Children are especially vulnerable when it comes to drugs.
I know it's hard to think of a child using a syringe to inject heroin into a popped-up vein.
Unfortunately, it does happen.
The appeal for young people is machismo, wanting to fit in, or just plain experiment.
It's an image that no parent wants to have of their children.
It's time for a wakeup call.
So what should you do if you find that your child has been taking drugs? It depends how advanced their drug taking is.
And, what kind of drugs are being taken.
Drug abuse can cause major changes in body and brain chemistry.
So the first priority is to stop them from taking any further drugs and detoxify their bodies from the resulting chemicals and related toxins.
Great care needs to be taken when choosing a detox centre for children who need Drug Detox.
Imagine a 12-year-old sitting in a back alley way pumping themselves full of drugs with a used syringe.
Not a nice thought is it.
But there is an alarming rise in the number of children taking one kind of drug.
Prescription drugs can be found in homes across the country.
And pills are finding their way onto the school playground.
In fact, the problem is so bad that many Drug Detox centers are opening facilities especially for children.
It's illegal to take a drug that hasn't been prescribed by a doctor.
It's also illegal to give a prescription drug to someone for whom it has not been prescribed.
The problem is that it's so easy for young people to get hold of prescription drugs.
They're everywhere.
And it's of real concern when children are taking these drugs that are not being prescribed for them because their brains and bodies have not yet the chance to fully develop.
So, lasting damage can be caused to them.
And, children who are being prescribed medication for their own disorders, such as ADD and depression, find themselves with some highly saleable pills.
They find out that they can make some money from selling these things and they don't think that there is much of a problem.
If a child takes prescription drugs that have not been prescribed for them, they risk seizures, addiction, heart attacks, and worst of all death.
Parents, you need to take precautions in your homes to make sure that your children can't be tempted by these drugs.
One way is to store prescription pills in a locked cabinet.
Also throw away prescription drugs that are expired or not needed any more.
You can also bring them back to the pharmacy, who will dispose of them sensibly.