Drug Free Faith-Based Program
Children, Teens and Young Adults under the influence of drugs can mask the use - even in a faith related atmosphere.
While it is important for moms and dads to do all they can to warn their children about the trap of teen substance abuse, there are situations where a son or daughter will make foolish choices that lead quickly down the path of addiction. For example:
Phil and Brenda Fisher were good parents who raised their son Steve in a Christian home. Shortly after his fifteenth birthday, Steve didn't seem to be himself. Phil assumed that Steve was struggling with the normal changes of adolescence. Steve continually shrugged off his father's attempts to get him to open up and talk about what was happening in his life. Because they knew that Steve, like all other teenagers, wasn't immune from the pressure to experiment with drugs and alcohol, they made themselves aware of the warning signs.
After confronting Steve with hard facts, he admitted to a growing dependence on marijuana. They were able to get Steve help and love him back to health. Ignorance to the warning signs would have been disastrous.
Like the Fishers, every Christian parent, minister and church member should be aware of potential teen substance abuse warning signs. A combination of several signs warrants immediate attention. Ignorance to the warning signs may become disastrous. Parents may not realize just how available illicit drugs are to children or may not realize just how young children are when they begin to experiment with alcohol and drugs. Statistics can be sobering, and can alert parents to having the need to communicate with children more about the dangers of substance abuse to help develop strategies to cope with peer pressure. But if faith-serving parents deny having a problem living within their household, they soon do children an injustice.
In 2000 approximately 13 percent of youths aged 12 to 17 reported past month use of cigarettes, and more than 4 percent reported smoking daily during the past month. These percentages translate to approximately 3 million past month smokers, including almost 1 million daily smokers among youths. In 2000, more than 2 million youths aged 12 to 17 reported using inhalants at least once in their lifetime.
Across the country, teens and young adults enjoy all-night dance parties known as "raves" and increasingly encounter more than just music. Dangerous substances known collectively as club drugs-including Ecstasy, GHB, and Rohypnol-are gaining popularity. These drugs aren't "fun drugs" - they are "club drugs".
Let's stop our children before they make foolish decisions - Test for Love!