Drugs. Legal highs.

I meant when they were more strictly enforced, Ana. Sorry, I wasn't very clear, I remember local police being very lax when I was a teenager. Even as an adult. I think it was only about 25 years ago that people started to take notice, as the punishments became harder, cars had become more powerful and death rates increased. A policeman friend said at first they were confused by the erratic driving of some teens and young adults, never at first dreaming that drugs were behind it, not alcohol. It was some years before they were able to test for drugs as well as alcohol in drivers.

There was a 17 year old died from taking legal highs in my nearest town a couple of weeks ago. His family are naturally distraught and trying to highlight the dangers of these drugs. They might be legal but they are deadly.

I don't think teenagers turned to drugs when drink-driving laws were introduced. There weren't many teenage drivers in the UK in 1966!

There's always some new 'high' to tempt the thrill-seeking youth of each generation, but at least drug laws provide some degree of deterrence. The trouble with these 'legal highs' is that they can be so dangerous, and the dealers always seem to be one step ahead of the law-makers.

at your last couple of lines.

I had thought about bumping the thread, but came to the conclusion that gransnetters dont have many problems as regards drugs in general, so thought all well and good.

Peer pressure is a big problem, I agree.
I hope that your GC stay safe.

Ouch. I only heard about these shops recently, when I saw a photo of one on facebook. I was amazed that the council allowed them - but then I am also amazed that they allow massage parlours.

When it became illegal to drink and drive, teens turned to drugs. The risk-taking years for many of them last for around ten years, after that I suppose now we just have to be grateful that any are still alive and not brain-damaged. I think it's impossible to stop, but whoever allowed those shops to open should be shot.

However, as the ex-wife of an alcoholic, I once felt the same about pubs and off-licences. I told my DCs all I knew about alcohol and drugs, made them read up about them and they attended many talks and workshops. DD admitted to a few months of cannabis-smoking when with an Ex, but DS is dead against drugs and rarely drinks. I hope my DD will instill enough sense into my GCs to keep them safe, and give them enough confidence to not succumb to peer pressure, which I feel is the main problem. I can remember very clearly not being invited to many parties as a teenager because I didn't approve of drug-taking, and was once evicted from one for throwing dope buns out of a bathroom window. Someone accused me of cruelty to birds!