Teen Drug Testing Curbs Rate of Addiction, Says Project 7th Grade
Parental use of a home drug test can help curb the rise in teen drug abuse highlighted in the annual National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse released today by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. According to the CASA survey, problem parents are enabling their kids to use and abuse drugs by not monitoring their social activities, prescription drugs and addressing the problem of drugs in school.
As parents prepare to send their teens and ‘tweens back to school this fall, Project 7th Grade, a national program of notMYkid, a non-profit organization devoted to drug abuse prevention among teens, urges parents to take the CASA survey results to heart and refuse to be one of the “problem parents”. Parents can start protecting their kids by incorporating regular conversations about drug abuse into their daily routine, but parents must understand talking is not enough to protect their kids. Project 7th Grade encourages parents to introduce a drug test kit into the home. By having a home drug test kit available parents can give kids an out when they’re faced with pressure to try drugs.
“Based on our experience, typically teens have been abusing drugs for two years before parents even realize there is a problem. It is imperative that parents are aware of the potential dangers their children will likely encounter during the school year,” said Debbie Moak, co-founder of Project 7th Grade and notMYkid. “Project 7th Grade’s back to school program is dedicated to raising awareness of drug trends, such as the CASA survey, so parents realize that talking to their kids about drug abuse and prevention before heading back to school is on par with buying school supplies – both are necessary and will lay the foundation for a successful and healthy school year.”
Key findings from this year’s CASA study include:
— Almost half (46 percent) of teens say they leave their house to hang out with friends on school nights, but only 14 percent of parents say their teens do so.
— For the 13th year, drugs are the top concern among teens with 28 percent reporting that is the biggest problem they face. Only 17 percent of parents think drugs are the top teen concern.
— The number of teens who say prescription drugs are easiest to buy rose a whopping 46 percent since 2007, and for the first time teens said prescription drugs are easier to buy than beer.
In addition to raising awareness, the Project 7th Grade Back to School program also includes an online tool kit to help parents prepare and communicate with their children to ensure a safe and drug free school year. The tool kit, available at www.project7thgrade.org, includes Back to School tips for kids and parents, conversation starters, top teen drug trends and a list of common school supplies. Included on the list this year is a home drug test kit such as the First Check 12 Panel Drug Test.
Project 7th Grade offers free drug prevention training programs for parents of middle school children year round to help them begin an early dialogue with their children about the perils of substance abuse, giving parents insight on ways to prevent drug abuse and incorporating home drug testing as a part of their family drug prevention plan. Each family that attends a Project 7th Grade program receives a complimentary First Check home drug testing kit that checks for both illicit and prescription drugs.
Ongoing open and honest discussions between parents and their children can serve as a way to teach children about the dangers of drug use, help them find the best ways to turn down offers to try drugs and also give parents insights into the peer pressures that kids face at school each day.
About Project 7th Grade – Project 7th Grade is a fully-funded, innovative drug prevention program designed to reduce drug use among middle school students through education and proactive prevention. Project 7th Grade is offered to parents of middle school children through a partnership between notMYkid, a non-profit organization, and First Check Diagnostics Corp., the leading provider of home drug testing kits. Project 7th Grade works with school districts, law enforcement, community organization, and the media to bring this program to parents and communities across the country. Project 7th Grade informs parents of middle school students about today’s drug-related issues, and provides guidance about using a drug test kit as a prevention tool. At the conclusion of the presentation each family is given a complimentary First Check drug test kit. For additional information, please visit www.project7thgrade.org.
About First Check Diagnostics Corp.: First Check Diagnostics Corp., which was acquired by Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc., in January, 2007, is the nation’s leading provider of over-the-counter (OTC) home drug testing kits and consumer health diagnostic technologies. The company is committed to being the leader in providing the highest quality home diagnostic testing kits that assist people in living safer and healthier lives. First Check is a proud sponsor of Project 7th Grade, a non-profit dedicated to the prevention of teen drug abuse. For additional information, please visit www.firstcheckfamily.com.