Notes from lecture given Dr. Des Corrigan, Senior
Lecturer in School of Pharmacy, Trinity College.
Parents can help their children stay clear of
drugs by helping reduce the supply. This involves
knowing that friends are the main source of drugs
and that they are most usually obtained at the
house of a friend. The key message for parents is:
know who your children’s friends are and network
with their parents to minimise the “free gaff”
syndrome.
Parents need to know that drugs are harmful in
different ways and that one need not be addicted
to be harmed by a given drug. Armed with this
knowledge, parents can give advise about drugs but
they need to be credible. ie “do as I do not as I
say”
Parents need to ask themselves about the signals
they send out if they collude with their son or
daughter in obtaining fake ID so as to get into
certain discos.
Most young people do not use illegal drugs but
many use alcohol.
Parents have an opportunity to highlight the risks
of binge drinking and of drunkenness and can
highlight just how stupid drunks are in appearance
and behaviour. Young people need to have their
self-esteem boosted regularly so that they realise
that they don’t need
Chemicals to enjoy life, that they don’t need to
get stoned, buckled, wasted, or whatever to enjoy
a rock concert.
Parents are vital in accentuating the positive.
Boredom is another key risk factor for drug use so
the message is to promote healthy leisure and
recreation alternatives that make adolescents feel
good about themselves.
If parents suspect that their son or daughter may
be involved, in drugtaking
(if there are extreme forms of teenage behaviour,
mood swings, rebellion, loss of interest in
school, sport or friends) then they should seek
help from the Health Services, drugs counsellors
or from organisations such as CAD(tel. 6792681)
which has a wealth of experience in helping
parents deal with this situation.
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