MARIJUANA ALERT!

Find a good mental health provider to help you locate comprehensive treatment

Check your insurance coverage to see how substance abuse is provided for - don't let your coverage run out!

Follow the plan you put together with your mental health provider

Create a plan your drug-addicted (yes, we know he or she swears they're not using drugs!)
can't refuse

Don't wimp out - Being a good parent means taking a stand and sticking to it

Follow through on your plan. Be sure that your child understands that no matter how old they are - drugs are not acceptable, or

Be prepared to take care of them for the rest of your lives!

Parenting: The Now or Later challenge.

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Parents of college-age young adults

Young adult smokers

NOTE: Just for you, there appears to be a drug (marijuana dipped in embalming fluid or PCP) that has been introduced into the community that:

Is irresistible

Is cheap

Is readily available

Is thought to improve your sexuality

Is easy to hide and

Easy to use, but

Leaves you permanently (as in forever) with hallucinations (read: no job, no friends, no sex, no car)

Makes you afraid of being found, captured or hurt

Makes you angry and agitated with your parents

Makes you demanding and argumentative

Makes you afraid to leave your room

Makes you deny your own mother

Makes you think of sometimes dying

Makes you think God is talking to you - but He isn't

Makes you wonder if you're God - but you're afraid to leave your room

Step # One: Don't smoke it

Step # Two: If you did, tell your parents ALL THE TRUTH - Get help!

Recently, special drugs have been placed in black communities, especially colleges. These drugs cause what appears to be permanent psychosis. Users begin talking to themselves. They become paranoid & begin seeing things or acting like they are seeing things.

Many psychiatrists diagnose them as being either bipolar or schizophrenic.Most are not aware that it is drug induced. Actually, it doesn't matter because they still end up nonfunctional.

All children are exposed to drug users and/or sellers

They are in the rural, suburban, and urban areas

They are as young as 8 years old - and still look sweet!

Know where your children are and drop in on them unexpectedly - regularly

Look for evidence of drugs - Privacy is gained when one signs a lease and pays rent.

There is no privacy when it comes to storing illegal drugs.

Non-drug users do not hang out with drug users i.e. "I don't do it Mom and Dad. It belongs to my friend."

Promote family activities - drag everybody along or make everybody stay home and participate.

Pick up a drug test kit at your local pharmacy or grocery store and test your child if you suspect drug use. (Upon arrival home from a party is a good time to get a quick urine sample. Remove the bleach, cleanser, alcohol, mouthwash and fingernail polish remover from the bathroom or observe the "specimen collection" of your same sex child.

Join your local "Tough Love" group to gain support

Help your child find meaningful work, healthy friends, fun physical activities and a plan for their lives.

Let your child know what their strengths are, why you admire them, how much you love them.

Get advice from successful drug treatment providers, not your relatives who can't keep sober themselves.

Love yourself, pray and focus on the problem. Be determined to get it resolved.

Drastic problems require comprehensive solutions

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