Drug Education in Schools

There have been a wide variety of different substances that have been huge issues throughout the years. As time has gone on, a substance will rise into prominence, and then begin to decline further down the road. There has been one group being affected by various substances that are especially detrimental; that group being the younger generation. Many kids that are still in school have been experimenting with substances, or even falling into addiction around our nation. This has risen a largely vital question of: how do we help to curb this issue? That is a question which is largely answered through drug education in schools, being that virtually all of these kids will pass through the school system.

The Value of Drug Education in Schools and Prevention Programs

There are many that may argue that the prevention and drug education in schools system does not really do much, but that is quite far from the truth. The reality is that schools are in an ideal position for these types of programs. Not only do they systematically reach a large portion of the youth, but they also are able to educate them early on before they encounter many situations or substances, and they can offer a wide array of different prevention and education programs. While it is ideal and vital that parents also play a role in educating their children on the use of drugs and alcohol, schools can offer much more comprehensive and formatted programs for this purpose. Integrating these types of programs into the curriculum is a vital necessity, as it provides a thorough indoctrination on the dangers of substances to a wide range of kids.

The reality is that far too many children continue to struggle with drug and alcohol abuse and yet it goes unnoticed. There are some who believe that the younger generation is only “experimenting,” but this often turns into long-term abuse and addiction when it is not caught and mitigated early on. Addiction education and prevention may not only stop kids from falling into this type of behavior in the first place, but it may also help those who are already in it to reach for help or stop using.

Fortunately, there are a large variety of addiction education and prevention programs that have continued to be implemented into schools.

For instance:

• D.A.R.E. – DARE stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. This program has been around for a multitude of years and is used in close to 80% of school districts around the country.
• H.O.P.E. – HOPE stands for Health and Opioid Abuse Prevention Education. This program consists of a variety of lessons, materials, and assessments to help students prevent opioid abuse.

There is a multitude of other prevention and drug education in schools programs as well. At the end of the day, it comes down to needing to educate the future leaders of our country when they are younger and before a majority of them will have run into these substances.

A large part of the issue with kids struggling with addiction is that they are afraid to reach out for help due to the stigma that surrounds it. Those who are struggling with addiction are continuously viewed as the scum of the earth and are treated with contempt. But, rather than condemning and reproving those who are struggling, including kids, they need to be offered help. Treatment is what is going to allow them to overcome their addiction and move forward with their lives. Punishment and imprisonment of struggling addicts are not and has never been a workable solution.  It simply leads to individuals who relapse shortly after they are released or finish out their punishment.

When Seeking Help with a Drug or Alcohol Addiction

Addiction can be one of the most difficult conditions for an individual to struggle with. It can completely ruin an individual’s career, education, relationships, and family life. This is why it is so vital that kids are educated upon this early on, as well as that anyone currently struggling receives the treatment that they desperately need. There are addiction treatment centers all across the country that can help individuals to break free of this hellacious condition. A large amount of facilities and options out there can often make it difficult to know what to choose.  Fortunately, New Beginnings is here to help with that problem, as our advisors are knowledgeable in the various centers and options that are out there. We can explain the offerings of centers all around the nation, as well as help, find the perfect fit in a center for you or your loved one. Do not put off a sober life any longer, give us a call today.