All must fight alcohol, drug abuse

 ALCOHOL and drug abuse among school children and other teens is becoming a contentious issue in major urban centres like Port Moresby and Lae.

Police in the capital city have reported cases of drin­king sessions by male and female students that have resulted in violence and criminal acts such as rape.

A female student died last year as a result of alcohol abuse but that tragedy has not deterred others from continuing to join in drinking binges that sometimes last a weekend.

The NCD police command has warned time and again that many teens are putting their lives in danger and their health at risk by drinking, smoking and behaving in a disorderly manner. Parents have been repeatedly urged to monitor their school children and their peer groups.

In Lae, a senior magistrate told a recent law and order workshop that while the courts would like to be sympathetic with young offenders, the law must be respected.

He warned that students under 18 years old would be prosecuted for alcohol and drug abuse. There will be no excuses for committing crimes associated with alcohol and drugs.

Lae Metropolitan Super­intendent Iven Lakatani supported the magistrate’s warning, saying police would not hesitate to arrest and charge young offenders.

This is not the first time that the police and other relevant authorities have expressed grave concerns about this issue. It certainly won’t be the last.

Parents and guardians should take heed of these warnings and ensure that their children do not endanger their lives by joining in drinking binges after school.

Research shows that alcohol and drug abuse during teen and young adult years can lead to many problems for those concerned and their families. 

Such abuse can lead to skipping school, bad grades, conflict in relationships with friends and peers and unstable family relationships. It can cause poor brain function, concentration and other areas of brain development. 

Many teenagers get in trouble with the law and end up in court, involved with police and spend time in juvenile detention. 

Teens who begin using alcohol and other drugs earlier are more likely to be heavy users and may become addicted and dependent on these substances. 

These problems have a negative impact on their personal lives, their future work life, family relationships, friendships and overall health.

Teens copy what they see the adults in their lives doing and will use alcohol and drugs to feel more grown up or to rebel against adults. Therefore, it is helpful for parents to give clear messages about the potential dangers and pair those messages with rules and consequences that are firm but fair. 

Research shows that there are a number of risk factors that make a teen more likely to have problems with alcohol and drug abuse in the future. These include individual, family, and community risk factors. 

Individual risk factors include being male, having an untreated mental health issue, having low self-esteem, poor grades in school, and poor social and coping skills. 

Family risk factors include family history of alcohol and drug abuse, poor modelling by parents, chaos at home, and poor communication between parents and children. 

Community risk factors are high incidence of alcohol and drug abuse and availability of drugs. 

Research has found that factors that protect teens from alcohol and drug abuse include parents, peers, community and schools. 

Parents who model positive behaviour, have good communication skills, set limits, and supervise their teens can improve the chances that their children will avoid alcohol and drug abuse. Having friends who do not abuse alcohol and drugs helps protects kids, as does having a zero tolerance policy in the community. 

Schools help by providing after school activities, sports, teachers and coaches who are good role models, and quality education.

Indeed, alcohol and drugs abuse requires the total commitment and concerted efforts of parents, schools and the community to drastically reduce its harmful and even deadly effects on our young generation now and in the future.