Protecting youth from addiction requires a comprehensive developmental and family-based approach. Teaching students the dangers and realities of drug use is highly valuable and impactful for many students, but it is insufficient as a stand-alone approach. Preventing and mitigating risk factors for drug use and addiction in the maturing lives of students are at the heart of the prob

The Normalization of Weed: What We Don’t Want To See In light of our present scientific knowledge, the notion of cigarettes being viewed as a benign cultural norm appears absurd. It is puzzling to consider that our parents' generation had ashtrays in doctors' offices and designated smoking sections on airplanes. We are appalled by the marketing industry's deliberate efforts to conc

Our early education efforts regarding substance abuse and mental health are largely predicated on understanding the futility of attempting to shield children from exposure. One thing has become quite clear to us, if you don’t teach them, somebody else will. Their informal teacher certainly won’t take steps to carefully think the impact of their words through. This outlook isn’t mea

This blog features an in-depth interview with my mother about the course of addiction and the effect it had on her and her child. The goal of the interview questions was to learn from her experience. We offer the perspective of the parent who loved so much, the person whose life was warped by drugs, who believed it could never be her son, who was caught in the debris of the tornado

The traditional perception of a teacher's role as a trained educator, paper grader, curriculum designer, and role model falls drastically short. The true nature of this position is nothing short of astonishing. If job descriptions on platforms like Indeed and LinkedIn included the difficult truths of being a teacher, it's hard to imagine anyone except the most resilient individuals

We hear it all the time. Parents tell us, “This addiction and mental health material is extremely important to know as a community member and parent. We are all grateful for the prevention effort. It will help identify people in my family or community who may be struggling. But of course, I’m not worried about my son. He has his head on straight.” How could their child ever really

Addiction is a Disease/Disorder It is vital to understand that addiction is a disorder and a disease. The identification of addiction as a medical condition by well-respected medical institutions has greatly aided the treatment of addiction; however, this is extremely hard to acknowledge when feeling concerned for a loved one. Dealing with at-risk loved ones engaging in self-destru

Looking back at my childhood, it is hard to imagine what more my parents could have done to improve my resilience. My parent's love and care equipped me with the tools I needed to navigate the world with ease. They instilled in me the importance of good values and provided compelling reasons to stay away from the perils of drugs. My older brothers set an example, surrounding themse

The confusion in the eyes of these children is hard to comprehend. While the prevention message may be enlightening and informative for most students, some are faced with a much harsher truth - one that pertains not just to their friends or public figures but to their parents. For the average student, understanding the course of addiction is a valuable learning experience, shedding

Early detection is the essential and primary focus for the prevention of drug addiction. It is the most important factor in the treatment of addiction in our society. While there is a massive billion-dollar effort to improve, research, and develop treatment programming for individuals with substance use disorders, the reality remains that addiction is an unthinkably difficult disea