Drugs Affecting Youth and Increase Crime

Crime is up across the board, not surprisingly drug use is also skyrocketing. Many of the dealers are targeting young children in hopes of getting them hooked early. Most of you don't actually get to see the "ugly" side of drugs from the criminal acts performed due to the dependency or addiction to drugs. An addict will do what ever it takes to get the next high including robbery, theft and murder. Have you taken the necessary steps to assure self defense and home security. Turf wars continue on the street, the vicious greed of dealers, who will kill to protect their drug area from competition. Each day we loose children to to the world of drug abuse. This is happening at a greater rate in low income, urban areas, but drug abuse and the associated crime is happening everywhere in America. If you think your community is immune, you're wrong! Last night between the hours of midnight and four in the morning, 3 murders took place in downtown New Orleans. Police report that all were drug related. The victims all under the age of 25, and the suspects are believed to be as well. As I'm writing this post, I'm also listening to our local Baton Rouge news. A rapist is on the loose in Baton Rouge, the latest victim was able to help an artiste develop a sketch and hopefully he will be off the streets soon. Victim accounts suggest this guy is a drug addict. Since the beginning of 2009, 3 local high school students are dead as a result of drug overdoses. Last year, there were 143 deaths caused by drug overdoses. A scary trend, shows youth abuse moving toward prescription drugs, seemingly replacing marijuana. Prescription drug abuse generally includes antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, adderall, and pain killers like Oxycontin. Law enforcement reports suggest an alarming return in the use of heroin as a drug of choice among our youth population. Predictors that parents and educators can key on include family history of addiction, high physical tolerance for alcohol/drugs; positive desire and cravings; how the drugs make you feel and the age at which drinking occurs. The earlier a child begins drinking, the greater risk for addiction. Pharmaceutical drug abuse can start early, with the child have previously abused other drugs, such as marijuana or alcohol. Parent/mentor education is the key here. First we have to believe a problem exists. Study current teen trends as they relate to drugs and alcohol. Now learn or figure out ways to identify, prevent, and help children exposed to such risky behaviors.