Nowadays, it is possible for the teenagers and young adults to get illegal chemicals in each city as well as a township in every region of England, Scotland or Wales. Studies for Britain imply that almost half the population of young people more than fifteen and less than 30 years old have had a contact with illegal chemicals. Adolescents must get reliable, sensible instruction to be able to defend themselves against the threats of drug taking. I firmly trust that the help should also be offered to those people who are supposed bring the children up and take care of them. They belong to the closest victims' environment, so they are the most competent to lend them a hand in a difficult task of coming back to reality. Each of them must understand the complex character of something that seems to be quite simple. Drug addiction is by no means an easily explained syndrome. Many various and apparently separate things combine into it. Several addictions are likely to go together and personal or social problems are likely to bring the danger closer. Those who feel isolated in normal conditions start looking for something unusual and in many cases pathological. Sometimes they come from a depraved environment and want to stay in it.
A standard, decent environment is not free of the problem either, as for sure a total number of almost two million pupils and students have had a contact with forbidden means one or more times, and there is an estimated number of 300,000 of those, who keep the contact up. Moreover, several students admit to have had drugs at school, while the parents consider school a safe area. Even information concerning their children's addiction is hardly believed, as it is unlikely for the things like that to take place just there. At school adolescents take drugs just to relax and then marijuana is the most popular. The users claim that it has a relatively safe character and is not a major health hazard. Still, numerous studies have proved that it brings temporary damages to the brain, which persist for long hours. So, instead of relax, marijuana brings temporary mental disorder. It results in slow studying, lack of concentration, worse perception and memory, which combine to school failures. Any time the teachers and parents notice the signs of a drug problem at school, they should work together to warn the children about the risks of drug addiction. I am afraid that many drug problems result from the lack of parental control, especially leaving the kids for themselves for long hours. If parents are missing in the evenings or at weekends because they work or just go out, the probability increases that children will get out of control. If a child goes to see friends, the parents take it for granted that those friends are under control. And even if they wanted to check it, sometimes it would be impossible. Anyway, young people can get out of control quite easily if they really want to and parents frequently react too late.
Adolescents are the most threatened with compulsory habits, starting from smoking and proceeding to other forms of illegal intoxication. Nicotine is their first forbidden soft drug and other experiences follow. When they take drugs for the first time, they are not aware of any threat. This is due mainly to the lack of information as there was nobody to talk to them about it seriously and in such a way as to show all the possible hazards. Those who are supposed to take care of children should be prepared for such talks and be able to present all the negative consequences of drug abuse. They should know where the children go after school and what those places are like, especially with respect to safety. Peer groups can manipulate the children more often than one could suppose. Numerous institutions help families if they face problems with drugs and parents can always turn to them.
In the UK, illicit chemical substances fall into categories A, B, or C. Class A comprises heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and LSD. Class B includes amphetamine and barbiturates. Somebody who keeps Class A drugs can be sentenced to a prison term up to seven years and fined. The prison term for class B drugs is up to five years, and class C is punished less severely. Cannabis used to be in class B until recently but it is in class C now. Those who are caught with cannabis will first be warned, then will pay a fine, eventually will be tried at the court of law. For many young people and their parents this regulation equals legalizing marijuana. If there is no clear definition of consequences, people feel free to misinterpret the law. The teenagers should be paid much attention to all their problems and if they are noticed, they will find no reason to reach for drugs. They should be informed of the dangers that drugs bring, of the health hazards and the legal aspects. Any intoxicating product should be discussed and discouraged in such a way as to show its negative qualities. Young people should also learn to choose friends in such a way as to find those who are not interested in taking drugs, drinking alcohol or smoking.
