Where do parents get up to date information about drugs

For years now, drug and alcohol education has emphasized that some of the most important messages that young people get about drugs come from their parents. I have long believed that parents ought look for teachable moments, be they articles in the newspaper, stories on TV or the radio to kick start a conversation, be that in the car, over a meal or just on a walk.

But this presupposes that you know enough about drugs to educate your kids? Do you really know how to answer your kids’ questions about drugs, or How to respond if they told you that a friend had taken drugs, would you know what to say?Part of building resilience in young people is to ensure that our children have the skills to avoid being peer pressured into taking drugs. For the answers to these and other questions please visit australia.gov.au/drugs. Above all, remember the earlier you do it the better.

A really important topic of discussion is Ecstasy, as my own son told me recently he was asked for or offered Ecstasy several times while walking to a music festival just last month. So what might be the two key messages around Ecstasy? I have been asked and I have accepted the invitation to be an online ambassador for the Federal Government's online drug information efforts.The web site suggests these key messages which I think are critical:

• Ecstasy pills are made in filthy labs, using toxic substances like battery acid and bleach.
• You really don’t know what’s in it or what it will do.

Ecstasy is the focus of a new Australian Government advertising campaign warning against the dangers of illicit drug use in Australia.
Young people are being urged to face the facts about ecstasy use, including the psychological impacts and the reality of illegal drug production labs.The Ecstasy. Face Facts campaign highlights the risks associated with ecstasy use, including that you don’t know what’s in an ecstasy pill.

The National Drugs Campaign is running again and aims to help young people understand the consequences of taking drugs, and encourage and support their decisions not to use drugs. There are a range of different treatment and support options available to someone to help them reduce and stop using illicit drugs – such as the Alcohol and Drug Information Service, counselling and self-help groups.

It is fashionable to criticize the Government but this is a useful and well thought through campaign - parents should do everything they can to get informed and this is a logical first step. Share the URL!