Is there a link between body modification and promiscuity? What about drug use?
A child that is willing to experiment with their body using body modification may well be more willing to experiment sexually. Studies have shown that promiscuous young people as well as young people who smoke marijuana are more likely to have tattoos and piercings. This doesn’t mean the body modification is the problem — it just means you are both cursed and blessed with a curious child that wants to see what the world is all about. So yes, if your child comes home with a tongue piercing, do have that “sex and drugs talk” with them if you haven’t already. Just make sure it’s positive, not accusatory… But there are also a vast number of young people who consider themselves “straightedge” (no alcohol, drugs, or promiscuous sex) who use body modification to express themselves. As I mentioned, young people drawn to body modification may be drawn to many culturally “questionable” activities, but the connection between drug abuse and body modification, especially in young people, is a fla
