Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers 91 TALKING WITH TEENAGERS ABOUT DRUGS Some parents and guardians may find it difficult to talk with their teenager about drugs. Between illegal drugs and prescription medications, it may be hard to know where to begin. But drugs can be dangerous, and some teenagers are not aware of the risks. TALKING WITH YOUR TEENAGER As a parent or guardian, you might need to talk with your teenager about drugs because: > Your teenager will hear information about > drugs from their friends, the media, even > other adults and some of this information > will be wrong. > Your teenager is not using drugs, but you > want to educate them about the risks in > case they are ever tempted to try them. > Your teenager may not use drugs, but they > (or you) are concerned that someone they > know might be. > You realize (or suspect) that your teenager > is using drugs, and you want to help them > stop. > Your teenager may be asking questions > about drugs. Give them reasons to say no. It is important that parents talk about drugs regularly before there is an urgent need to do so. Many short conversations are better than a few long lectures, and teenagers are more likely to pay attention during shorter chats. STARTING THE CONVERSATION There is no script for talking with your teenager about drugs. But here are a few tips to keep in mind. > Offer them control of the situation. Let > them pick the time and place. > Look for opportunities to talk about drug > use with your teenager, like when you > discuss school or current events. > Plan the main points you want to discuss, > rather than speaking on impulse. Avoid > saying everything you think all at once. > Instead, target your main points about > drugs. > Listen to them and respect their opinion. If > they see you as a good listener, they may be > more inclined to trust your input. Give > them room to participate and ask > questions. > Focus on facts rather than emotions. If > your teenager is using drugs, you may feel > anger, sadness, fear or confusion. Those > are natural reactions. But talking about > the issue is more productive than talking > about your feelings. > Avoid being judgmental. > Respect their independence. Tell them you > are trying to help them make good > decisions, by giving them information they > may not know. > Be clear about why you are worried. > Whatever your teenager may think, > communicate that your main concern is for > their well-being. You are your teenager’s most important role model and their best defense against drug use. Start early and answer the questions about drugs before they are asked. Image by Freepik
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