Narconon, Schools, and teachers have been working together for years to inform teens and younger kids about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Willy Benitez, the founder of Narconon, started doing drug education since even before he started the first Narconon California center in the late sixties. Narconon has one of the best drug education programs that are available to date and the reason for this is due to the way Narconon addresses the information. Narconon has found that the easiest way to get through to a young teen or child is with the usage of humor in the drug education presentations. It has been noted that kids who receive information this way are more likely to believe the information that is presented and take it seriously. Another reason that Narconon drug education presentations are so successful is because Narconon does not use outrageous scare tactics to try to dissuade kids from using drugs. Narconon simply presents the truth about drugs, which in most cases is usually scary enough.

Teens Use of Drugs Today

Most teens these days don’t use a lot of illegal drugs. There are too many legal ones that are available that will do the trick. Prescription drug abuse and other legal drugs dominate the drug trends of the past decade. Most teens think that because these drugs are legal they are safe, which is the furthest thing from the truth. There are many prescription drugs that are just as dangerous if not more dangerous than a lot of the illegal drugs that one finds on the street. Below is a list of some of the legal drugs that kids are taking these days.

• Spice (legal designer drug that is supposed to effect the user in a way that is similar to marijuana)
• Bath salts (legal designer drug that mimics cocaine, methamphetamine or ecstasy depending on the brand)
• Hydrocodone (prescription opiate pain killer)
• Oxycodone (prescription opiate pain killer)
• Adderall (prescription ADD/ADHD medication)
• Ritalin (prescription ADD/ADHD medication)
• Xanax (benzodiazepine)
• Klonopin (benzodiazepine)

Many of the above listed drugs are very physically addictive. Most teens do not understand this fact when they try them and continue to use them. Many of them find themselves physically addicted to these drugs and many get to the point where they do not know what to do about it. The physical aspect of addictions with some of these drugs is very scary and very serious. Heroin is an illegal opiate and is very physically addictive. Oxycodone is also an opiate and the physical withdrawal from it is similar to that of heroin withdrawal. Similar but not the same; heroin withdrawal usually lasts about five days before the person will start to feel a bit better while withdrawal from Oxycodone lasts about the same amount of time but can come back full force a week later and then again another week later. Usually a person who is physically withdrawing from Oxycodone will have symptoms that are even more severe than that of a heroin addict in addition to a longer withdrawal period.

Another drug that users can become physically addicted to is any type of benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can be very uncomfortable for the person experiencing it and worse it can even lead to death. Many kids who start taking this kind of drug do not realize this because they are not getting these drugs from their doctor. People who are attempting to withdrawal from benzos need to do so under the care of their physician. Not all the drugs that are legal that kids are taking are prescription drugs.

Spice and bath salts are designer drugs that are made by chemist in a lab and sold in head shops. They are sold as incense and bath salts or plant food. Spice is supposed to be a marijuana substitute that is undetectable by drug test. It is a blend of different plants that are sprayed with a synthetic cannabinoid. Not all people who smoke spice have a reaction that is similar to marijuana however. There have been many cases of teens smoking this stuff and feeling like they were about to die as well as having delusions and hallucinations. Many a parent has had to take their child to the ER as a result of this drug.

Bath Salts or the drugs that are sold as plant food are very dangerous as well. They are very addictive and can keep the person that is using them up for days at a time without eating. These drugs are also known to cause delusions and hallucinations. All one has to do to be able to buy them is present an ID that says that they are over eighteen.

Drug Education

It is very important that anyone who has a child does the necessary research in regards to drugs and their dangers so that they will be able to pass this information on to their children. Narconon has many pamphlets that parents can request be sent to them that are helpful when talking to teens or kids about the risks of drugs. There are also educational videos available as well. Narconon is more than happy to set up drug education lectures at any school within their area and parents can request this service as well.

One of the most important things that a parent can do for their child is to warn them about the dangers of drugs and alcohol well before their child ever has a chance to use them. The line of communication that a parent opens up with their child about this topic should be open and non-judgmental so that the child can feel safe talking to their parents about these issues. When a child encounters the use of drugs around them the best people for them to turn to should be their parents. If not, they are going to get their information and experience from their peers. If you would like more information on how to speak to your children about drugs please do not hesitate in calling Narconon for information and guidance about this matter today. Narconon is one of the most successful rehabs in the country and is also one of the leading experts in drug education to date.