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Parental substance use sends shockwaves through the lives of children, shattering their sense of safety, disrupting their development, and undermining their most basic rights. It fuels a chain reaction of vulnerability, entrenching cycles of trauma, poverty, and instability that rob children of the innocence and security they deserve. With every statistic lies the story of a child navigating fractured families, bearing invisible burdens, and longing for solace.
This urgent crisis demands unwavering focus, innovative solutions, and a collective commitment to protect and restore the futures of the youngest and most vulnerable among us.
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Adolescence is a crucial period for shaping future behaviour and habits, and unfortunately, marijuana use among teenagers remains a growing concern. Research published in the Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine sheds light on several risk and protective factors associated with adolescent marijuana use, emphasising the critical role parents and societal influences play in prevention.
The Risks of Adolescent Marijuana Use: A significant finding from the study highlights that the use of other substances, such as cigarettes, alcohol, and e-cigarettes, massively increases the likelihood of marijuana use amongst adolescents. For instance, teenagers who drink alcohol were nearly three times more likely to use marijuana, while the presence of peer influence played an even greater role. Adolescents whose friends used cannabis were a staggering 10 times more likely to become users themselves.
This underscores the profound danger of normalising substance use within social environments, especially among impressionable teenagers. Peer pressure and the desire to fit in can steer adolescents towards risky behaviours that could have long-term consequences.
Parental Guidance as a Protective Factor: Parents are the first line of defence against adolescent substance abuse. The study highlighted that parental attitudes and supervision are among the most effective protective factors against marijuana use. Adolescents with parents who strongly opposed marijuana use were far less likely to indulge in it compared to those with indifferent or ambivalent guardians.
On the other hand, lack of parental supervision and engagement was directly tied to increased substance misuse. Teens left unsupervised, or in environments with lax parental boundaries, were significantly more likely to experiment with drugs.
To prevent such scenarios, parents must ensure they are actively involved in their children’s lives. This includes setting clear rules, fostering open communication, and frequently monitoring adolescent activities. Evidence suggests that when parents spend regular, meaningful time with their children, the likelihood of risky behaviour drops substantially.
Awareness of Harm Protects Adolescents: The recognition that marijuana use causes harm is an essential protective factor. Teenagers who understand and acknowledge the risks of cannabis are far less likely to use it. This emphasises the need for education and awareness campaigns that clearly communicate the health risks of marijuana and other substances.
When society collectively champions the idea that drug use, in any form, has serious negative consequences, it reinforces a culture of prevention. Schools, communities, and parents must work together to ensure adolescents are equipped with knowledge and tools to resist external influences.
Building a Drug-Free Future: The findings of this study stand as a clear warning and call to action. Prevention begins at home, with parents leading the way. Strong parental guidance, coupled with education about the dangers of substance use, creates a robust shield against external pressures. While peer influence and normalised drug use in society remain significant risks, committed parenting can counter these threats.
Parents must strive to create supportive, structured environments that discourage the use of marijuana or any other substances. By fostering strong relationships with their children and reinforcing the value of a healthy, drug-free lifestyle, we can build stronger families and a safer future for younger generations.
If you’re a parent or community leader, take action today. The role you play could be life-changing. Together, we can protect adolescents and ensure they stay on the path to a healthier and brighter future (Source:WRD News)
Also see
- AOD Primary Prevention & Demand Reduction Priority Primer: TASKING THE NATIONAL HEALTH STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY WELL-BEING
- Why Prevention Matters and to Whom
- U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child: Article 33 – Protection from Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
- Reducing Substance Abuse Problems: Youth Abstinence Policies are Superior to Harm Reduction Policies.
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Harm Reduction in Full Flight:
A composite snapshot of interviews done by Tyler Oliveira on the impact of North American Harm Reduction Policies
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(A commentary)
The issues of children and young people who use drugs, parental drug use, and children’s involvement in the drug trade are many and extremely complex. No one paper can do justice to these complexities. But our analysis of article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) may be summarised with the following broad conclusions:
There Are Two Substantive Protections in Article 33
1. Appropriate measures, including legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as defined in the relevant international treaties. This involves not just one level of protection (i.e. primary prevention) but four:
- Reduction of initiation
- Protection of children currently using drugs (recreationally, problematically etc.)
- Protection from drug use in the family (especially parental drug use)
- Protection from drug use in the community
2. Appropriate measures, including legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to prevent the use of children in the illicit production and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as defined in the relevant international treaties.
‘Appropriateness’ frames both substantive protections and itself may be broken down into a series of five broad principles.
Appropriate measures must be:
- Read alongside the remaining articles of the CRC (in particular the General Principles)
- Read in the light of other provisions of international law which provide greater protection
- Address patterns of vulnerability including a gender perspective
- Evidence-based (i.e. not arbitrary)
- Proportionate
The ‘relevant international treaties’ play what may be called a ‘subjective’ role (describing the substances captured by the article), rather than a normative one (determining what measures are ‘appropriate’ for the purposes of article 33).
‘Relevant international treaties’, as they apply to children, must be read alongside the CRC. The relationship between the CRC and ‘other relevant treaties’ indicates that the CRC is open in terms of the larger policy paradigm adopted to ‘protect’ children or define ‘illicit’ use, production and trafficking.
200. Since the CRC was drafted we know much more about risk factors for drug use, dependence and drug related harms. We know more about what is effective and ineffective in terms of prevention, treatment and harm reduction, and which groups of children are more at risk and why. We know more about children’s involvement in the drug trade and the myriad factors contributing to this phenomenon. And we know much more about child rights-based approaches to multiple social issues. Still, not enough attention has been paid to articulating a child rights-based approach to drug policies and to the many issues children face in relation to drugs and the drug trade. This is true of the CRC Committee, governments and civil society organisations.
It is time now to take child rights more seriously in drug control, and drug control more seriously in child rights.
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Our children must be able to grow up nourished and supported in loving and caring environments. They must have time to be children with all the wonder, happiness and innocence that childhood should bring.
Over recent years the reported levels of child neglect and abuse in Australia have increased at an alarming rate. Child abuse and neglect has become an issue of national concern. Meanwhile, statutory child protection systems are struggling under the load.
Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility. Parents, communities, governments and business all have a role to play. Australia needs a shared agenda for change, with national leadership and a common goal. All Australian governments have endorsed the first National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020 and are committed to implementing the initial actions it contains. It is a long-term, national approach to help protect all Australian children.
The National Framework represents an unprecedented level of collaboration between Australian, State and Territory governments and non-government organisations to protect children. Placing children’s interests firmly at the centre of everything we do.
Reducing child abuse and neglect is not an easy task and it will take time. The National Framework provides the foundation for national reform.
(Substance use and its promotion has no place in a society seeking this best practice outcome – D.I)
- Parental 'Recreational' Substance Use – The Traumatic Ripple Effect on Children
- HARM REDUCTION – Australia’s Drug Policy Dilemma – Time for Prevention, Demand Reduction, and Recovery
- Frightening Fentanyl Fallout: The Answer is in Demand Reduction, Supply Reduction & Recovery
- How Childhood Maltreatment Fuels AOD Issues and Mental Health Crises