How to talk to your children about drugs. Hint: Start early

Public health and law enforcement officials have sounded the alarm about a toxic street drug suspected of multiple overdoses and possibly some deaths in Middle Georgia.

Some of those who have taken the yellow pills masquerading as the pain medication Percocet are young adults. And that may have parents anxious as well, unsure of how to talk to their children about what’s happening.

Shannon Gordon, who has counseled more than 1,000 people with drug addictions and trained others to do so, has some advice.

“It’s appropriate to start with very young children,” said Gordon, CEO of the nonprofit River Edge Behavioral Health Center in Macon. “But you tailor what you say based on the age of the child.”

Gordon, who is also a licensed clinical social worker, started such talks with her children when they were in pre-K and kindergarten. She started that young because some older elementary school students are already taking street drugs.

She gave an example of how to talk to a young child:

“You know how Mom takes medicine to help her feel better when she’s sick, and the doctor gives you medicine when you’re sick to help you feel better?

“Well, sometimes people take medicine when they’re not supposed to — to help them feel funny. That’s really not a good idea. That’s not healthy or safe — just like playing in the street is not safe.”

Parents should also warn their children that sometimes “people, when they’re involved with drugs, want to trick children,” Gordon said.

“So it’s very important if anybody ever comes and says, ‘Take this. It will make you feel funny,’ or ‘Take this and don’t tell anybody.’ ... Tell me, and you tell them ‘No.’ ”

She suggested that parents talk to children about street drugs like they would teach them about “stranger-danger.”

“Then as children get older, the thing I would caution parents about is don’t assume it’s not your child,” Gordon said of drug involvement. “It is normal for middle schoolers and high schoolers to be curious and to have what is known as the myth of invulnerability — it won’t happen to me.”

Some parents may be surprised to learn that research shows that upper middle-class children are at particular risk because they have access to money, she said.

Parents should give older children the facts in a calm manner, Gordon said. More than likely, they already know what’s going on through social media.

She gave an example of how to talk about it.

“There’s a drug on the streets in central Georgia right now that’s being sold as Percocet. But in reality, it’s not Percocet. Even doctors are not sure what it is, and people have died, and I love you and want you to live, so I’m asking you, in particular, right now to be safe and don’t use.”

Schneita Green’s 19-year-old daughter was hospitalized after taking drugs she thought were Percocet or Xanax.

Green previously told The Telegraph she plans to talk to her daughter once they’re through the crisis.

“Talk with your children about what’s going on,” Green cautioned. “Don’t sugarcoat anything.”

Anyone with information about the toxic drugs or who is distributing them is asked call Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 877-682-7463. Tipsters remain anonymous.

“Nobody ever intends to unintentionally overdose, and they never intend to ruin their life in addiction,” Gordon said. “But if people get trapped, treatment is effective, and recovery can be expected.”

This story was originally published June 9, 2017 at 3:29 PM with the headline "How to talk to your children about drugs. Hint: Start early."