Today... right now... millions of children around the world and in your neighborhood are on the verge of becoming hooked... not on phonics... but on drugs!

Millions of other children have already started using or abusing drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, PCP, marijuana, heroin and alcohol.

Hi, my name is Marcus Mottley. I am a parent, clinical psychologist, teacher, counselor and certified prevention professional. I am the father of two boys - one a teenager and the other - well he is a preteen with teenage ideas!

As a parent, I am concerned that my sons may be influenced to use drugs or be involved in behaviors and activities that will derail their future!

What about you? Are you a parent like me who is concerned about the plague of drugs that threaten your son or daughter?

Or are you a teacher, counselor, school administrator, social worker, child care worker, or other professional who wants to make a difference in the lives of children?

Would you like more information, more knowledge, more skills that will boost your ability to help children resist using drugs?

Would you like feel more confident and more competent as you work with children who are exposed to the pressures to use drugs, drink alcohol or become involved in other dangerous activities?

Here Are Some Facts About Teens & Drugs:

In the United States, 13.2 million students between the ages of twelve and seventeen become new users of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. And according to the Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan, 50% of American children have used illicit drugs by the time that they are seniors in high school. In another recent study involving more than 50,000 high school students, ISR researchers found that 77% had used alcohol, 54% had smoked cigarettes, and 51% had used an illicit drug (including 46% who had used marijuana, 15% had used an amphetamine and 11% had used inhalants).

These are staggering numbers. As a parent I am deeply concerned.  

How do you feel about these trends in drug use among teenagers? How concerned are you?

What do you think that we adults can do?

Here is a quick look are some unique ideas & breakthrough principles of what I think we need to know and do in order to protect our children:

• We need the inside tips and breakthrough strategies from other parents, prevention professionals, teachers, social workers, and child psychologists!  

• We need information from successful teenagers who don't use drugs...

• We need to listen to teens who have learned how to consistently "say no" to the pressure to use drugs - everyday, every week, every month... . How do they do that?

• What we don't know about drug prevention may not hurt us directly... But it might be hurting our kids right now! That is a concern that most of us (parents) constantly live with.

• I believe that we don't have to be recovering addicts or an addiction counselors to be able to help our kids and teens remain drug-free! We can get the knowledge, tools and skills we need.

• Reducing the risk factors that propel kids to use drugs is an important drug prevention strategy that I think we all need to learn, adapt to our kids and their situations. Then we need to adopt the strategies that work for us.

• I used to ask myself this question: Do I know the extent to which my son (the teenager)  is at risk to use drugs? I was adamant that I needed to find out - before it was too late.

• I asked my self if my daily efforts made my children more resilient?
  

• What should I tell my children about drugs? When is the best time to talk with them? How do I listen and what do I listen for? (The answers to these questions are crucial!)
  

• Am I teaching my sons how to deal with the negative peer pressure they regularly experience?

• I believed that there were critical things that I needed to know and about my teenagers' friends and their parents. I thought that failure to know these things can leave our children seriously at risk for drug use... and other terrible problems and incidents.

• Well... I went on a mission... I developed a strategy on how to "Stack the Deck"? This is the core of a unique set of strategies that you can also learn to implement on a daily basis.
  

• I developed a definition of "prevention" that made it clear what I had to do... and how I sholud do it. This alone provided me with a 'quantum leap' in my thinking! The light bulbs went off in my head!  

• I learned the basic signs & symptoms of drug use: What key signs should I look for in kids, pre-teens and teenagers?

• I explored why my own self-care was important when I was  involved in 'prevention' activities.  

• I learned which questions I should ask my pre-teen and teenager? And just as important.... which questions I should avoid.

• I asked myself Hohow I could capitalize on teachable moments... and what should I teach... and when should I teach it? 

• How could I  'inoculate' my boys against drugs and violence... and all of the problems in between?
  

• Was it ethical to 'brain wash' my kids against the negative influences of gangs and bullies.... Yes, I said "brain wash". Here is a tip: If I didn't do it... someone else would. More importantly... if I didn't learn how to do it... the bad people do... and they would not hesitate to brainwash my boys - if they could! 

• How could I build my boys' spirits and hearts... rather than destroy them... And, how could I build their self-esteem and self image - and even their self-concept! What would I need to do? How?

• Which risk or resiliency/protective factors should I focus on? Where do I learn this information? Who would teach me? How would it work with my kids? Would it workat all?
  

• What is the best method for teaching and coaching my children so that they would buy-into the dreams and goals that I have for their safety and success?

• How could I develop a family prevention program that was proven to work and that my kids would love? (OK... maybe not love... but at least buy-into.)

So What Did I Do?

I asked a lot of questions. I did a lot of research. I read a lot of books. I interviewed a lot of teachers, counselors, social workers and psychologists. But more importantly, I talked with a lot of teenagers and their parents. I talked with kids who were doing well and with teenagers in juvenile detention settings.

I became a Certifed Prevention Professional. I took a job as the Assistant Director of Drug & Violence Prevention in a Public School system in a major metropolitan area (65,000+ students).

But, first and foremost, I was a parent of two growing boys. And, they were the reason that I set out on my journey. I was adamant that I would drug proof my sons.

Now... Yes.. they are still growing... and I know it is not over. My journey continues...

But I wrote all my strategies down, all the things I tried and that I am trying... and I put them all in an eBook!

I want to share with you and other parents what I am learning... and have learned. And, at some point, I want to give you the opportunity to share your experiences with me and other parents. More than anything else, I think this is the most important part of what I am embarking on now: parents sharing with parents; Teenagers sharing with parents; Teenagers sharing with other teenagers!

So for the first chapter of this forward moving process, I have developed some critical pieces of information that I think you might want to read and learn about drug prevention for kids and teens.

I will give you tons (not ounces... not even pounds...) of information about how to prevent teenage drug use. You will learn about the keys to substance abuse prevention.

An "ounce" of prevention 'used' to get you a "pound" of cure! Not anymore... not anymore... You need a "ton" of Prevention to get one little "ounce" of cure. I will give you "Tons" of Prevention strategies, techniques, ideas and methods!

If you are a teacher, counselor, school administrator, social worker or other professional... can you use this information to work with parents? I think the answer is yes.

If you are a parent, can you use this information to boost your efforts. I am confident that you will find this information at least very supportive. At most.. the information might change the way you do some things.

For those parents who have teenagers who have already started to use drugs... then you need intervention techniques and strategies. The great thing about my information is that these techniques can also be used for drug abuse intervention, relapse prevention, and some aspects of treatment.

I will explain to you why these strategies are critical in all phases of prevention, intervention, treatment and aftercare. 

Yes! I firmly believe that we can prevent & intervene in drug use or abuse among pre-teens and teenagers.