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Dear Editor:
Drug use is on the rise throughout every state in the US. More kids are picking up their first drug every day and becoming addicted and, unfortunately, another statistic. One of the biggest contributing factors to today's drug problem is the lack of good, widespread drug education. Education and prevention is the first step to handling the current drug crisis as we know it and the first attempt at drug education should be done in the home. Parents should have open and honest communication with their children so that they may be more likely to talk about any problems they're having down the road. Parents should set a good example and not use drugs themselves. It's hard to tell your kids not to do drugs if you, for instance, smoke marijuana. Finally, parents need to teach their kids to face and handle their problems instead of running from them. Drugs are a "solution" to a problem for people and if children are taught to face their issues head-on, they might be less likely to look for the "easy way out" of whatever life throws at them.
For more information on how to talk to your kids about drugs, visit http://www.narconon-suncoast.org/blog/how-to-prevent-your-child-from-becoming-an-addict.html. If you are in need of a referral to a treatment center, call us at 1-888-824-1621
Jason Good
Clearwater, FL