ICE - destruction of our young people

The destruction drugs such as ICE is wreaking on our young people is devastating lives and families Australia wide. If we don't stem the tide we will lose a whole generation.

Daily at Teen Challenge Tasmania we speak with parents, individuals and community members that have lost or are losing someone they love through their choice to enter the world of drugs.  They think they are able to "control it", that its just "recreational" or "harmless" and before they know it they are in the grips of full blown addiction and their lives appear to be without hope.

A Mothers Story

In his early teens, my son was a motivated young man who had dreams and aspirations to become a Chef. He loved to play basketball and was a successful Go Karter. He enjoyed school and would always strive to do better.

As he grew older he quickly became tied up in recreational drugs starting with marijuana. Over the next few years we watched his life spiral out of control as the addiction took over and ICE was the only lifeline he could see.

When his first son was born he attempted to get clean and be the best father he could be, but the circle of friends didn’t change and the addiction didn’t go away. 18 months later his second son was born and the relationship with his then girlfriend became violent. His life was in tatters.

As parents we did everything in our power to help him regain control of his life, but every time we tried it ended in heartbreak. The pain and hurt that his choices had on our family were hard to bear and at time brought us all to breaking point.

His life remained out of control on the rollercoaster of addiction for the next few years and we were always on edge expecting to be told he was dead or in jail. His life was at a critical point where he was facing serious ramifications of the addiction?at this time he was helped by Tanya and Peter of Teen Challenge and was able to enter rehabilitation. 

Throughout the last 5 months while he has been with Teen Challenge he has made great progress. We speak to him often, and have been and visited him. It wasn’t until we actually visited that we could see the huge difference Teen Challenge has made.

He is now happy and vibrant? the son we love and remember from years ago. He was gained weight, is physically active, and enjoys participating in the activities at Teen Challenge. We are so proud of the growth he has had and are happy to know that when he comes home he can be the dad he wants to be, and that he can be a positive role model for his boys.

As I look back over the past 10 years and think what could have been done differently there is one big thing that comes to mind. I wish my son had the opportunity to participate in a Drug Prevention program when he was in high school?before it all begun. I believe that if he had the opportunity to listen to someone who had been in the place he was in before he was engulfed and surrounded by the addiction, it could have been prevented.

After he leaves Teen Challenge he has plans to be involved with Teen Challenge Tasmania that will allow him to help turn young peoples lives around, to speak about his experiences and show them that there is a lot more to life than drugs and addictions. 

Prevention far outweighs a cure

Teen Challenge Tasmania are working to turn kids away from the top of the cliff of addiction  and through our "Not Even Once" High School Drug Prevention Seminars in November will tell the real story of the myths around drug and alcohol use, What real effects ICE and other drugs such as Marijuana, Ectstacy etc have on their brains and bodies. 

Most importantly - Why do people use drugs and alcohol?  Substance use is often just a mask for deeper underlying issues such as self-confidence issues, low self-esteem, bullying, the need to find a sense of belonging, mental health issues, abuse and sadly so much more.

The most powerful way to tell the true story of addiction is from those that have walked that path.  Therefore Teen Challenge graduates deliver their story to the kids and peers will be teaching peers about the very real consequences of making the wrong choices in life.

We aim to have each student that attends completely educated in the risks of taking drugs and understand there are potentially other issues at hand that need to be addressed and hopefully enable them to make sound positive choices for their future and stand strong that to "Not Even Once" touch any substance is a braver choice and a very real alternative.

Teen Challenge will hand to every student a book either Golden Haze by Jade Lewis or Kids at War by Jacob Hill, Teen Challenge graduates, that tells their real life story in a very real compelling way at the end of the seminar. 

Said of Golden Haze - 

"Golden Haze is an important story to be told for young people and parents. I encourage people to read this if they have a prodigal son or daughter. This is also an excellent book to put in the hands of any young person. It can serve as a warning to some that may be tempted by the drug scene and will give hope to anyone with a serious life-controlling problem."
... Don Wilkerson, Executive Director Global Teen Challenge 

How you can help

Teen Challenge Tasmania is a Not for Profit organisaton that does not receive any government funding and relies purely on our fundraising efforts and donations from generous people.  We are so passionate about saving our young people and communties from further devastation of this epidemic.

Help us reach as many North Tasmanian High School students we can in November and show them how they can live a life of Freedom, Success and Significance.

Just $25 will help 5 students receive this important message, $50 will enable us to impact 11 students and $120 will reach 26 students.

All donations are fully tax deductible.