Parents mostly fear that their kids will come under the influence of drugs when they are in high school. However, recent statistics revealed by various studies show that parents cannot be care free even when their children are in middle or elementary school. Instead, they are left wondering as to how their young kids got to know about drugs and how they ended up procuring them.
The Facts
According to a report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, about five percent of the children age 11 have admitted to taking drugs while about ten percent have been offered drugs. What is worse is the fact that about thirty thousand of these 11 year olds have also reported one or the other form of substance abuse in the last one year, and about five percent have admitted to have taken drugs last year, which is equal to approximately 29,950 if the entire population is taken into consideration.
Moreover, the report observed that amongst children in the age group of 11 to 15 years, about twenty eight percent have been offered drugs, and one in six of them have even taken them. These drugs are not just the simple ones like marijuana and alcohol, but more potent ones like cocaine, ecstasy and magic mushrooms. In addition to these, some children also resorted to getting high by sniffing or snorting household items like glue, white eraser liquid and thinner.
According to Mary Brett of the campaign group Cannabis Skunk Sense, children are starting to use drugs at a much younger age now, and the average age of an individual trying cannabis for the first time has come down to just 13 years. This is an alarming fact because at this age, a child’s brain is still at the development stage, and drug use can cause long term damage.
The Effects Of Drug Abuse
Drug abuse in young children has both short term and long term effects, and affects their physical health as well as personal lifestyle. In the short run, it can lead to reduced energy levels, high blood pressure, inability to think properly, and binge eating habits which in turn can lead to diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity. In addition to these harmful effects, drug abuse when started at a young age acts as a hindrance in the development of brain cells, and thus affects the IQ levels and comprehension power of children as they grow older. Some drugs also affect the body’s ability to control the temperature, and thus end up affecting the body’s immune system in the long run.
A number of lifestyle related problems are also associated with drug use in youngsters. They are seen to be prone to accidents, and committing crimes like rape, stabbing, murder and small robberies. These crimes are committed not just under the influence of drugs, but sometimes even to get access to drugs or get money to purchase them from dealers. Another major problem associated with drug abuse in teenagers is pregnancy.
In addition to the above mentioned harmful effects, drug abuse also causes withdrawal symptoms when an individual tries to get rid of the addiction. These include symptoms like vomiting, nausea, lack of sleep, loss of appetite, dizziness and high anxiety levels. Thus, it becomes extremely important to diagnose and cure drug addiction in youngsters as early as possible, either through educating them, or by sending them to rehabilitation centers. They may be young, but that is more reason they need help.
For more information contact the Narconon program today.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2253575/One-children-aged-11-15-admit-taken-drugs-cocaine.html
