Teens and Drugs... What You Should Know

10 things… You Should Know About Teens & Tweens

Drugs & Alcohol

“In 1969, a Gallup poll found that a whopping 84% of Americans believed that marijuana should be illegal. This year, for the first time, according to its latest poll, the majority sentiment on this issue has changed… 51% polled thought that the drug should be legalized, while 46% thought otherwise” (Forbes.com)

Great resource: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/

-       Legal Substances

o   Spice (K2, Fake Weed, Yucatan Fire, Skunk, Moon Rocks… Sunthetic Cannabis)

o   “Skittles” (oxy, Percs, Vikes, Barbs, Reds, Candy, Tranks, Speed… Pharming Party)

o   Robotrippin’ (Robitussin, Cough Medicine… containing DXM)

-       Household Items:

o   Inhalants (Whip-its, Laughing Gas, Snappers, Poppers, Bold… Huffing)

o   Bath Salts (Bloom, Cloud Nine, Vanilla Sky, White Lightning)

o   Duct Tape

-       Did you know…

o   Jell-O shots… Soaked Gummies… Pixie Sticks

o   “21 Ways to Hide Your Booze & Drugs” (Buzzfeed)

§  “Cellphone flask, Purse with wine compartment, Shaving Cream, etc.”

-       *Light Bulb moment… Ultimately teens drink for one of two reasons:

o   They love to party (typically to compensate for something: abuse, legalism, etc.)

o   They want to fit in

§  Can we do anything about either of these two reasons??

7 Things you can do to prevent your Teen from taking Drugs (Adapted from About.com)

1)   Be a role model. If you drink, drink responsibly - and don’t ever use illegal drugs.

2)   Be the scapegoat: ‘I can’t do that, my parents would kill me!’ Or be the parent who will pick up your teen w/o immediate repercussions.  Be there when they need an out.

3)   Get to know your teen’s friends and their parents on a first name basis.  This will help you know what your teen is doing and you may make a good friend to boot!

4)   Talk to your teen often about drugs. Use ice-breakers from television shows or the radio in the car. Remember these are conversations, not lectures.

5)   Ask questions when your teen makes plans to go out. Who will he be with, where is he going, what will he be doing, etc. Then check up on him. Call other parents.

6)   Connect with your teen by doing things together as a family. Make this a routine outing and have your teen help plan it. Eat family meals together. 

7)   Drop any baggage you may be carrying. Don't allow the mistakes you made as a teenager or young adult to influence your teen in a negative way.  Let the past go!