Sadly, read this article: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/12/post_321.html

In 17 different drug categories, Alabama ranked higher in drug usage than the national average. That’s from beer to tobacco to cocaine to meth and more. This is a recent survey, too.

To be fair, some numbers in Alabama improved slightly. Slightly. But it is alarming that 1 in 5 teens drank alcohol within the past month. That’s 6th through 12th grade students. What’s more alarming is that only 68.5% of these teens thought their parents DISAPPROVED of their drinking. We have a parenting epidemic on our hands!

In the next several weeks, I have a new book coming out called “Addiction-proof Parenting” that will help ALL parents in an effort to prevent their children from being addicted to anything. Look for this resource in 2010.

Today, teenagers are trying drugs more than ever before. Why is that when we have more self-help meetings available and drug rehab centers for teeens and adults than ever before? Why when more resources and money are provided today than ever before to prevention and rehab programs thanks to our federal government?

Why is there more drug use today despite many more resources available?

Because the message is WRONG. The message says it’s not a moral problem but a genetic, biological problem. It’s not a choice problem but a disease. No one is dealing with the heart of sin that CHOOSES to disobey God and parents (1st and 5th of the Ten Commandments).

The Bible deals with the heart and offers the REAL solution to idolatry and drug addiction: Christ and His power to transform the will in our hearts (Rom. 12:1-2).

If you want to see why I’m so passionate about what we do at TIL, then you need to look no further. The MESSAGE of TIL is what is important. We proclaim Christ and not ourselves. We want Him to change hearts, not our fancy methods. Only God can change the human heart and He does so through vessels like you and I.

Let’s fight this addiction problem together by teaching parents and teens alike about the truth for overcoming all types of addictions.

-Mark (thankful that God deals with The Heart of Addiction)