Dear Evanosky: Friends Seek Intervention Advice

Dear Evanosky,

My best friend is really getting into drugs. He started off by smoking marijuana, but he has recently tried many other drugs. Last week, he said he needed money for lunch, but instead of buying food, he spent it all on drugs. I asked him about it, and he said he can quit whenever he wants. I’m very worried about his drug abuse. His grades used to be really good, but since his introduction to drugs, his grades have taken a serious fall. On top of that, he used to be a great friend, but now he barely talks to me unless he wants more money for drugs. I miss my friend a lot, what should I do?
Dear Concerned Friend,

Try telling your friend about the dangers of drug abuse. Be sure to mention various side effects and addictions that may affect your friend. He should know what he’s getting into. It may not hurt to mention that his bad choices are affecting you and most likely his other friends and family. Most importantly, tell him that you miss the friendship you once shared.  Above all else, you cannot continue to supply him with money or other resources that enable him to purchase the drugs that are dragging him down.  If you know what he is using that money for and you supply it to him anyone, then you can become just as guilty for his fall as he is.  Lastly, consider referring your friend to the Student Assistance Program here at the high school by reporting to the guidance office. The purpose of the SAP team is to help students with problems such as your friend’s.  They are not responsible for interventions, and they never force students to do something that they do not want to do, but they can offer needed support to both your friend and your friend’s parents.

Dear Evanosky,

My good friend started secretly smoking cigarettes. I found out and confronted him about it, but he doesn’t want to stop. When I asked him why he started, he explained that he smoked to relieve stress. He doesn’t want to become addicted, but I’m afraid that sooner or later he will be. What should I do?
Dear Secondhand Friend,

Tell your friend that cigarettes will take years off of his life—up to fifteen or twenty, in fact. There are various pamphlets and other informational aids in the high school guidance office that might be able to convince him to stop. It might also be worthwhile mentioning that cigarettes are a gateway drug that are capable of leading individuals down a path to more serious, more illegal, and more devastating substances.  If he has already become addicted, there are various ways to quit, from gum to patches to imitation cigarettes. With the undivided support of his friends and family, he can overcome his reliance for cigarettes.