Parents of teenagers in Wake Forest, North Raleigh and surrounding areas (Chapel Hill: chapel, home)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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Hi Everyone,
I read this forum every day. My husband and I are hoping to relocate to the area in the next 2 years. We currently live on Staten Island NYC. Our brough is very bad with prescription drug and marijuana use amongst teens (and adults). It is so bad, that it is one of the main reason we want to relocate.
Now I know that drug abuse is everywhere, but my daughter currently attends public HS where it has been estimated that 80% of the students use. Thats a HIGH figure. Now, my daughter only has 2 friends and is mostly home because of this. We are constantnly finding empty marijuana bags on our lawn and when the weather is nice and we open the windows, the smell of weed. I live in a middle to upper middle class area on a pretty block. You would never know it if you just drove by!!
I am asking the parents of teenagers to PLEASE tell me your thoughts on the drug use at your teenagers school. I would GREATLY appreciate it.
Thanks in advance!
I had teens who attended high school in both North Raleigh and Chapel Hill. I don't think the drug problems were as extensive as you describe in your area.
But remember this: There is no geographic cure for teen substance abuse. That is, if you have a teen who is susceptible to that, you can't move away from it. That's because the problem is IN your child. If they want to get into trouble (or suffer an addiction), they will do so, no matter where they are. I say this not to be pessimistic, but realistic. Environmental factors (school, home, etc.) and friends can be influencers, of course - both good and bad.
Hi Everyone,
I read this forum every day. My husband and I are hoping to relocate to the area in the next 2 years. We currently live on Staten Island NYC. Our brough is very bad with prescription drug and marijuana use amongst teens (and adults). It is so bad, that it is one of the main reason we want to relocate.
Now I know that drug abuse is everywhere, but my daughter currently attends public HS where it has been estimated that 80% of the students use. Thats a HIGH figure. Now, my daughter only has 2 friends and is mostly home because of this. We are constantnly finding empty marijuana bags on our lawn and when the weather is nice and we open the windows, the smell of weed. I live in a middle to upper middle class area on a pretty block. You would never know it if you just drove by!!
I am asking the parents of teenagers to PLEASE tell me your thoughts on the drug use at your teenagers school. I would GREATLY appreciate it.
Thanks in advance!
There are drugs here....don't kid yourself...they are everywhere....and the high income kids are the ones with the money to spend, so a high economic level certainly is no prevention.
However, I don't think it's anywhere near as you speak of in your current area, and more importantly, there are plenty of good kids with a variety of interests to hang out together.
Kids kept busy with school and activities and have parents that haven't checked out of their lives have a big leg up on the issue.
There are drugs here....don't kid yourself...they are everywhere....and the high income kids are the ones with the money to spend, so a high economic level certainly is no prevention.
However, I don't think it's anywhere near as you speak of in your current area, and more importantly, there are plenty of good kids with a variety of interests to hang out together.
Kids kept busy with school and activities and have parents that haven't checked out of their lives have a big leg up on the issue.
Zoya well said! Drugs are everywhere. Even High School kids involved in Sports programs are not immune. Seen it first hand this year with a kid I would have never guessed. So sad.
My youngest is a junior in high school here in North Raleigh (Wakefield). She also has friends that go to Wake Forest, Millbrook, Leesville, Green Hope, Ravenscroft, etc and the BIG issue with a lot of these kids is the drinking parties. My daughter even witnessed the death of her friend in October due to drunk driving. Drug use (including prescription) is not as prevalent however it seems a lot of the males do smoke marijuana (as do some of the females but just not as many). As Zoya stated drug AND alcohol abuse is everywhere and like dansdrive said...no kid is immune. Some of the most talented football players on these local school teams are heavy pot users. I wish the schools would start drug testing so that if you use you lose out on being able to participate until you are clean.
I'm curious though to know what you meant by "now my daughter has two friends and mostly home because of this". Is this by her doing or yours? IMO as a parent we cannot try to make our kids immune to things going on around us by restricting their friends and their social life outside of the home. I've seen far to many cases where these teens were controlled so much by their parents in HS that by the time they went off to college they went absolutely wild. My focus as a parent was/is to strive for as much open and HONEST communication with my children and to let them know the facts. They need to learn to make decisions on their own and also understand that their are consequences to making the wrong decisions.
I know it's scary out there and I say my prayers every night for these kids so I fully understand your concerns. Although I think this area is far better off than what you are experiencing please understand that every area has their issues with this. I wish you luck in your search!
NRaleigh Mom well said! This year I really got exposed first hand to the number of high school kids smoking 'weed' as they call it today. It crosses all economic boundaries too. They seem to make its price meet the buyers money. Best to get educated as parents for the signs of its use. As I said in an earlier post some kids we know and they are athlete's are regular users of 'weed' which just shocked us. I guess it should not have but it did so my head is clearly out of the mud and washed thoroughly with knowledge of the signs.
And your last comment is pretty good advise as well!
Thanks for the replies everyone. To answer the question of NRaleigh Mom, staying home is my daughters doing. She doesnt want to be around it.
Thank you everyone. I am not naieve to think that it doesn't exist everywhere. However, it seems very prevelant here and I was wondering if the whole country is like this or just my section of NYC.
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