Prevent Teen Drug Abuse Using Drug Testing Kits at Home

Teen drug abuse became a serious health problem in United States. It is hurting the healthcare system, burdening the economy, and causing millions of deaths every year. Of the many causes that promote drug abuse among teens, lack of parental supervision is a major one. Teens should be guarded properly by their parents as they are still immature.

Since, early intervention leads to effective prevention of this unhealthy habit, parents should identify drug abusing habits in teens and take preventive measures. Parents can take help of home drug testing kits which are effective and easy to use.

In this article, we will discuss about teens and their vulnerability to drug abuse; how to identify teen drug abuse and how important are drug testing programs at home to prevent teen drug abuse.

Teens – vulnerable to drugs abuse: Many scientific studies have already proved that teenagers are more prone to risk taking and are vulnerable to drug abuse when compared to adults. This typical behavior of teens during adolescence is because of the major changes in parts of the brain that are responsible for functions such as self-control, judgment, planning, organization, and emotions. Since teen brains are not yet fully developed, they cannot take proper decisions and fall victims to unhealthy habits like drug and alcohol abuse.

Signs and symptoms of drug abuse: The primary step towards prevention of drug abuse in teens is to identify their unhealthy habits. Prominent changes, both in their behavior and in physical appearance can be noticed even at the early stages of abuse. Following are the warning signs:

Physical and emotional changes:
• Red eyes
• Finding difficulty to speak
• Sudden fall or rise in weight
• Lack of hygiene and showing less interest in personal grooming
• Aggression and arrogance
• Depression and irritation

Social and behavioral changes:
• Dissociation from old friends and acquiring new social group
• Sudden anger or depression
• Poor attendance and academics at school
• Spending time lonely
• Abnormal odor in breath or clothing
• Pipes, needles and other suspicious substances in their room

Importance of home drug test kits: The moment you see the signs that indicate drug abuse in your teen, it is the time to confirm drug abusing habits using reliable methods. They are useful devices for the parents to confirm these unhealthy habits in teens. They are simple, easy to use, provide instant and accurate results, cost-effective and above all ensure privacy. Some multi-panel drug testing kits can detect multiple drugs of abuse at a shot.

Best drug test methods to implement: When it comes to home drug testing, urine and saliva tests are considered to be the best methods. There are two other methods – blood and hair tests also, but they need special devices and expert supervision, hence are not recommended for home testing.

Urine test can detect the drugs in your teen’s system up to three days after use. If you believe that your teen has taken drugs during the last few days, then this method is effective in offering accurate results. However, it is necessary to check that your teen is not providing fake urine sample which can lead to false results.

Saliva drug testing is an ideal drug test if you suspect that your teen abused drugs on that particular day. These kits can detect drug use up to 48 hours.

Need for random drug testing: If you are conducting drug tests on your teens at regular intervals, following a regular pattern, your teen may notice the pattern and either try to manipulate the sample before the test or stop abusing drugs few days before the test. Hence, practicing random drug tests is always an ideal way to identify the drug use which effectively helps in detecting the drug abuse among your teens. Random testing makes teens say ‘NO’ to drugs as they know that you can conduct drug testing any time at home.

Home drug testing kits can be considered as effective solutions in controlling and preventing drug abuse in your teens. So, make sure that you have some of them at home to test your teen to help him stay away from drugs.

What Are the Rights of Victims Infected With STDs?

Recent data released by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) shows that there has been a significant rise in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) over the last decade. The largest rise in infections is among those who are 65 and older, a group of people that were thought to be the safest.

However, there has been a steady rise in every STD except AIDS/HIV throughout the country for 10 years. Contributing factors to this increase is the failure of the infected person to tell their partner that they have a disease, use of protection during sexual encounters, or failure to seek medical treatment once infected.

STD treatments are very costly and can require a lifetime of treatment. Some STD’s may even cause other medical conditions to appear or to worsen. This is why it is imperative that you seek compensation so that you can receive the medical care necessary to treat these diseases quickly and completely.

To prove your case, the law requires that the victim prove:

1. That the person who infected them knew or should have known they were infected with the STD.

2. The carrier of the disease did not disclose to the victim that they had a STD.

3. The person acquired this disease as the result of this nondisclosure.

If these three facts can be proven, the victim has the right to receive compensation under personal injury law.

Infection Prevention

The best thing that anyone can do for their health is to have themselves screened for STD’s before they become sexually active with a new partner. It is not unreasonable to request this from your potential partner either. While it may make you feel a little uncomfortable to approach this subject, it is in the best interest of your health and theirs.

Sexually transmitted diseases, in most cases, can be treated with an antibiotic regimen if caught early enough. Sadly, some of these diseases are lifetime disorders, but they too can be managed with medication and treatment. Knowing if you are infected is crucial to recovery.

It is always important to use protection when you are sexually active. Even though this has been made clear through many public service announcements, schooling, and doctor visits, many people still opt to enjoy sex unprotected, risking their lives and that of their future partners.

It is not against the law to have unprotected sex with someone without disclosing a STD infection unless it is AIDS/HIV, it is a criminal act to have unprotected sex without informing the partner of the potential to contract HIV/AIDS. Other STD’s currently do not fall under this law. However, infecting someone can lead to a personal injury lawsuit being taken out against you.

In the end, the best thing that you can do is know your partner, use protection, and seek medical care in the event that you suspect you may have been infected with a STD. If you have been transmitted a sexual disease, seek legal representation so that you may cover all your expenses for treatment.