Drug Programs Essay, Research Paper

Children face many challenges in today’s society. There are many sorts of obstacles that students must face in their everyday lives, but one of the most important is, the use of drugs. Not only our communities are faced with this problem, but communities throughout the world. To help solve one of our most plaguing problems, there have been many programs that have developed over the years to try and solve the national drug problem. Out of many drug programs, there have been two programs that have been very beneficial in shaping the families and the communities Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) and Mothers against Misuse and Abuse. The effects of a good program or the teaching of a parent can keep children off drugs. Without the help of these two programs, the communities would be losing the ever so long lasting battle with drugs and other substances.

There are many reasons of how kids can be pressured into using and abusing drugs and alcohol. Their friends and or other groups of people pressure teens into trying a substance. They also get ideas from films, music, television, schools, gang activities, and low self-esteem. All of these pressures can lead young people to make unwise choices that can jeopardize there future and even there lives. Once a child is using, it is hard to break the habit. All of these pressures still influence the student to keep using so it makes it even harder to stop if he wants to, but there are programs to help keep children on the right path.

The D.A.R.E. program has affected children’s lives. It teaches kids what drugs are and what they do to the body before children come in contact with them. D.A.R.E. was developed by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District. Under the program, specially trained police officers conduct classroom lessons in order to teach children to make healthy decisions, overcome negative choices, and avoid all types of peer pressure that come with negative choices.

The D.A.R.E. program also comes out with new up to date facts and list to try and help parents to teach their children before a problem starts. Parents are told what to look for in order to see if there is a problem. They tell parents that a change in physical appearance and their behavior is the first step in detecting a substance problem.

Another program that educates and fights against drugs is Mothers against Misuse and Abuse (M.A.M.A.). This program was started when over a dozen mothers were concerned about the harm caused by the misuse and abuse of all drugs. The M.A.M.A. believes that parents must educate their children about drugs so they will make the right decision when the time comes.

I feel the best defense against drugs is education. The more parents educate their children the better the effects will be. This would cause kids not even to try drugs because they would know the harmful effects already. Parents need to talk top their children about drugs because if they do not, who will?

Because of these programs, there is a good out look for the future, but the fight is not over yet. These programs are set up in order to cause and prevent kids not to use drugs, but the programs can only go so far. The parents also need to do their part by educating their children about drugs. Learning about drugs should start at home first and the make its way to school. Children have many questions about drugs, and they need to find the right answers for their questions. A student cannot go that long without being informed about drugs before some asks them to try so parents must educate early. The effects of good teaching from a program or a parent might keep children off drugs, and that is what our communities want, a drug free environment. As parents teach their kids about manners, rules, sex, and morals, they should not forget to hit the most important topic drugs because no parent wants their child doing drugs or anything else illegal.