Illegal Drugs, Sports and Protecting Our Children

I strongly believe that we must always and still protect our youngsters from engaging in illegal drugs use, especially in sporting activties at schools. The use of illegal drugs like marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin is very prevalent in our advanced American society. The reported successful use of illegal drugs in Sports and its successful attachments of money and fame should be of concern to all. This is especially so when illegal drugs are being used to win at all costs. This is nothing new in America (and indeed the world at large) but the severe negative effects on kids must concern all loving parents, guardians and relatives.

Over the recent years we have heard of the success and then failure of so many "great" sports personalities, from Ben Johnson to other Olympic Heroes, World Cup stars to National Sports teams members. Recently, the Tour de France disappointments only added to this point. Sorry to say, but I believe all those who have willing taken the drugs for success and wining do know about the "side effects" and serious injuries that can result to their brains, hearts and other vital organs of their human bodies. But the benefits of success in using the drugs, we can reasonably assume, always out number the negatives effects to the user. This is a folly and great a mistakethat we must protect kids from. Kids must always be reminded that illegal drugs use are illegal offences under USA Laws and International Sporting Regulations. Taking illegal drugs because you are curious, bored, to escape reality, to forget your problems and to be part of a particular popular social group will always be wrong and will distroy future lives and relationships. I believe we all love kids, so their lives are still more important than the financial and social rewards of illegal drugs use.

Sports and Money are "powerful friends" today that sometimes it seems that it is too hard to keep teens and youngsters from this combination of achievement "Ka-Ching." But the rewards from sports can be achieved without the use of "banned substances." We know advertisement endorsements, sports contracts and others will be very attractive premise for the use of illegal drugs to succeed. Football, basketball, baseball, soccer, track and field and so many other sports today are paying good money to talented players. Hence, the need to succeed and the use of drugs become almost absolutely necessary for successful achievements and to keep the financial rewards coming. It is never a good thing when a little boy or girl discover that their sports hero is really a cheater. That will always hurt. Broken hearts are very heard to mend. And in todys world of sports, it's even harder to do so when all hopes and admiration are too high. I like to watch my NFL, NBA, MLS teams play, but sometimes my mind tells me that one day I may very well hear something bad about illegal drugs use by one of my favorite teams players. I still hope for the best, but expect the unexpected.

Fame in Sports may have reached such a high level that not even the players themselves are consciously aware of this all the times. Children often follow adults and so some have a steady mind-set on becoming Sports Stars than the ordinary office worker or perfect teacher of the future. Is it possible that we are placing too high a status on our sports stars, like we do for our entertainment and movie stars? I believe in our Stars, whether in sports, movies or entertainment. But I do not believe in some of their livestyles, which include the use of illegal drugs. Maybe we need to see our stars as just humans, but that may just be too simplistic for some fans and parents. Yes, parents too often get involved in the wrong emotions and actions in support some of our stars who are poor roles models. Personally, I hope this will not be the case for my close friends - that is, in supporting the use of illegal drugs my our famous sports personalities. It is said time and time again that Americans still love and adore Michael Jordon as the "leading" sports personality in the US (and maybe globally). This is even after so many years of retirement from the game of basketball. We have not heard of any serious illegal drugs use and guilty verdict against him during his sporting career, which continues now that he is the part-owner of the Bobcats. Well, I will not dispute his fame. Some of my stars are like P. Manning and Tim Duncan. But even them are not immume from the pressures of life to use illegal drugs. But, I have not heard anything "bad" about them. Their fames and reasonable good reputations are still prevailing.

Community Life can really help kids to avoid the dangers of illegal drug use. Almost all the materials on solutions I have reads in over 20 years of my adult life have always said Community Life is important. Here I understand this to mean the active group participation of members of the community to protect kids from drugs, something like generally protecting the community from crime. The cooperation and unity among neighbors must never be under-estimated. "People Power" in this case extends to protecting your neighbor kids as well as yours. Socialization by cooperation become the essence. In depressed poor communities, this is critical for group survival. It is not about informing on your neighbor, but about loving your kids, family amd neighborhood. It is about staying the course to see your children realistically achieve excellence according to their abilities, than killing themselves with illegal drugs. Love will always win, while illegal drugs just simply kills.

All poor (and middle class) parents and guardians will remember the importance of good or excellent academic achievements for a better life for their kids. Well, all parents know that illegal drugs will take that way as quickly as it can be achieved from hard work. Many times over, we have seen and heard about brilliant students, whom unknowingly to us, were taking illegal drugs. They appear fine in public (at least before the symptoms starts to show) but were secretly distroying their academic future. There are so many adults who did not achieve functional academic attainment (or honestly graduated from high schools). The reasons vary, but for many, illegal drugs was their enemy. Watch over your children education. The drugs war is real. This apply to rich, middle-class and poor kids. It apply to the pre-schooler, junior high, high and seniors, as well as the college students. Yes, children are sometimes caught by illegal drugs in college, after perfectly winning the war upto high school graduation, but then came the enemy who defeat them in college. We must remember this truth and still be vigilant over the welfare of our 16+ youngsters in college. "Growing Up Drug Free: A Parent's Guide To Prevention" at http://www.kidsource.com is good information and reading on this issue.

If we follow our minds sometimes we are ill-informed of the true dangers of illegal drugs. There are so many information, rearched data, true life stories of recoveries and preventions, and such alike. But for sure, we do know what the terrible negative side effects of illegal drugs are. Like so many other problems, parents are often blamed when their kids "overdose" or get hooked on these deadly substances. Parents and Guardians must not allow the psychological distress of what has occured and is happening to their kids rest solely on their minds as faultbearers. I have seen excellent loving parents kids go after drugs and return to yet still loving parents. This by no means imply a passive agreement to and condoning of what their kids have done wrong. It is about still caring even in the difficult times of the children lives. This is something all recovering drug patients will appreciate and remember to help them not to relaps or revert to the ills of illegal drugs. The Laws and Courts of the country will punish the wrongdoer in the institional ways, but parents love will be needed to keep the recovering kids strong. Love your kids.

Illegal drugs and sports will seem more and more appealing to our youngsters in todays very liberal society. This must be guarded against. Drugs can very dangerous and will kill in the shortest possible time. Protect your family and kids. We all love our selected sports and wish our sports stars and America well. But the enemy of illegal drugs is also seeking to love our kids, but in a deadly way. So protect our youngsters from illegal drugs and love our kids!.