Kids Need Truth...And So Do We

[G M <herecomestheflood@yahoo.com>]

Sue Hovey and Phil Cooper-Thanks for responding and reconsidering my
previous point about humor and alcohol.  And thanks to others who are
responding with thoughtful posts concerning direction for and
protection of our young people.

I agree with much of what has been said here since I raised questions
about how we as a society react to the use and abuse of licit and
illicit substances.  And I especially feel strongly about providing
young people with the resources that allow them to channel their
energy positively and yes, even allow them to be cool (for those who
find that important).  I think a midnight basketball program, for
example, would be outstanding. And why is it taking so long for us to
get behind the idea of a skate park for these kids?!  Is it because
some of them (skaters) wear baggy pants?  Some swimmers wear baggy
swim trunks...

I remain committed to the notion that the most important thing we can
do with our small children and teens is be truthful with them.  That
is particularly crucial when it comes to educating them about
substance abuse.

Unfortunately, for decades now, the status quo has been to offer more
propaganda than truth when it comes to educating youth about the
consequences of using illicit substances.  At the same time we have
failed to offer effective, hard-hitting information about the use and
potential abuse of legal substances.  

Science, facts and statistics are often lost in a swirl of
catch-phrases, logos and media events when addressing illegal drugs. 
Often lost in that same popular swirl is the simple truth that if you
abuse any substance it is going to have negative consequences.

But the abuse of some substances is considerably more hazardous than
others.  

We adults all know about the devastating, costly, health effects
associated with smoking or chewing tobacco, but is that message
effectively conveyed to children?  Apparantly not.

Teens are often confronted with messages about the dangers of drinking
and driving but how many young people are adequately warned about the
long term effects of alcohol abuse:  how it literally destroys the
human body and eventually, slowly and painfully, kills the alcohol
addict?  Kids hear "Think When You Drink" (the ultimate oxymoron) but
never "Think BEFORE You Drink".  They hear "Designate a Driver" but
never "Hey, How About if None of Us Drink to the Point of Not Being
Able to Function?".  How about a billboard that presents this simple
message:  "Alcohol Is a Drug"...  

If one takes too much cocaine it can kill them.  Drink too many
cocktails and it can do exactly the same thing.

And still we insist on using that most confusing term of all "Alcohol
and Drugs", I assume because if we combined them into the
all-inclusive (and truthful) word "Drugs" too many of us would then be
using "drugs" and that would make us feel uncomfortable.

But we can't be truthful with our children until we are truthful with
ourselves.  That is our challenge.


Greg Meyer




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