/PRNewswire/ -- The text messages on a child's phone look innocent enough. "I want a Ben and Jerry's." "Is Lori in town?" "I'm fixing a BLT." "I want a Bean Burrito." Most parents would assume their teenager is going for an ice cream, looking for their friend Lori, making a bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich, but decides on a bean burrito instead. Unfortunately, their assumptions are wrong. The text messages actually mean: "I want ice or crystal meth." "Is there any Lorcet?" "I'm fixing a blunt." "I want Ecstasy."
A 2008 study by CTIA-The Wireless Association showed four out of five teens carried a wireless device and 47 percent of them reported that they can text with their eyes closed. According to Robert W. Mooney, M.D., addiction psychiatrist for Willingway Hospital, it is imperative for parents to have their eyes wide open to code names for illicit drugs as part of their diligence in helping to prevent drug abuse among today's youth.
"Even before electronic messaging, it was difficult for parents to ask specifically about their child's behavior," said Dr. Mooney. "Parents have always been the last to know. But now parents are behind the eight ball because they tend to be fairly naive about electronic devices and technology which adds to the difficulty in addressing this. Parents don't need to be cyber spies or cyber police, but need to continue to be highly involved in their children's lives in an electronic age."
Other translations for common drug-related teen text talk:
* "Has anyone seen tina?" – Another code for crystal meth.
* "What you know 'bout them tree?" – Code for pot, or marijuana.
* "U seen that white girl?" – Code for cocaine.
* "U seen elvis and blue suede shoes?" – Code for blue lorcets, or prescription pain killers.
* "Elvis has left the building." - The drug dealer is gone.
* "Are you coming to pick up the girls or the boys?" – A drug dealer asking if teen wants cocaine or heroin, respectively.
* "The eagle has landed." – Code for drugs are ready for pick-up.
Communities around the country are increasingly trying to become part of the solution to the ongoing drug abuse problem among today's youth. As an example, Willingway Hospital is partnering with the Statesboro Police Department to sponsor a community forum for interested parents, educators, youth pastors and counselors as part of September's National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month 2010. Treatment professionals and representatives from the Statesboro Police Department will educate the community about how teens use mobile messaging to communicate about drugs, the signs of alcohol and drug use in young adults, and trends of drug use and abuse in city.
"Mothers and fathers need to be very aware of what's going on with their child's computer," said Scott Brunson, Captain of the Criminal Investigative Division of the Statesboro Police Department. "In addition to shortcut language and slang terms, the Internet provides ample information on how to make crack, how to manufacture methamphetamines, and how to beat a drug test."
Often though, drugs that are being misused come right from the unknowing parents. "A lot of drugs that are in the home medicine cabinet have a value in cyber space. Social networking provides an avenue to find drugs a lot easier. A child can instantly send out a Facebook message to hundreds of friends to check out other parents' medicine cabinets. This creates a significantly efficient market for pharmaceuticals, as families' medicine cabinets now become part of the drug scene," added Dr. Mooney.
Dr. Mooney advises parents to routinely clean out their medicine cabinet to discard unused drugs and to create an electronic "cone of silence" where TVs, cell phones, laptops and Blackberries are turned off so meaningful face-to-face conversations can take place with children about what is expected of them.
"Parents should feel empowered to 'disempower' the electronics, ultimately helping their children face down the temptations of drug abuse," added Dr. Mooney.
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Showing posts with label text message. Show all posts
Showing posts with label text message. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Don't Wait To Discuss Sexting With Your Child Or Teen
(NAPSI)-Digital technology connects children in a way that no previous generation has experienced, with social media sites such as Facebook and MySpace surpassing e-mail as the preferred method of communication.
Although kids today may be more digitally savvy than their parents, their lack of maturity and life experience can land them in hot water for abusing these new social tools. For this reason, parents should help children navigate this online social landscape.
It's important that children and teens learn about the dangers lurking in the digital world. Online bullying can be vicious and easy since it all takes place behind a keyboard. Children and parents have been charged with crimes for spreading rumors or publishing personal information about others online.
Another way trouble can arise is through "sexting." Sexting is sending a text message, via cell phone, that contains inappropriate photographs--or links to photos--of people naked or engaged in sex acts. According to a recent survey, about 20 percent of teen boys and girls have sent such messages. Texts like these can be emotionally devastating and have serious legal implications for senders and receivers. Parents should discuss the consequences of sexting as soon as a child has a cell phone. Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics on how to start these conversations:
• Talk to your kids, even if the issue hasn't directly affected your community. "Have you heard of sext ing? Tell me what you think it is." First learn what your child knows about the issue and then add to it an age-appropriate explanation.
• Use examples appropriate for your child's age. Alert younger children with cell phones that text messages should never contain pictures of naked people.
• Make sure kids of all ages understand that sexting is serious and considered a crime in many jurisdictions when minors are involved. Possible consequences include police involvement, suspension from school, and notes on the sexter's permanent record that could hurt the child's chances of getting into college or getting a job.
• Impress upon children the emotional effects this dangerous game can have on others.
• Peer pressure can play a major role in the sending of texts. Parties can be a contributing factor, so collect cell phones at social gatherings to reduce this temptation.
• Monitor media headlines for articles about sexting that illustrate the very real dangers for both senders and receivers of offensive images. Ask children questions such as "Have you seen this story? What did you think about it?"
• Encourage school and town assemblies to educate parents, teachers and students.
For tips and more information about social media safety, talk with your pediatrician or visit www.aap.org.
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Although kids today may be more digitally savvy than their parents, their lack of maturity and life experience can land them in hot water for abusing these new social tools. For this reason, parents should help children navigate this online social landscape.
It's important that children and teens learn about the dangers lurking in the digital world. Online bullying can be vicious and easy since it all takes place behind a keyboard. Children and parents have been charged with crimes for spreading rumors or publishing personal information about others online.
Another way trouble can arise is through "sexting." Sexting is sending a text message, via cell phone, that contains inappropriate photographs--or links to photos--of people naked or engaged in sex acts. According to a recent survey, about 20 percent of teen boys and girls have sent such messages. Texts like these can be emotionally devastating and have serious legal implications for senders and receivers. Parents should discuss the consequences of sexting as soon as a child has a cell phone. Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics on how to start these conversations:
• Talk to your kids, even if the issue hasn't directly affected your community. "Have you heard of sext ing? Tell me what you think it is." First learn what your child knows about the issue and then add to it an age-appropriate explanation.
• Use examples appropriate for your child's age. Alert younger children with cell phones that text messages should never contain pictures of naked people.
• Make sure kids of all ages understand that sexting is serious and considered a crime in many jurisdictions when minors are involved. Possible consequences include police involvement, suspension from school, and notes on the sexter's permanent record that could hurt the child's chances of getting into college or getting a job.
• Impress upon children the emotional effects this dangerous game can have on others.
• Peer pressure can play a major role in the sending of texts. Parties can be a contributing factor, so collect cell phones at social gatherings to reduce this temptation.
• Monitor media headlines for articles about sexting that illustrate the very real dangers for both senders and receivers of offensive images. Ask children questions such as "Have you seen this story? What did you think about it?"
• Encourage school and town assemblies to educate parents, teachers and students.
For tips and more information about social media safety, talk with your pediatrician or visit www.aap.org.
-----
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www.georgiafrontpage.com
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Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
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