How drug education is failing our kids

By Max Rulff, Content Editor

In talking with previous generations, it is my understanding that teenage drug culture has grown exponentially in the past decade. Most teenagers regard recreational drug use with a large degree of casualty, and while this could create a culture of safety, it often leads to recklessness and a dismissal of the very real danger that drugs present.

The amped up use of drugs in teen spaces is, in my eyes, a symptom of our social and political climate becoming gradually more dire. More kids than ever before are involved in social issues and are facing the mental health consequences that come with it. Meanwhile, most schools across America lack reasonable mental health resources or accommodations for stressed out and struggling students beyond a pat on the back; with this being the case, the escape that mind-altering substances offer can be dangerously appealing.

Drugs such as marijuana or alcohol—or stronger substances like cocaine or LSD—are often cheaper than therapy and are easier to acquire. This ease of acquisition sweetens the deal for many, leading our friends, family, and peers to slip into addiction and dependence—almost by accident.

This is a difficult conversation to have, and I’m nervous to write about it. All of my drug education through school has been reminiscent of Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign despite attempts by teachers to show more compassion.

None of my drug education classes have offered resources for when we feel overwhelmed or are struggling with mental illness. If anything comes close to that, I remember in middle school that we would have “mindful moments” at the beginning of the day. Even so, we weren’t taught to be mindful of ourselves and our bodies in earnest; we were really just told to shut up and sit down. While I understand the fear adults hold for their children and students turning to substances—which is not only valid, but one clearly rooted in concern—the reality is that the fear and the actions that come from it fails our kids. We are not taught how to cope. We are not taught the real difficulty of saying no. We are not taught how to keep ourselves safe when we say yes. We are not given non judgemental or easy to find resources when we want to quit.

I’ve found myself learning more about the concept of harm reduction, especially in the past year or so, and it’s done wonders for both how I treat and talk to myself; additionally, it’s changed how I treat and talk to others—especially if they may be struggling. Harm reduction revolves around the idea that everyone is doing the best they can at any given moment; it isn’t our place to judge how they cope, and how they cope under no circumstances removes their innate right to love, compassion, empathy, and support.

Harm reduction can take many forms, as it’s more of an ideology than a set action plan. In some cases, it looks like carrying naloxone, which is something I do. Naloxone is a drug that reverses opioid overdoses—many street drugs are consistently laced with fentanyl, a potent opioid, so administering naloxone can be a life saver. In other cases harm reduction could look like monitoring how much you drink to make sure you don’t get to a dangerous point. Harm reduction could be not using drugs or drinking alone. Harm reduction could also be something as simple as consistently checking in on the people you love without judgment.

Teens engaging in drug use is not the delinquent activity it’s made out to be, and sweeping it under the rug does more harm than good. We as kids deserve adequate prevention and recovery resources. We deserve safe places to exist. In the meantime, we deserve compassion while we learn to navigate our own worlds.

Washington state residents can get naloxone for free by mail via the Polyclinic through this link: https://www.kelley-ross.com/polyclinic/ll/. Narcan and fentanyl test strips are also provided for free by The People’s Harm Reduction Alliance in the university district in Seattle. For more information visit http://phra.org/