How easy is it for teens to get drugs

How easy is it for teens to get drugs?  It’s a lot easier than parents think.  For a number of years now, teens have been reporting that it is easier to get a bunch of prescription pills than to get alcohol.  With the emergence of new synthetic drugs like Spice, K2 and others, at places as accessible as convenience stores or online, the trend is not going to slow down.  Recently in the news,   law enforcement officials in Florida teamed up with the Drug Enforcement Administration to put an end to these artificial drugs.

How easy is it for teens to get drugs?

As with all things, when there is a demand for something, supply will meet that demand.  For youth, who see high risk behaviors as merely new forms of entertainment, getting drugs becomes easier as the market and supply of drugs grows.  From bath salts, to artificial drugs, to prescription pills in the medicine cabinet, the problem is epidemic.  Teenagers will tell you that it is easy to get drugs because they are everywhere.  So where are they?  It’s not solely with some “drug dealer” on the street corner.  They can be found:

• In the medicine cabinet at home
• At a neighbors house
• Online
• A friend of a friend
• At schools
• At parties

Years ago, when drugs were not as prevalent, the access was far more limited.  But in this current culture, drugs are increasingly the norm and this makes it easy for teens to get drugs.  From smoking marijuana to experimenting with pills and trying ecstasy, the consequences of this form of entertainment is highly addictive.  This means as parents, the message of drugs don’t work, is not working!  If drugs have become easier to obtain and are part of the culture, then the warnings of what drugs can to do you have been ignored.
If you are concerned that your son or daughter has made some bad choices, do not be afraid of any past mistakes you may have made to deal with what is going on.  Some common warning signs that your child may be using drugs are:

• Mood swings
• Violations of curfew and other family rules
• Rigid negative attitude, argumentative, highly defensive
• Change in eating habits and sleep patterns
• Decline in attendance or performance at school
• Losing interest in school, sports or other activities that used to be important
• Uncharacteristic withdrawal from family and positive friends
• Heightened secrecy about new friends, whereabouts or possessions
• Missing money, jewelry and valuables from the house