The Pediatrician's Role in Drug Education
Guy S. Parcel PhD1
1 Professor and Director of Health Education, School of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550
Pediatricians involved with local schools are often asked to help in dealing with child and adolescent drug use. Most states have mandated schools to provide drug education programs; the use of drugs has become endemic to American life. The pediatrician is likely to be considered a resource in the area of drug education because of his or her knowledge of pharmacology and the potential detrimental effects of drugs. School personnel may not be aware of the pediatrician's interest and expertise in related areas such as child development and human behavior.
PROBLEM OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DRUG USE
Prior to 1960, most illicit drug use was confined to inner city poverty groups or isolated fringe groups. During the late 1960s, the American public became alarmed by increasing illicit drug use by the middle and upper class, especially among the young. The spread of illicit drug use was first apparent in the urban middle-class college students and eventually spread to high school students and rural populations. The use of drugs also spread in terms of the numerous types of drugs used.
Marijuana became a popular drug and, in some communities, tended to be used like alcohol, as a social drug. LSD and other hallucinogens hit their peak use in the late sixties and early seventies.
