Parents play key role in child drug abuse

15 November 2005

BRUSSELS — A study has revealed that parental opinions and examples play an important role in determining whether young people will start experimenting with drugs.

The message from a recent study is that parents should disapprove of drugs, shouldn’t smoke, take sleeping or sedative pills and ensure they drink alcohol in moderation.

The study was conducted by the Belgian drugs health centre De Sleutel and involved 3,000 youths aged 14-18 in East and West Flanders and the Dutch province of Zeeland.

The survey examined the use of legal and illicit drugs, but also investigated the risk and protection factors to help improve prevention policies, newspaper ‘De Standaard’ reported on Tuesday.

“Disapproval of drug use by parents is an important protection factor, especially legal drugs. And parents play an exemplary role, especially for alcohol and sleep or sedative pills,” researcher Geert Lombaert said.

The rejection of drugs by friends is also considered an important factor.

“Parents and teachers must not think too easily that talks about drugs are of no use. On the contrary,” the chief of the De Sleutel’s prevention unit, Peer van der Kreeft, said.

On the other hand, drug use by friends forms a risk factor, but Van der Kreeft denied speculation that “bad friends” lead a youth to drugs.

Instead, the study indicated if a youth wants to belong to a crowd, he or she sometimes thinks that they should use cannabis or drink alcohol.

Another finding of the survey was the better self-image a youth has, the less chance they will start using drugs.

Van der Kreeft said education and youth organisations play an important role to seek out the right tone for morale-boosting campaigns.

Subject: Belgian news, Dutch news