Why Do Children Choose To Use Drugs?
Will My Child Use Drugs?
Risk Factors

It can be scary to think that your child might use alcohol or other drugs. It may help you to know that many parents share your fears. But don't let fear hold you back. Now is the time to do something. Children are being exposed to drugs at younger ages. Some parents want to believe that their young children have never tried drugs and won't ever develop a drug problem. The facts are:

• Children are pressured to use drugs:
  
• 1 in 4 children in 4th grade say there is peer pressure to use marijuana. Almost half of 6th graders report peer pressure to drink alcohol.
• Almost half of 4th, 5th, and 6th graders say they feel pressured to smoke cigarettes.
• 1 in 4 children in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades feels pressured to use crack/cocaine.
• Children use drugs to fit in:
  
• 4 in 10 children in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades say they would begin using alcohol to fit in and feel older.
• 4 in 10 children in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades say they would use crack/cocaine to fit in and feel older.
• Some children already use drugs:
  
• 2 percent of all 12th graders Let high on marijuana every day.
• 13 percent of 8th graders and 30 percent of seniors had binged on alcohol (consumed 5 or more drinks in a row) in the 2 weeks just before the survey.
• Drugs are available to children:
  
• A recent study indicated that half of 1 lth and 12th graders said it would be easy to buy drugs at school.
• 80 percent of all 12th graders say it would be easy to get marijuana.
• Studies show that the younger a child is when he or she first uses alcohol, marijuana, or cigarettes, the more likely it is the child will have some type of drug abuse problem later in life.

• chaotic home envioroment, particularly in which parents abuse substances or suffer from mental illness;
• Ineffective parenting, especially with children with difficult temperments and coduct disorders; and
• lack of mutual attachments and nurturing.

Other risk factors relate to children interacting with other socialization agents outside of the family, specifically the school, peers, and community. Some of these risk factors are:

• inapropriate shy and aggressive behavior in the classroom;
• failure in school performance;
• poor social coping skills;
• affiliations with deviant peers or peers around deviant behaviors; and
• perceptions of approval of drug-using behaviors in the school, peer, and community enviorments.

Children care a lot about what other children think. Sometimes the desire to be popular or "cool" can lead children to do things that are dangerous. When children try to make other children do something they shouldn't like use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs, it's called negative peer pressure. Peer pressure can be positive too. Positive peer pressure is when children encourage each other to do things that are good for them, such as joining school clubs, studying for tests, or learning good ways to say "no" to negative peer pressure.

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The following points describes traits shared by children who are good at saying no to negative peer pressure. Check off all that apply to your children. Work on any that you call check off at this time so that You improve your children, chances of resisting negative peer pressure.

• Self Confident.
• Is Not often home alone.
• Likes school
• Friends don't use drugs.
• Enjoys fun and educational activities.
• Able to make decisions.
• Knows about dangers of drug use.
• Is proud to be trusted with chores and is praised for doing them well.
• Has good relationship with parents.

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