Talking to kids can help us prevent drug abuse.

Chicago, like most cities, has an increasing drug abuse problem. Because of this increase, drug deaths have increased as well, 20 percent sense 2000. Drug abuse, particularly for middle and high school teens, began to slow or actually decline in 2002 after a half a decade increase, abuse of prescription drugs continues to increase. The office of National Control Policy has created Greater Alliance of Prevention System (GAPS) to help with drug abuse prevention and treatment with inner city children and their families in Chicago. Narconon Arrowhead has been delivering drug education since 2000 to help educate children and their families about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Since the program started there has been a significant reduction in alcohol and tobacco use and a decrease in marijuana use among targeted participants as measured by the Botvin Substance Abuse Inventory. No significant changes were detected among a comparison group of youth residing in the GAPS targeted community, who were not participating in the program. But still when it comes to drug and alcohol abuse many people wonder, why do some people become addicts and others don’t? Most people are uninformed about drug abuse and in the schools, principles and teachers were reluctant to admit that there were drug problems within the schools because they are afraid that they would be blamed. GAPS studies show that the friendships children form at age 11 reveal a great deal about how they will grow up. In most cases, children that are exposed to children who use alcohol or illicit drugs eventually become addicted to narcotics themselves. Kids that start abusing at an early age have a higher chance of becoming criminals.

Most adults know the truth about drugs but yet they still abuse drugs and alcohol. Adults who find themselves looking in the mirror and wondering “what happened to my dreams” can easily go back in time and remember where things started to go bad. Now a lot of adults ask themselves, “What can be done to prevent my kids from using drug?” Well you can have your kids get a job or have them join some school activities. Participating in school activities keep kids busy and decrease the chance for them to use drugs. Talk to your children about drugs; explain to them why it is bad and why it can ruin their lives. Just a little talk can save your kid’s life. Just talking to one child and making that child change his or her mind about using drugs will make a huge difference. As families grow and communities become bigger it is important for everyone to pull together to prevent drug abuse. Help us to prevent drug abuse in the world by starting in your community.

If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse and are searching for drug rehab in Chicago, call Narconon Arrowhead today. Narconon Arrowhead is one of the world’s largest and most effective inpatient drug rehabilitation and education programs with a success rate of over 70% of those who graduate. Narconon Arrowhead offers free addiction counseling, free assessments, and referrals to the residents in Chicago. To locate a Chicago drug rehab or find out information about drug abuse prevention contact Narconon Arrowhead by calling 1-800-468-6933 or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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