Brazoria County Sheriff's Department

Narcotic Division

What can I do to prevent drug abuse?

This is the most challenging question of all. Maybe you read this information hoping we would have the answer.

There is no easy answer. We do, however, have some ideas about prevention which might help.

Drug abuse prevention means helping people develop strong personal values that will reduce the chance they will hurt themselves--or others--by abusing drugs.

Drug abuse is not confined to youth, but if young people between 8 and 20 can be prevented from abusing drugs, they are less likely to have a serious drug problem when they grow older.

• Maybe you are already involved in drug abuse prevention. If not, you can become involved:
  1. As a parent, you can raise your children to be thinking, caring adults who weigh the consequences of their actions and make sound decisions about drug use. You should set reasonable but firm limits to your children's behavior and teach them responsibility for their actions.
  2. As a person who works with youth--teacher, recreation worker, scout leader--you can guide young people and help them make the difficult choices they face growing up. You should try to help them understand society's restrictions, and what is not considered acceptable behavior for the common good.
  3. As a citizen, you can get your community to offer activities which help young people develop without the need for drugs. Satisfying alternatives to experimentation with drugs are keys to drug abuse prevention.
  4. As a friend, you can be a good listener when your friend is in trouble. You should try to provide accurate and helpful information about drugs and their often dangerous effects.

It's not easy to be a good parent, to start a community program, or to be a real friend. And there are many social pressures affecting youth over which you have no control. But you can help young people discover their human potential and to realize they need not turn to drugs for excitement or to solve their problems.