Most likely you have found DrugTestYourTeen.com because you need current, accurate information about drugs and drug use. In this information center, you can learn about possible Signs of Drug Use, what to do If Drug Use is Found by testing, and more. Information about drug tests themselves is also included here. Our Detection Times page offers useful information about how long after ingestion a drug can be detected. You might also find it useful to view our FAQ page. With our home drug tests and the information and resources you will find here, you'll have effective tools to help prevent or stop your child from using drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes.
Points to ponder...we know that drug testing at home works, and here are a few of the reasons...
There is no question that it is difficult for many parents to make the decision to start a drug testing program in their home. We hope our points don't come across a "hard sell", but this is something we are extremely passionate about because we have seen the positive results over and over. Keeping a child away from drugs may be the most important thing you ever do for them. They will thank you later.
The threat of drug testing is a risk that most kids will understand. It gives your teen an acceptable "excuse" to say no and removes the peer pressure to experiment. HELP YOUR CHILDREN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.
Be honest! Tell your child that you are concerned and want to drug test. It gives them a reason to talk to you about drugs, and provides a socially acceptable reason not to experiment with drugs- "my parents test me".
John P. Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said "If our schools and parents were to utilize recognized, successful intervention techniques, including drug testing, we would be able to identify these youth and get them the counseling and treatment they need to turn away from drug use".
Parents don't like to imagine that it could be "their child" using drugs. Studies show that while only 18% of parents believe that their teen has tried drugs, 53% of high school seniors actually admit to some drug use.
When teens and pre-teens use drugs, they will almost always deny it to their parents! Even when you discuss the possibility of drug testing, the guilty teen will say, "bring it on- I've got nothing to hide".
Every day someone's child is harmed, or even killed, by contaminated drugs or drugs laced with deadly toxins. In foreign countries where marijuana is grown, it is routinely sprayed to kill insects with highly carcinogenic DDT and other poisons. A child usually cannot understand that even "harmless" marijuana can give them cancer or cell damage.
Drinking and driving killed 17,419 people last year...
When you see the awful news stories about impaired teens hurt or killed in accidents of twisted metal, you pray, "please, not my child". Make sure your child isn't drinking by testing for alcohol use when they have been out.
The fear of getting caught and losing driving privileges is a sure deterrent.
Research shows that youth who smoke cigarettes are fourteen times more likely to try marijuana as those who don't. Getting a handle on this "gateway drug" as early as possible could be one of greatest things that you ever do for your child.
Marijuana can be addictive, and it's more addictive in young people than in adults. In fact more kids are in drug treatment for marijuana use than for all other illicit drugs combined.
Teens may object to being tested, saying that you don't "trust" them. This is understandable, but a teen that has overcome the peer pressure to use drugs should be proud and anxious to prove it to the parent.
Trust? What a parent should trust is that teens are going to make some bad decisions and it is the adults job to stop them any way they can when that bad decision can change the course of their child's life.
In this uncertain and dangerous world, it is the parents' job to protect your child until they acquire the common sense of adulthood.
"Young people tend to be very altruistic and they think they are immortal," said Tom Riley, a spokesman for the Office of National Drug Control Policy. "Telling teens something is dangerous tends not to affect their behavior".
Executives, professional athletes, truck drivers, policemen, have to prove that they are drug-free. The world your child lives in has drug testing! Why not teens?
Make it your policy "NO DRUGS" and let them prove it.
You are legally and financially responsible if your teen wrecks the car, gets arrested, needs drug rehab, or worse. It is your business if your child is using drugs
Check out the statistics...
According to NIDA "Monitoring the Future Study*
*these are teens that admitted to drug use
53 % of the teen population has tried illegal drugs.
41% of teens used illegal drugs in the past year.
25% used illegal drugs in the past 30 days.
48% of the teen population has tried marijuana.
36 % used marijuana in the past year.
21% used marijuana in the past 30 days.
78% have used alcohol.
57% have smoked cigarettes.
12% have used inhalants.
How many of these parents said "Not my kid"?
We live in a world where drugs are very prevalent. You can do a lot to help reduce the risks and lessen their chances of developing any problems with drugs. Let them know that you love them too much to let them get involved with drugs, and you will use any tool available to keep them away from drugs, including drug testing in your home. Try to make them understand how dangerous drug use really is.
In addition to a home drug testing program...
The following advice is courtesy of the anti-drug campaign...
Talk to your children and listen to them.
These are the keys to building understanding and trust in your family. The more you know about your children's lives and their concerns, the easier it will be for you to be aware of a problem before it gets too big.
Keep yourself well informed about alcohol and other drugs.
This will enable you to answer questions that your children ask and to work out your own views about drugs well before you have to discuss the issues with them. Many schools and community groups now run special drug education programs for parents. There are lots of great drug education resources on the Internet.
Make sure that your children know that you love them and will always try to be on their side, even if you don't always agree with their behavior.
They will be more willing to share their problems with you if they feel they can trust you. There is no substitute for being loved.
Negotiate some rules about acceptable behavior.
Know that as your child grows up, many rules need to be reviewed regularly and probably relaxed bit by bit. Your child is on the way to becoming an adult and needs some freedom. Let them know that by assuring you (with regular testing) that they are not succumbing to peer pressure, that you are able to allow them more freedom.
Remember that you have rights and interests too.
Being a bully never gets you anywhere, but asserting your need for information about what your child is doing, or for certain rules around the house will help to remind your teenager that you are a person too. You are legally and financially responsible for the behavior of your teen, so you have the right to get all the facts that you can.
Get to know your children's friends and the parents of their friends.
Parents can help each other by getting together to talk about their worries and by agreeing to handle some problems in the same way. Remind them that we all have to "watch each other's backs".
Set a good example.
Keep your own use of alcohol, medicines and other drugs within safe and sensible limits.
Try not to use drugs to solve other problems in the household.
This can set up a pattern that is difficult for your children to break later on.
Try to anticipate some of the situations you will have to deal with.
For example, your child telling you they have had too much to drink or have tried marijuana. Thinking about these things in advance can help you keep your head if and when they do happen and to deal with them sensibly.
21 TIPS & IDEAS TO HELP YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Get Involved
Kids who are close to their parents are least likely to engage in risky behaviors. The more involved you are in your children's lives, the more valued they'll feel, and the more likely they'll be to respond to you.
Establish "together time." Establish a regular weekly routine for doing something special with your child -- even something as simple as going out for ice cream.
Don't be afraid to ask where your kids are going, whom they'll be with and what they'll be doing. Get to know your kid's friends -- and their parents -- so you're familiar with their activities.
Try to be there after school when you child gets home. The "danger zone" for drug use is between 4 and 6pm, when no one is around Arrange flexible time at work whenever you can. If your child will be with friends, ideally they have adult supervision -- not just an older sibling.
Eat together as often as you can. Meals are a great opportunity to talk about the day's events, to unwind, reinforce, bond. Studies show that kids whose families eat together at least 5 times a week are less likely to be involved with drugs or alcohol.
Learn to Communicate
Do you know your kid's favorite music group? What's cool at school? The more you communicate, the more at ease your child will feel about discussing drugs and other sensitive issues with you.
Be absolutely clear with your kids that you don't want them using drugs. Ever. Anywhere. Don't leave room for interpretation. And talk often about the dangers and results of drug and alcohol abuse. Once or twice a year won't do it.
Be a better listener. Ask questions -- and encourage them. Paraphrase what your child is saying to you. Ask for their input about family decisions. Showing your willingness to listen will make your child feel more comfortable about opening up to you.
Give honest answers. Don't make up what you don't know; offer to find out. If asked whether you've ever taken drugs, let them know what's important: that you don't want them using drugs.
Use TV reports, anti-drug commercials, news or school discussions about drugs to help you introduce the subject in a natural, unforced way.
Don't react in a way that will cut off further discussion. If your child makes statements that challenge or shock you, turn them into a calm discussion of why your child thinks people use drugs, or whether the effort is worth the risk.
Role-play with your child and practice ways to refuse drugs and alcohol in different situations. Acknowledge how tough these moments can be.
Walk the Walk
Be a role model; the person you want your kid to be. What stronger anti-drug message is there?
Be a living, day-to-day example of your value system. Show the compassion, honesty, generosity and openness you want your child to have.
Know that there is no such thing as "do as I say, not as I do" when it comes to drugs. If you take drugs, you can't expect your child to take your advice. Seek professional help if necessary.
Examine your own behavior. If you abuse drugs or alcohol, know that your kids are inevitably going to pick up on it. Or if you laugh uproariously at a movie when someone is drunk or stoned, what message does that send to your child?
Lay Down the Law
Kids between 11-13 -- ages highly at risk for drug experimentation -- are increasingly independent. Despite their protests, they still crave structure and guidance; they want you to show them you care enough to set limits.
Create rules -- and discuss in advance the consequences of breaking them. Make your expectations clear. Don't make empty threats or let the rule-breaker off the hook. Don't impose harsh or unexpected new punishments.
Set a curfew. And enforce it strictly. Be prepared to negotiate for special occasions.
Have kids check in at regular times. Give them a phone card, change or even a pager, with clear rules for using it. (Remember, pagers are not allowed in some schools.)
Call parents whose home is to be used for a party.
Make it easy to leave a party where drugs are being used. Discuss in advance how you or another designated adult will come to pick your child up the moment he or she feels uncomfortable. Later, be prepared to talk about what happened.
Listen to your instincts. Don't be afraid to intervene if your gut reaction tells you that something is wrong.
Praise and Reward
What encourages a kid more than his or her parents' approval? The right word at the right time can strengthen the bond that helps keep your child away from drugs.
Reward good behavior consistently and immediately. Expressions of love, appreciation and thanks go a long way. Even kids who think themselves too old for hugs will appreciate a pat on the back or a special treat.
Accentuate the positive. Emphasize the things your kid's do right. Restrain the urge to be critical. Affection and respect -- making your child feel good about himself -- will reinforce good (and change bad) behavior far more successfully than embarrassment or uneasiness.
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