Saturday, April 5, 2008

How to Avoid Drug Rehab and Drug Addiction for Your Kids

Some parents who dabbled in drugs when they were in their teens or early twenties may hear of their own kids smoking marijuana and not be too worried about it. After all, you lived through it and it seemed relatively harmless. What you may not know is that marijuana today is far more potent than it was in the 60's and 70's - some of it packs five to 10 times the wallop it did back then. Have a look at how you felt back in the 60's when you smoked marijuana and imagine feeling five to 10 times the impact and you can see why even 'harmless' marijuana is now more addictive and is sending people to a drug rehab.

Why is marijuana so much stronger and more dangerous today? Some growers have specifically cultivated the plants that way: The percentage of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the ingredient that gives marijuana its kick, commonly known as THC, varies widely - from about 0.1% to 10%. The 0.1% variety is grown largely as hemp, the plant fibers used for clothing and other goods, while marijuana used as drugs is usually in the 1 to 2% range. However, if growers separate the male from the female plants, the energy usually used to develop the fertilized seed in female plants is redirected to the flower and resin where the THC concentration is about 10%. The flower and resin are then harvested. This is just one of the techniques growers have employed to make the marijuana on the streets stronger than it used to be, and one of the major reasons why kids these days may need drug rehab even if they're only smoking marijuana.

The second reason why it's more dangerous is because the drug culture has changed. Back in the '60s, for example, it was difficult to find a high school - especially in the suburbs - where anyone at all smoked marijuana and, even then, it was probably just one or two of the hundreds of kids going to the school.

In our schools today, kids are not only smoking marijuana, they are also using heroin, prescription drugs like OxyContin, and just about everything else you can think of. This increases the exposure: no matter what school your kids are going to, you can pretty much guarantee that they know someone who is taking drugs of one sort or another and those drugs will be offered to them. They are also likely to know at least one person whose drug addiction or abuse problem is serious enough to require drug rehab.

Why the big change? High schools, colleges, and even elementary schools are no doubt a reflection of the overall drug culture now prevalent in the U.S. Back in the '60s, kids weren't given Ritalin if they were having trouble in school, parents weren't on tranquilizers, anti-depressants, and so on - not that no one was taking them, but the numbers were relatively small compared to the 22 million needing alcohol or drug rehab today.

Our television programs were not peppered with drug ads, patients weren't requesting those drugs from their doctors - as they are often instructed to do by the ads - and doctors didn't readily prescribe them. In those days, the prescription pad was largely reserved for patients whose problems were physical - antibiotics, blood pressure or heart medications and so on - not mind-altering drugs to which people became addicted and which they need drug detox or drug rehab to quit.

If you want your kids to stay off drugs, if you don't want your kids to look at drugs as the solution to life's problems, don't compromise - even with marijuana. Also, kids whose parents educate them on the dangers of drugs are 50% less likely to take them. If you already have a kid who's into drugs of any kind, get them into a good drug rehab program fast so you can avert the dangerous consequences you read and hear about in the news every day.

Drug Court Alternative Sentencing - Stay Out of Jail and Get Free Addiction Treatment

Alternative Sentencing

Alternative sentencing is an option that many courts turn to when seeking punishment for certain crimes. Often, when the crime is drug related and non-violent, it would actually be more affordable and productive in the long term for both the offender and the community if they had treatment instead of incarceration. A prison sentence sometimes leaves people just as addicted when they get out as when they got in jail. The addiction itself is sometimes the real problem and by treating the disease itself and giving the offender skills to deal with it, it is hoped that they will not be in court again.

Non Violent Offenders

In recent years, drug courts specifically designed for nonviolent drug offenders and nonviolent crimes committed by drug users have emerged in all states to help the traditional criminal justice system - a system that is being overwhelmed by relatively minor drug offenses. Defendants can agree to participate in a drug court program and upon completion may get a reduced sentence or even dismissed charges.

The options offered and mandated by the courts can widely vary depending on the crime, the state, the judge, the defendant's history and situation. Typically, courts will offer one or a combination of probation, drug education classes, chemical dependency treatment, house arrest or mandatory drug testing. There may also be special programs in certain areas for family friendly treatment or supplemental mental health services for co-occurring diagnosis.

Getting In

Once an offender has been arrested, there are a variety of steps and procedures that they must follow. Usually, a professional psychological profile for when an offender is indicated or pre-sentencing evaluations used by law firms are necessary. Courts may have qualified expert witnesses in substance abuse or dependency. Some courts may refer an offender to treatment or one may need to find a state certified treatment program that can provide the proper documentation and support in court. Some treatment centers have established relationships with courts and can arrange individualized and structured alternative sentencing proposals.