Drug Test Your Kids

Free Information Guide Also Available

We have provided a 16 page PDF guide designed for parents and other family members. The guide includes tips & ideas on how to reduce the risks of young people becoming addicted to taking illegal drugs.

The guide also lists some of the symptoms to look out for if you think someone you know may be taking drugs. Please feel free to download the guide from our home page.

How Common is Drug Use?

Almost half of the New Zealand adult population have used illegal drugs at some point in their life (so that excludes alcohol, tobacco or party pills) - so over 1 million people. (Source NZ Ministry of Health survey results for 2010).

For schools, a key fact is one in three of that 1 million plus people first started using drugs before they were 17 years old.

Is there anything that can be done?

The short answer is Yes, but it will need to involve the influence of both the school and parents.  A free electronic guide is available for download from this site that provides a range of tips and information including the signs that may indicate a particular child is abusing drugs.

We do not condone any use of harmful drugs. However, it is important to recognise that some, if not many young people will want to experiment and try some experiences at least once; like smoking, getting drunk and taking something like marijuana.

The major goal is to try and ensure that none of those things turn into habits that can have a medium and long term negative effect on a child's mental, social and physical well being.

What are some key benefits of drug testing?

If a young person knows they could be tested at any time, either at school, or at home, in many cases it will reduce the risk of them regularly taking illegal drugs.

For some young people they welcome an opportunity to be able to divert peer pressure to try drugs. Being able to say "I can't because my school. or parents carry out random drug testing" is just one way of handling that peer pressure.

We have been told by many parents and teachers that knowing one way, or another whether a child is taking drugs is better than just living with the nagging suspicion. The suspicion and doubt undermines the essential trust that must exist to be able to effectively teach and encourage any child.

When a test does confirm that a child has take some drugs, it is at first devastating. However, at least it creates an opportunity to confront it and work together to help resolve the problem.