Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/72908
Easy access and legal drugs "Are drugs cool?" asks Mallet. One student says that in movies and videos, dealers are surrounded by fancy cars, beautiful women and plenty of cash. Another boy says his brother takes drugs and nothing bad happens, so why shouldn't he? A girl shares in a quiet voice that her father died from a drug overdose, so she steers clear. Others ask what the big deal is, since pot and pills are available in pharmacies before being sold on the street. INVOLVING PARENTS Encourage parents to talk to their kids about drugs and alcohol; provide resources, strategies for listening and helpful examples of parent-child dialogue. Remind parents it is illegal to provide alcohol; they could get in trouble with the law for "contributing to a minor." Educate parents about symptoms of substance abuse — especially how it can impact brain development of adolescents. 10 California Educator June/July 2012 says Greg Murphy, who teaches at Sober School, a school for students in recovery in San Luis Obispo. "Seeing a package of heroin on a table might make kids feel fear- ful, and there could be consequences that could ruin their lives. But if they see a bottle of pills, those worries don't come to mind, even though Vicodin and OxyCon- tin are powerful opiates and highly addictive. They think it's OK because it can be obtained legally. able with a prescription, it doesn't mean they are safe. Michael Jackson and Brittany Murphy died from pre- scription drugs, she points out. "Prescription drugs seem cleaner and safer. Students don't think they are putting themselves in harm's way," Mallet notes that even though some drugs are avail- kids have access to medical marijuana from friends and relatives, they no longer see it as a street drug. They see it as pharmaceutical. The same attitude pertains to pot, he says. "Now that " society that it is normal for students to experiment with drugs and alcohol, reports the National Center on Addic- tion and Substance Abuse (CASA). It is considered a rite Students receive mixed messages from parents and " Students demonstrate how neurotransmitters work.