Why more and more parents are practicing an active prevention policy against drugs

Today, we hear that dialogue is the best prevention, that nothing can be forced on teenagers, and that monitoring them too closely would be an outrageous violation of their privacy, which could only lead to a lasting stalemate in relationships.

Some also argue that children and teenagers should be allowed to express themselves and make their own mistakes as a way of learning about life. In many areas, this is undeniable, as no one can do certain experiments for them. On the other hand, some mistakes can have serious consequences, especially if they quickly become addictive. Drugs are the best example.

Many parents  more or less unconsciously refuse to see the danger, using their unfailing trust in their children as an excuse. But trust, too, has its limits. After all, dialogue alone often means turning a blind eye, resigning in the hope that others will solve the problem for you, and refusing to face up to your responsibilities in the name of good principles. Adolescents who start smoking tobacco or cannabis, who snort lines of cocaine before going out for the evening, or who take ecstasy to keep them going all night, will certainly not come and tell you all about it.

Of course, youth has to pass, and so do the mistakes that go with it, but are you ready to accept that your children take these kinds of risks?

Between permissiveness, invasion of privacy and failure to assist children in danger, which is the worst evil?

While it may seem "politically incorrect" to control your children closely and frequently in order to protect them, it's easy to forget that drug dealers couldn't care less about this kind of morality. They have no qualms about invading our teenagers' privacy, offering them drugs, chemical pills or medication, without the slightest regard for the lives they are destroying. That said, if parents leave the field wide open, why should they deprive themselves of doing so?

All teenagers with a drug problem have one thing in common: they will try to hide it from their parents at all costs. To keep their secret, they have no choice but to lie regularly about the places and friends they frequent, how they spend their time, and how they spend or raise their money. They become calculating and suspicious, sometimes even paranoid. They can't stop thinking they might be caught. A bit like a person on the run, they never rest, and quickly become nervous, irascible and less and less communicative.

Parents usually realize the problem at this point, when dependency has already begun to set in and behaviors have changed. It's then very difficult to reverse the trend, and many find themselves at a loss when faced with such a situation.