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Methamphetamine – Decoder - Breaking down teen culture, substance abuse, and parenting

How Can We Protect Our Children?

Feb 26, 2008 by David Sheff | Categories Addiction, Advice, Alcohol, Drugs, Methamphetamine, Prescription Medicine/Rx Drugs

When I was a child, my images of drug addicts and alcoholics came from TV and movies. My young children, Daisy and Jasper, have grown up with a different picture of addiction: their big brother’s.

I’ve written about Nic, my eldest son, in a book called Beautiful Boy. Nic was addicted to methamphetamine and used many other drugs: heroine, cocaine, ecstasy, and other pills. Nic also wrote about his addiction in Tweak, a brutal, unflinchingly honest, and ultimately inspiring chronicle of his descent and –did you hear me knock on wood? — recovery.

Nic has been sober for 2 years, 3 months,2 weeks, and 3 days, but who’s counting?

Both of us describe the impact of Nic’saddiction on his younger brother and sister. Jasper and Daisy adore Nic and he adores them back, but that didn’t spare them from the ghastly hell that comes from an addiction of a family member. After that it’s unsurprising that when my wife and I talk to the kids about drugs they look at us with incredulousness. “Are you kidding?” Jasper said. “After Nic do you actually think we’d do drugs?”

When Daisy learned that Nic got drunk for the first time when he was eleven, she was flabbergasted. “Eleven!” She’s eleven. “What was wrong with him?” she asked.

What’s the difference between her and Jasper and Nic? Yes, there have been significant differences in their childhoods. Nic’s mother and I divorced whereas Jasper and Daisy’s mom and I are happily married. The kids have different genes; Nic had a grandfather who died of alcoholism whereas as far as we know, Daisy and Jasper have no alcoholic or addicted relations. It doesn’t matter. My wife Karen and I know that Daisy and Jasper aren’t immune. No child is. It’s a terrifying fact.

(More…)

  • Posted by: David Sheff | 41 Comment(s)
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“Beautiful Boy” Author David Sheff Joins Decoder as Guest Blogger

Feb 22, 2008 by Joe Keenan | Categories Addiction, Advice, Books, Drugs, Methamphetamine

We are thrilled here at the Partnership to have David Sheff, parent and author of “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction,” as a guest blogger on our parent-to-parent blog, Decoder.

“Beautiful Boy” is an insightful memoir detailing David’s oldest son’s descent into a methamphetamine addiction. “Beautiful Boy” was also selected by Starbucks Entertainment as the next book to be sold in its more than 7,000 company-operated locations in the U.S, and for which David will embark on a 9-city book tour beginning February 26th in New York City.

Here’s a brief video clip of David. Check back soon or subscribe to the blog feed so you can be alerted when David begins blogging.

  • Posted by: Joe Keenan | 3 Comment(s)
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Red Ribbon, Shmed Ribbon

Oct 22, 2007 by Sarit Catz | Categories Age Appropriate Advice, Alcohol, Celebrities, Cigarettes, Drugs, Education, Elementary School, General, Marijuana, Methamphetamine, Pop Culture, Prevention

This week at my kids’ elementary school it’s Red Ribbon Week.  What does that mean?  Well, this week the school presents programs designed to keep the kids from drinking, smoking and doing drugs. 

It’s never too young to start, of course, but at the elementary school level, this is a challenging proposition.  We’re talking about suburban kids fifth grade and under.  Really, how do you get kids whose friends are probably not drinking, smoking and doing drugs to understand how bad these things can be?

The school has an assembly in which a robot talks about taking care of your #1 machine, your body.  They also have the kids sign a pledge and they give out some red pencils.  Actually, you only get the pencils if you buy them for your kids.  I feel like every time I turn around the school is asking me for a check so I didn’t buy the pencils this year because my kids have forests worth of pencils already and to tell you the truth, I don’t know how a pencil is going to convince them not to engage in this self-destructive behavior.

So, on my own, I have come up with what I think is a virtually fool proof way to scare my kids off drinking, smoking and doing drugs.  A picture’s worth a thousand words…

Keith Richards

…and about 3,000 pencils!                   (Getty Images)

  • Posted by: Sarit Catz | 4 Comment(s)
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