Teaching Children Drugs Are Bad

[Donkey]

Just had this conversation from one VT member who subsequently blocked me for being right. :rolleyes:

I say
Actually usually soda has caffeine in it which is a drug.
They say
yeh but it doesnt do any harm
jsut makes you loopy for a few mins
I say
it's still a drug.
They say
oh yeh, so why are we allowed it?
I say
What???
People consume many drugs
as medicine
In fact cannibis can be prescribed for relaxation.
They say
Why Are We Allowed Soda IF ITS A DRUG RETARD
I say
Not all drugs are bad
?????
What???
They say
Ugh
I say
How clueless are you
They say
go away

Toned that down a little.

Are children taught wrong about this, that all drugs are bad and should people be more aware that not all drugs are illegal (evidently)

Thoughts?

[theOperaGhost]

Does this person realize that tylenol is a drug? Yeah, drugs are not all bad. People need to either have more common sense, or be taught more.

[Zazu]

Obviously all drugs aren't bad. Some kids have been taught that 'drug' is a bad thing, a bad word. It isn't.

'Illegal drugs' are said to be the bad things.

[Requin]

I really really really don't care. After discussing this with you and others after you ahd that convo with someone else who we won't mention...

What do we define as a drug anyway?

[theOperaGhost]

I really really really don't care. After discussing this with you and others after you ahd that convo with someone else who we won't mention...

What do we define as a drug anyway?

A chemical compound that has an effect on the body?

[Antares]

America is over medicated in the first place.
I think that the education I have had in school has helped me and all kids realize what drugs are, how good they are, how bad they are, etc.

A drug is a drug.
I think everyone should know that but I dont think educating 5 year olds about pharmacuitcals is quite necessary either

[Atonement]

That comes down to syntax. We think of drugs as negative drugs. Drugs can be medicine, but we think of it like crack usually. Teaching Children drugs are bad, is okay. The abuse of any drug has negative effects. ABUSE. Using too much, too fast, too often, etc. Some are worse than others obviously.

[JackOfClubs]

If you abuse it, any drug is bad. But he obviously didn't get that medication is drugs. And teachers do go a little too far sometimes.....

[Camazotz]

Most illegal drugs are harmful to your health, such as cocaine. Some legal drugs are harmful your health, such as alcohol and nicotine. Obviously drugs like medicine aren't "bad", but an overuse of anything is harmful to your health.

[Bougainvillea]

lol
I think children should just be steered towards
non-caffeinated drinks.

Advising children about drugs is a positive thing.
Just give 'em the simple outline. :)

[INFERNO]

The issue here is the definition of "drug". When people say they don't want their kids to do drugs, then they can either mean the pharmacological definition of any compound that affects the body, or they can mean any compound that affects the body AND is deemed illegal and very harmful to the body. When some people say "drug", some get a negative idea of heroin, alcohol (although legal), PCP, etc... . Others get a more positive idea of insulin, penicillin, advil, etc... . Others get a neutral idea of heroin, PCP, insulin, etc... .

So the problem is getting on the same page of using the same definition of the term "drug". If one side is debating, say, a negative conotation with it and the other side is debating, say, a neutral conotation with it, then the two sides are debating two completely different things.

I was initially taught that "drugs are bad" until I soon discovered that a pharmacy sells "drugs". I was a bit shocked but then I saw it wasn't some horrible compound, it was something as basic as Advil. So my stance is to teach the neutral idea and to teach which drugs are bad and that other drugs aren't bad. I'd also advocate to teach that taking far too much and abusing any drug leads to something bad no matter if the drug in question is insulin or heroin.

[The Joker]

http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showthread.php?p=595020#post595020

It really pissed me off, enough to make me call him an idiot.

[Sage]

I say we should simply teach children what drugs do to them. Let them decide if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

[INFERNO]

I say we should simply teach children what drugs do to them. Let them decide if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

So you want to teach kids what every single drug does to them? That seems rather excessive and unrealistic because the most they may be able to do is to memorize parts of what you said but not understand it. From that, I don't see how they'll be able to properly decide.

[The Boy Genius]

No not every drug tell them. See this white powder what ever you do dont use it ect, when your a kid they dont expect you to no all drugs put know what Tylenol LSD Cocaine Methamphetamine and Marijuana and there street names so when some one says what some Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds( which is a great song) you know exactly what he is talking about and what it does.

[deadpie]

I think it's ok for schools to say drugs are bad, but they should take all the bullshit lies about some of the drugs out, expecially mary j.

[Modus Operandi]

The way most kids percieve "drug" is something bad that will hurt them.

"medicine" however, is a good thing. They just don't realize the overlapse.