Plenty to worry about
Drug Abuse
The chairman of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University recently warned parents that they have “plenty to worry about.” He went on to say that every child will be offered drugs before graduating from high school.
According to recent trends, those drugs are most likely going to be prescription drugs or heroin. When their kids try these drugs, parents do have plenty to worry about because these drugs are highly addictive and lead to drug abuse in their future.
It looks like that school nurses are going to have to learn how to get many of their students enrolled in drug treatment.
That day is near, or perhaps already upon us.
“PROVIDENCE — Iveless Marte moved to Rhode Island from the Dominican Republic just six months ago. But she’s so worried her teenage children will encounter drugs and violence in Providence’s public schools that she may move back.
Melissa Randall shares her concerns. She recently moved from East Providence to Providence, where her son goes to Central High School.
“The urban schools are more involved with drugs and alcohol,” she said. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Seventeen is a tough age. There’s a lot of peer pressure.”
The two women joined nearly 170 parents and others at Saturday’s Spring Parent Conference at the Providence Career & Technical Academy.
Parents have plenty to worry about, said Joseph A. Califano Jr., the founder and chairman of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and keynote speaker at Saturday’s event.
Every kid in our country, sadly, is going to be offered drugs before graduating from high school.”