering addict.
Students learned about what it’s like to get arrested, along with how many drug offenses are felonies.
“If adjudicated, you could lose your driver’s license, you could lose the ability to get a college scholarship and the ability to join the military,” said Geri Yrigolla, lead probation officer at Pima County Juvenile Court during the presentation. “Keep these things in mind when making life choices.”
They also learned how substances can affect the brain.
“If you start smoking weed regularly at your age, you’re gonna lose 8 percent of your brain capacity. If you go out and binge drink because you wanna party, especially before the age of 15, you have a 42 percent chance of being a problem drinker,” said John Leggio, a substance abuse counselor at The Mark Counseling Agency. “If you waited until you were 21 you have a 9 percent chance. We used to think ‘everybody is gonna do it. You’ll grow out of it.’
“But what we’re learning about this is the drugs are getting (stronger) and you guys are the victims and you don’t grow out of it — you grow into it.”
