All-Star Substance Free Programs

[gofriars610]

The dry policy also meant that if someone called for help for themselves or a friend due to drug/alcohol use, then that person is automatically going to be put on probation. So instead of finding the help they need, kids kept it hidden in fear of getting in trouble. People would not call for help no matter how many symptoms you could check off the WebMd list for alcohol poisoning.

That is an INSANELY dangerous policy. You'd think the school would have some kind of Good Samaritan policy to ensure that their students don't get seriously hurt...

 

[CharlotteASMom]

Drug addition is a mental illness. Drug addicts can and should be held accountable for their own actions the same as anyone else with mental illness. It does nobody any good to victimize an addict and take away their responsibility for their actions.

But the hand wringing and pearl clutching about the people that "just can't help it" is fostering an environment allowing this to continue.

I pulled both of these quotes out of your posts because they are right where I'm at with this! These excuses people make to try and justify drug use is definitely the crux of the issue.

-It's okay to use Adderral that isn't prescribed to you to lose weight or stay up all night to study?
-If it was steroids I'd understand?
-Maybe she smoked marijuana and it was laced with it?
(Not quoting exact sentences just ideas here)

The idea that some illegal drug use is acceptable in anyway is just crazy!

Would you ever tell your kid that stealing a candy bar was okay but stealing a tv was bad? Or how about teaching your kids that cheating on one answer on a test is fine just don't plagiarize a whole paper? Or even what I've actually heard from other families, go ahead and drive home if you've had one or two drinks just don't drive if you're "wasted".

We are so afraid to draw a line in the sand and say "No" that's not okay because it's not always fun to be that tough parent. The bottom line is that illegal drug use is not okay for the amazing college cheerleader or for my 15 year old high schooler or for the homeless man on the street. None of it is okay!! People need to step up and take a hard stance on this. If you are not prescribed it then don't take it. PERIOD! If you need Adderral to stay up all night for an exam then the next semester start studying several days earlier and get more sleep!!

Lastly to add, I'm no prima donna here. I get the temptation. My daughter is prescribed Vyvance and I can't tell you how many times after being up late finishing work with a big meeting happening first thing the next morning that I've thought of taking one of her pills. Would one pill hurt me? Nope! But by taking that one pill I made it okay in my mind to cross that line and it makes it much easier to cross other lines in the future.

 

[flcheermom]

I imagine she had friends that knew what was going on in her life, and it is sad that the ultimate outcome was her death. I have always wondered what leads certain people in the direction of drugs/alcohol when it seems like they have so much going for them... Everyone has struggles and pressures in life - certainly some more than others. Not everyone turns to substances. Peer pressure, boredom, curiosity, feeling of living on the edge, escape? - once you have crossed the line with certain drugs, it is a very long road to get back to how you were before, if that is even possible. So why start in the first place knowing that? Money, health, friends/family among other things that are lost. It is a choice to do drugs in the first place. I am not trying to sound harsh - I fully understand mental illness that could lead to drug use and alcoholism as both runs in my family, and I have had a family member die as a result of alcoholism. BUT not every person who turns to drugs and alcohol do so as a result of mental illness - they do so as a result of a choice -knowing that in the long run it could potentially lead to addiction, health problems and money problems. Then it becomes a cycle of addiction that they made a choice to become involved in, and "can't" get out of. My heart breaks for those that have any type of addiction - I have seen what it can do - but people have to be responsible for the choices they make when they start with drugs/alcohol. I hope there is better education and help for those that need it.

 

[Just-a-Mom]

this isn't really directed anyone in particular but the things some of you are saying prove to me you've never experienced addiction first hand, whether a close friend, family member, or even yourself. And no, I don't mean addiction like that time you didn't have your diet coke first thing in the morning which caused you a headache.

(just using your post as a jumping off point for my novel...)

I don't think this is exactly true. I assume you are referring to people like @ACEDAD and what would be me if I'd chosen to post my reaction.

I assure you, this proves NOTHING of the sort - it is highly doubtful that anyone, anywhere has not been touched by drug addiction. I know I have (and still am) - and that's why my stance is what it is.

What our reactions should prove to you is that we're older (and I'd like to think wiser) and tired of the excuses. Tired of reading things like, "Oh pressure to get good grades is so high nowadays. Pressure to do well on exams is so crazy now." Why do teenagers think pressure is more now than when we were young? I've been in college during both generations, and I can honestly say... No. Pressure in college now is nothing like it used to be. I was blown away by the amount of coddling the schools do now - and the amount of kids that don't fail when they should. Cheating? Used to get you kicked out of school right off the bat. Now it's just expected. So, to the poster that said pressure is so high now: no, it's not. It's the same or less than it's always been.

Things your generation did not invent:
Drug addiction
Pressure from parents
Faking pregnancies to keep a boy
Drug overdoses
Partying
Underage Drinking

Things your generation did invent:
Misunderstanding "drug addiction is a disease" to mean that it's ok and socially acceptable.

This is the part that's frustrating for us oldies. Yes, drug addiction is a disease. A horrible, awful one that destroys everyone it touches and everyone around them. Yes, all of us have had it touch our lives. The difference is some of us see it differently. By saying, "School is so hard! Sports are so hard! Pressure is so intense! Parents don't know or understand any of the stuff we do! Poor kids! Ooh, this is so sad. She must have been doing it for this reason or that reason" you are basically excusing the problem.

Stop condoning the behavior. I know a lot of you say you aren't, but then your whole post goes on to condone it and make excuses.

Stop excusing it. It is not OK to do drugs. Period. If someone fails to get that message and does them anyway, it's sad. But it's still not OK. Stop coming on here and posting stories about all the kids you know that do drugs. Or stop saying you don't condone drug use - looking the other way is the same as condoning when you're talking about things like HEROIN. Stop justifying it.

Sorry for the rant - but this is where our differing perspectives come from. Most of you see it as, "Oh they're so old. They don't understand what it's like NOW." And we see it as, "Oh... Been there, done ALL of that. That is NOT OK. I need these kids to see that this is not OK! Why are they acting like it's ok?"

(last note - I am completely blown away by the number of people who've said they are surprised by these findings)


ETA @flcheermom and @CharlotteASMom you both said EXACTLY what I was trying to say, perfectly!

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

That is an INSANELY dangerous policy. You'd think the school would have some kind of Good Samaritan policy to ensure that their students don't get seriously hurt...

Yes it is dangerous. I know my last year there students were trying to get the school to have the rule changed to something like that. (I think through petitions, my school isn't too transparent which was really annoying.) I don't mind the dry campus part too much, it kept the dorm parties on a late Tuesday night to an absolute minimum and it wasn't hard to drink if you were quiet. It was actually really nice. But I didn't agree with the automatic probation rule. I never heard the outcome of it but I hope the school made the right choice.

 

[InfinitiElite]

Just a few quick notes from reading through all of this that I missed last night.

1- You don't have to just shoot Heroin, you can snort it as many younger adults do (although it is prevalent among many users)
2- Cocaine does not come up as Amphetamines on a drug test. They are different chemical compounds, if she had cocaine in her system it would have showed as such.
3- Yes adderall is an amphetamine, but so is methamphetamine. NOT saying anything about the situation, just saying.

I saw a few comments back about how our drug education isn't teaching about drug interactions, and I have to say that I feel the same way. I work in Substance Abuse, and even addicts that come to our program after using for 15 years have no idea that Opiates and Alcohol don't mix. Our younger clients don't believe us a lot of the time! They accuse their therapist of saying things just to try and get them to stop drinking "and I don't have a problem with drinking."

While a lot of overdoses are just that- someone using illicit substances and overdosing, it can also happen from pure ignorance. Lets say she was taking adderall, and Xanax prescribed by her doctor- she smokes recreationally so she has THC in her system- then she tells a friend that her back is hurting her, or that her knee hurts (not presuming anything just saying) and they give her an oxycodone- that can lead to an overdose and she wouldn't even be trying. Should the person who gave her the pill have chronic pain and has a larger milligram of Oxy and not realize that he/she is giving it to someone who never takes that medication. Or maybe the first one didn't work so she took a few more, that can also lead to toxicity in her system. Now yes oxycodone would show up as just that in the labs it wouldn't show up as heroin but I am just trying to make an example of how simple it can be to overdose sometimes.

 

[Tator tots]

No, you don't but the large majority of people that OD are. People don't just start doing cocaine and heroin. You graduate to that from other drugs. Speedballing has been a killer for decades and decades but that doesn't make it ok. Heroin use is up more now than ever and this is coming from someone who survived the 70's and 80's in high school and college when drug use was thought to be at its highest.
I think the lesson learned is stay away from drugs. Don't use them to get thin, study, perform better, make yourself feel better, etc. Get help if you feel like you need to try drugs. Have someone to hold you accountable. And as parents, know what your kids are doing. Randomly drug test them if you are unsure. Keep the lines of communication open. Be vigilant. No family should have to suffer a tragic, senseless death like Dani's family.
We need to learn from this and be better...

A little confused to where you think that I said its okay.....its not abnormal.

This has been going of forever and when someone OD's, people are shocked. Junkies and drug addicts OD.....and so do recreational users.

The "Just Say No" motto isn't working now, and never has.

 

[HeatUniqueJ]

While a lot of overdoses are just that- someone using illicit substances and overdosing, it can also happen from pure ignorance. Lets say she was taking adderall, and Xanax prescribed by her doctor- she smokes recreationally so she has THC in her system- then she tells a friend that her back is hurting her, or that her knee hurts (not presuming anything just saying) and they give her an oxycodone- that can lead to an overdose and she wouldn't even be trying. Should the person who gave her the pill have chronic pain and has a larger milligram of Oxy and not realize that he/she is giving it to someone who never takes that medication. Or maybe the first one didn't work so she took a few more, that can also lead to toxicity in her system. Now yes oxycodone would show up as just that in the labs it wouldn't show up as heroin but I am just trying to make an example of how simple it can be to overdose sometimes.

While i totally agree with everything you say here i still think that a college student is old enough to consider the risk of taking several different medications at the same time. This is something my parents have always told me ever since i was a teenager. We are not very much into taking medication at all if it is not necessary, but i was always told never to mix any medication unless my doctor supervises it,never to drink when i'm on medication, and never to take any medication that i do not know but a friend is taking, no matter if it works for him/her or not. Drug abuse is also something that i was educated about from an early age on, there is one specific book every Teenager read (and i think they still read it in school) when i was around 13/14 years old, it's a Girls story how she became addicted to several kinds of drugs and in the end heroine. She is still alive but the book is pretty intense and reading it and talking about the topic really made me aware of the consequences of drug abuse. So my point is, i think a lot of it does actually have to do with education and how you are raised. And of course with what kind of person you are, some people are more unstable than others. But nevertheless i am a big big advocate of educating people about this topic.

 

[Tator tots]

I imagine she had friends that knew what was going on in her life, and it is sad that the ultimate outcome was her death. I have always wondered what leads certain people in the direction of drugs/alcohol when it seems like they have so much going for them... Everyone has struggles and pressures in life - certainly some more than others. Not everyone turns to substances. Peer pressure, boredom, curiosity, feeling of living on the edge, escape? - once you have crossed the line with certain drugs, it is a very long road to get back to how you were before, if that is even possible. So why start in the first place knowing that? Money, health, friends/family among other things that are lost. It is a choice to do drugs in the first place. I am not trying to sound harsh - I fully understand mental illness that could lead to drug use and alcoholism as both runs in my family, and I have had a family member die as a result of alcoholism. BUT not every person who turns to drugs and alcohol do so as a result of mental illness - they do so as a result of a choice -knowing that in the long run it could potentially lead to addiction, health problems and money problems. Then it becomes a cycle of addiction that they made a choice to become involved in, and "can't" get out of. My heart breaks for those that have any type of addiction - I have seen what it can do - but people have to be responsible for the choices they make when they start with drugs/alcohol. I hope there is better education and help for those that need it.

Such a thoughtful post, but I highlighted the part I'd like to address. This is correct, I would even go as far most make the choice because it seems as if it's "no big deal" and everyone is doing it. Most of these college students are well aware of what drugs and alcohol can do. They have been educated, but still choose to do it. Hell, a lot of adults today, did drugs and alcohol in their younger years, made it out alive and are living productive lives that no longer include it. I've heard it described as a rite of passage in some circles. I AM NOT SAYING ITS OKAY, just being real.

Not everyone ends up addict, though I'd be willing to bet the alcohol and drug users of yesteryear or today, have struggled with the collateral damage caused by using. There is plenty that can go horribly wrong while "partying" that have nothing to do with addiction.

 

[InfinitiElite]

While i totally agree with everything you say here i still think that a college student is old enough to consider the risk of taking several different medications at the same time. This is something my parents have always told me ever since i was a teenager. We are not very much into taking medication at all if it is not necessary, but i was always told never to mix any medication unless my doctor supervises it,never to drink when i'm on medication, and never to take any medication that i do not know but a friend is taking, no matter if it works for him/her or not. Drug abuse is also something that i was educated about from an early age on, there is one specific book every Teenager read (and i think they still read it in school) when i was around 13/14 years old, it's a Girls story how she became addicted to several kinds of drugs and in the end heroine. She is still alive but the book is pretty intense and reading it and talking about the topic really made me aware of the consequences of drug abuse. So my point is, i think a lot of it does actually have to do with education and how you are raised. And of course with what kind of person you are, some people are more unstable than others. But nevertheless i am a big big advocate of educating people about this topic.

I hope a college student is old enough to consider the risk! The fact that your parents taught you about drug interactions and medications is wonderful. But not everyone has that upbringing. I never read the book you are referring to in school and I am 29, so I don't know if that is new, but I will look into it for sure as it may be something we can have some clients read.

I can't agree more that we need more education regarding drugs, real education not just the "just say no." We need more education along the lines of "you didn't say no, but here is how you stop" kind. Or the "you didn't say no, this is what can happen to you" kind.

 

[AndrewSky]

I think what certain people fail to realize is that in every single thing we do in life, we have one of two choices: Do it, or don't.

It doesn't take away from the fact that this is an incredibly sad situation - but it also doesn't make it okay. Things need to change. The one good thing that can come out of this situation, or I am optimistically hoping that will, is people stop making excuses for things. Help people who make bad choices by steering them in the right direction and handing them consequences for their bad actions, not coddle them. Change needs to initiate and babying needs to stop.

 

[CharlotteASMom]

The ineffectiveness of the "Just Say No" campaign has been mentioned a couple times. I think the concept of it was right on meaning don't do illegal drugs EVER! However the presentation didn't relate to the actual use of drugs. We all remember the frying egg "This is your brain on drugs" commercials but kids are smart and they know that some drugs aren't like that. Not diminishing the negative impact of ANY illegal drug but it's hard to convince a teenager to not smoke pot by saying your brain will look like that fried egg if you do.

Anyway, what are some of the conversations you've all had with your kids, friends, etc. to discourage drug use that are more appropriate? With the former CP15 now soccer player I've used the athleticism side of caring for your body because you won't play as well point. I've also mentioned that many people use drugs to get through tough times in life but drugs often make you apathetic to so many other areas of life that everything gets much worse than it was in the first place. Lastly I tend to add that bottom line is that they are illegal and one arrest for them can change your life from college, to renting an apartment, to job interviews.

I'd like to know what conversations seem to have an impact for the rest of you?!?

 

[flcheermom]

Such a thoughtful post, but I highlighted the part I'd like to address. This is correct, I would even go as far most make the choice because it seems as if it's "no big deal" and everyone is doing it. Most of these college students are well aware of what drugs and alcohol can do. They have been educated, but still choose to do it. Hell, a lot of adults today, did drugs and alcohol in their younger years, made it out alive and are living productive lives that no longer include it. I've heard it described as a rite of passage in some circles. I AM NOT SAYING ITS OKAY, just being real.

Not everyone ends up addict, though I'd be willing to bet the alcohol and drug users of yesteryear or today, have struggled with the collateral damage caused by using. There is plenty that can go horribly wrong while "partying" that have nothing to do with addiction.

Thanks That was somewhat what I was getting at - is why do some feel like everyone is doing it? What is the reason some turn to substances, when others don't? - whether at college, HS, the work place - is it peer pressure, the need to fit in, feeling lonely, overwhelmed? It is a choice that has consequences whether right now or in the future. Once that decision is made, somtimes it can have fatal consequences. I am sure there are some that have experimented with drugs and realized it wasn't for them, or what they wanted to do - and luckily no harm was done. - I have 2 kids in college that feel the pressure - they haven't felt the need to turn to drugs and alcohol - because they know the realities and ramifications those choices can lead to... I went thru college, got married while in college and had my first child - and had to finish - I know pressure and financial difficulties etc. But didn't feel the need for drugs/alcohol. I know not everyone may have support, but there are other outlets available. - BUT when you have a choice of whether to participate in something that can knowingly cause you harm, and you do it anyway, you have to live with the outcome. There are still some kids in college and HS that stand up and say No - even adults I know not everyone ends up being an addict - but the door is opened when you go down that road - you won't know your tendencies towards addiction until you start - and most of the time, you become addicted before you realize and even admit it.
I have heard the horror stories about things going wrong at parties also, that have nothing to do with addiction - but again it becomes a choice to "party" and put yourself in that situation. As a society we have moved away from holding people accountable for their actions.

 

[NJ Coach]

Found this article today on CNN about pain killer addicts transitioning to heroin. Ironic is was posted today while we're having this conversation.
Unintended consequences: Painkiller pills to heroin - CNN.com

 

[Jessicaa]

While i totally agree with everything you say here i still think that a college student is old enough to consider the risk of taking several different medications at the same time. This is something my parents have always told me ever since i was a teenager. We are not very much into taking medication at all if it is not necessary, but i was always told never to mix any medication unless my doctor supervises it,never to drink when i'm on medication, and never to take any medication that i do not know but a friend is taking, no matter if it works for him/her or not. Drug abuse is also something that i was educated about from an early age on, there is one specific book every Teenager read (and i think they still read it in school) when i was around 13/14 years old, it's a Girls story how she became addicted to several kinds of drugs and in the end heroine. She is still alive but the book is pretty intense and reading it and talking about the topic really made me aware of the consequences of drug abuse. So my point is, i think a lot of it does actually have to do with education and how you are raised. And of course with what kind of person you are, some people are more unstable than others. But nevertheless i am a big big advocate of educating people about this topic.

Was it Go Ask Alice? We read that book in school and it was so awful. Def scared me at the time.