Is a Theme of Drug Addiction Too Mature for a Dramatic Story for 5th/6th Graders?

Question by Squaa: Is a theme of drug addiction too mature for a dramatic story for 5th/6th graders?
I am currently writing a dramatic children’s story about a dog that is raised as a fighting dog and then is released from that environment. If I continue down this path, one of the dogs’ owners will be a drug addict. Although the dug addiction would definitely be small undertone, there would be many obvious references to drugs throughout the story. I could feasibly avoid this path, but it would make things a bit difficult, as the character’s drug addiction serves as a catylist for numerous events and it provides a source of conflict and tension in an otherwise peaceful part of the story. What do you all think?

Best answer:

Answer by random dude
Well you do learn about drugs and the dangers of drugs in health class around that age, and you are highlighting the bad things about them, so I would say you can go for it!

Answer by Mike Yurosek
make drugs look like fun games so it doesn’t get too dramatic and mature for the kids.

CHINO: Community Theatre presents 'Terra Nova'
This play written by Ted Tally tells the true story of an ill fated expedition in 1911. Led by Captain Robert ….. This type of relief masks the cause, is temporary, and more often can lead to even more pain or worse yet — addiction to drugs! So … Read more on Press-Enterprise (blog)

FDA Hopes New Labels Will Help Prevent Addiction to Opiates
The US Food and Drug Administration is hoping that better labeling could help prevent people from getting addicted to opiates. The drug is a common treatment for patients in severe pain, but when symptoms persist people can easily get addicted. The new … Read more on kstc45

BOOTH: When will we stop being dopes about dope?
Nope, that's apparently not a problem because alcohol and tobacco are good drugs – they're legal and the government makes money off taxing them so our society benefits from their widespread availability. Alcohol and tobacco are so good, in fact, we're … Read more on Surrey Now