cannabisnews.com: Parental Control Curbs Teen Drug Use Parental Control Curbs Teen Drug Use Posted by FoM on February 21, 2001 at 22:20:43 PT By Regina Holtman and Cheryl Wetzstein Source: Washington Times "Mothers and fathers who are parents rather than pals can greatly reduce the risk of their children smoking, drinking and using drugs," said Joseph Califano, president of CASA, an umbrella national organization based at Columbia University that studies substance abuse. However, seven in 10 youths are living in households where their parents have few or no rules for their children's behavior. Teens with parents who are "hands off" and impose no restrictions on them are at four times the risk to smoke, drink or use drugs than teens living in a house with rules. Whether living with both parents or a single parent, teens are better off with "hands on" parenting, the survey says. "Parental power is the most underutilized tool in combating substance abuse," Mr. Califano said, noting that many teens now say they can get access to marijuana in a day or less. Despite the conventional wisdom that teens want their parents to give them freedom, the survey of 1,000 youths ages 12 to 17 found that teens with parents who set rules have better relationships with their parents. "Our teen-agers are giving parents permission to be parents," said Brent Coles, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, who joined Mr. Califano in releasing the survey. "It seems simple, but it's hard work to be a parent." The more times a week teens eat dinner with their parents — without the TV on — the less the children's risk of becoming substance abusers. Youths who do not eat with their parents have double the risk of using drugs than those who eat dinner as a family every night. For the sixth straight year, teens reported drugs as the greatest concern facing people their age. The majority said they were worried about how drugs could ruin their lives or cause harm. The fact that drugs are illegal concerned only 2 percent of those surveyed. Mr. Califano said he was disturbed by findings that 60 percent of high school students attend schools where drugs are used, kept or sold. Last year, 60 percent of teens said they would never use drugs. This year only 51 percent said they planned not to use drugs. Not surprisingly, the chances of teens using drugs more than doubles when they attend a school with drugs in its halls and lockers. "When parents feel as strongly about drugs as they do about asbestos, we will have drug-free schools," said Mr. Califano, former secretary of health, education and welfare. Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley called for more funding from local, state and federal governments to combat teen drug use. "This is an urgent life-and-death issue," Mr. O'Malley said. "If this is a war on drugs, then governors and Congress people need to start putting dollars in it." The CASA findings about parents fit "a lot with my observations," psychologist Sylvia Rimm said. She explained that she recently was with several dozen high school students who were asked about shock rapper Eminem's music. "I was amazed that the kids said their parents didn't have any objection to their listening to Eminem. Nobody said anything. And all I could think of was, 'Come on. There should be some noes in the world.' " Many parents have lost control of their children because they gave them too many choices — too much power — when they were small, said Mrs. Rimm, a syndicated columnist. This power isn't easily reclaimed when the children become teens, which may explain why some parents feel powerless, she said. Parenting children and teens takes different skills, said sociologist and noted teen researcher Michael D. Resnick. He believes that parents can't run the lives of their teens or the youths "will run in the other direction." However, that doesn't mean parents should be "wimpy, laissez-faire, hands off, 'Do what you want, dear,' " he said. "It means having clear expectations and boundaries and providing the rationale and reason for those boundaries, so the kids know where you are coming from and why." Parents need more support from society, said Jim Feldman, spokesman for Kids Peace: The National Center for Kids Overcoming Crisis, a nonprofit organization based in Orefield, Pa. "Parents and caretakers have a tremendous amount of power over children, and we need to empower that group of people with as many resources as we can," he said. "It's a lot easier to point fingers than it is to empower."Source: Washington Times (DC)Author: Regina Holtman and Cheryl Wetzstein, Washington TimesPublished: February 22, 2001Copyright: 2001 News World Communications, Inc.Contact: letters washtimes.comWebsite: http://www.washtimes.com/Related Article:Study Finds Teenage Drug Use Higher in U.S. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8741.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by dddd on February 22, 2001 at 23:06:27 PT M & Ms??..Candy,,right You're not alone FoM.I say Eimenem,,Eimenschmemm.As usual,that tie wearing hippie,with a sheepskin on the wall,Ethan,,has summarized the facts in a most sage and coherent manner.The only thing the concerned people who caused all the Eminem hypehave done,is wasted their time by furthering his popularity thru notoriety.The more villified anything is,the more kids will be curious to taste theforbidden fruit.These protesters,with their mostly well intentioned opinions,,should realizethat they are stupidly speaking out,under the protection of free speech,inwhat amounts to a protest of the same free speech that allows them to speakout.On the lighter side,,why dont some gay guys make a group called,"Mike & Ike",or "Good n Plenty",,,Big Hunk,,,Sugar Daddy......These groups could make gayrap that would trash heteros',,and..?dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on February 22, 2001 at 22:21:48 PT Oh Dear I guess I'm telling my age to say I don't have any idea what or who Eminem is. Just shoot me and put me out of my misery if I get much more out of touch. LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Mr. 2toes on February 22, 2001 at 22:13:27 PT I disagree seven in 10 youths are living in households where their parents have few or no rules for their children's behavior.In my house...regardless if theres a 'rule' or not, if I do something bad, my bags are packed. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Stripey on February 22, 2001 at 13:33:39 PT Personally. . . I think Eminem is a genius. His music is so much more about satiring the portion of his audience that takes his lyrics to heart, in addition to making the statements about 1st amendment rights and hypocrisy. But, the manner in which he does it brings in more people than his target audience. . . many of the people that have his CD got it just because it's this "big black monster threatening our children," and they want to see why.When these folks finally crack open the cd and take a look at the lyrics, they see the satire and the social commentary. He speads his message in any way possible, and he's doing it better than anyone else right now.On the issue, though, Why do these people need money dumped into the war on drugs when the issue being addressed here is CLEARLY that parents are the issue, not the supply, not the pushers, not the laws, the parents. . . .Maybe I don't understand English in writing anymore, but I thought this was all about parents educating kids, or even the gov't educating parents, but how in God's green earth does this relate to dumping tax dollars into a vat that gets dips for everything from military helicopters to palm grease for gouchos? Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I don't understand. I just fail to see a solid link between issues here. . . [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by anonymous coward on February 22, 2001 at 09:04:55 PT Califano spouts (Yet Another) howler Mr. Califano said he was disturbed by findings that 60 percent of high school students attend schools where drugs are used, kept or sold.Mr. Califano has a severe case of rectocranial inversion if he thinks that as many as 40% of high school students attend schools where drugs are not used.I think the fraction of high schools where drugs are unobtainable to students is probably about 0%. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Dan B on February 22, 2001 at 07:51:59 PT: I agree, Doc. I sat up last night reading all of the lyrics to Eminem's Marshall Mathers CD online, and I agree that "the lyrics are mysoginist, racist, homophobic"--although I would not say that they are without artistic merit. Frankly, I understand the lyrics similar to the way I understand Marylin Manson's lyrics I have read--as ironic statements about free speech and hypocrisy. The message of Eminem's lyrics is that he should have the right to say whatever he wants to in a free society, and he states this message time and again in no uncertain terms throughout the album. I agree, he does have that right; but I still don't like the way he expresses it.Having said that, what I really meant to say was I agree with your statement that "Whenever a parent forbids something to their teen, they only like it more." My parents forbade me and my sisters from listening to any rock music and from watching television for several years. The result: we took every opportunity we could find to sneak around behind their backs to listen to/watch what we wanted to--excellent training for future sneaking around to drink alcohol and "experiment" with other substances.While I do believe many kids need more structure, more training as to what is right and wrong, I also believe it is foolish to wait until they are teenagers before we begin to tell them "no." The teen years should be a time when we let our kids have increasing freedom. We should teach self-discipline and respect for others when they are younger, but by the teen years we should be at the point of teaching responsibility through experience. And they can't have experience without the freedom to make mistakes and to do things we don't necessarily agree with.Dan B [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on February 22, 2001 at 05:21:09 PT: Expert Knows Nothing about Adolescents "I was amazed that the kids said their parents didn't have any objection to their listening to Eminem. Nobody said anything. And all I could think of was, 'Come on. There should be some noes in the world.' "I think Eminem's music is interesting, while the lyrics are misogynist, racist, homophobic trash. We have told our kids as much. Point 1): They are bright enough to separate the music from the message. Caring parents can guide their kids to do the same.Point 2): Whenever a parent forbids something to their teen, they only like it more. I remember the thrill in 1970 of listening to Volunteers by the Jefferson Airplane at high volume singing "Up against the wall, mother****er," while my folks were in the next room clueless. Although I worried about there needing to be a revolution, I never planned to be out there throwing the first brick. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Dave in Florida on February 22, 2001 at 04:48:39 PT Let parents parent without government interference "When parents feel as strongly about drugs as they do about asbestos, we will have drug-free schools," said Mr. Califano, former secretary of health, education and welfare.What a stupid statment. When they removed asbestos in schools in new york city, the kids were at a greater risk being out of school than from the asbestos itself. Asbestos in itself is not harmfull, it is the dust that is harmfull, like when it it was used in brake pads. "This is an urgent life-and-death issue," Mr. O'Malley said. "If this is a war on drugs, then governors andCongress people need to start putting dollars in it."What have they been doing besides pouring money down a bottomless hole? 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