IS YOUR CHILD ABUSING DRUGS?

Are your kids more distant than they used to be? Do they seem tired
all the time and moody, yet when asked if something is wrong, insist
they're okay and storm off? If so, they may be dealing with more than
just growing pains. They could be abusing drugs.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 50 percent of
students will have tried an illicit drug by the time they finish high
school. Statistics show that in 2005, 6.9 percent of 8th graders,
11.4 percent of 10th graders and 13.9 percent of 12th graders had
used sedatives, tranquilizers or narcotic drugs other than heroin in
the past 12 months.

What can you do to prevent your children from falling into the ugly
trap of drug abuse? Experts say you should educate yourself about
what's out there, talk to your children early and often about the
dangers of drugs, know the warning signs of abuse and let your kids
know you plan to test them for drugs on a regular basis.

"Drug testing sends a strong message to the child that substance
abuse will not be tolerated. It also provides them with an excuse
they can give a peer for not wanting to participate," says Dr. Amelie
Ramirez, a public health physician.

So how do you go about helping your child stay drug free without
antagonizing them? A good resource to turn to for advice is
www.HomeDrugTestingKit.com, a Web site developed to offer parents an
avenue to handle possible substance abuse in their home before
government steps in due to an arrest or other life event.

The site contains such helpful information as a glossary of common
street drug terms; specifics about the physical and mental health
dangers associated with the use of various drugs; and a downloadable
30-page pamphlet called "Keeping Your Kids Drug-Free" from the Office
of National Drug Control Policy. There's also a link you can click
on to order a home drug testing kit.

"A big part of what we do is educational," says company president
Amanda Beihl. "There are still a lot of people who don't know these
types of products exist. The Home Drug Testing Kit screens for a
variety of substances -- including marijuana, cocaine,
methamphetamines, opiates, PCP and nicotine -- through the use of a
testing card that is dipped in a urine sample. Results are delivered
within three to five minutes.

A basic single substance test costs $3. Two, three and five
substance tests are also available. If it's alcohol you want to
measure, for less than a dollar a test, the Guardian Angel Personal
Alcohol Test is available in packages of 2 or 4 individual test
strips. Simply place a test strip on the teen's tongue to determine
their blood alcohol level.

To learn more about preventing drug abuse, or to place an order for a
Home Drug Testing Kit or a Guardian Angel Alcohol Test, log on to
www.homedrugtestingkit.com.er