Preparing to Talk to Your Teen
Teens who learn anti-drug messages at home
are 42 percent less likely to use drugs.
Parents, you are the first line of defense when it comes to your teen's drug use or drinking. And you do make
a difference! Nearly two-thirds of teenagers see great risk of upsetting their parents or losing the respect of
family and friends if they smoke marijuana or use other drugs. (Get more facts here)
You can influence your teenager's behavior, particularly if you are armed with the facts about drugs. Having a clear
understanding about the risks of illicit drugs and knowing the
signs to watch for in your teenager is a critical first step.
Know how marijuana interferes with concentrating on schoolwork and their ability to
play sports. If they don't hear about drugs and alcohol from you, it's a sure thing that they'll hear about them from someone else. Also make certain
that they understand the legal trouble and health consequences that they may encounter if they use drugs.
Among the most common drug-related questions asked of parents is: Did you ever use drugs? Unless the answer is no, it's difficult to know
what to say because nearly all parents who used drugs don't want their children to do the same thing. Is this hypocritical?
No. We all want the best for our children. Today we have more information and we understand the hazards of drug use better than we did when we were their
age and thought we were invincible. To guide our children's decisions about drugs, we can now draw on credible real-life examples of friends who had
trouble as a result of their drug use: the neighbor who caused a fatal car crash while high; the family member who got addicted; the teen who used
marijuana for years, lost interest in school, and never really learned how to deal with adult life and its stresses.
This discussion provides a good opportunity for parents to speak frankly about what attracted them to drugs, why drugs are dangerous, what they know now that
they didn't know then, and why they want their children to avoid making the same mistake.
Next: Staying in Touch with your Teen
