There is a lot in the environment that makes it difficult for kids today such as:
- More violence and gangs
- Economic pressures
- HIV and AIDS
- Changing family structures
- Easy access to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs
- Lack of good role models
- More teen pregnancies
- Many more multimedia influences
- Less security about the future
These are all factors that may contribute to the new upturn in drug abuse in this country. Some young people think that alcohol or illicit drugs will cheer them up or make them forget about problems they have.
Adults and children sometimes develop unhealthy ways of dealing with stress. How many times have we heard people say, "Boy, I could use a drink," as an antidote to stress? How many of us truly know how to deal with stress in healthy ways? Children need to learn how to deal with stress, how to make healthy decisions, and how to relax.
