Talking to Your Kids about Drugs May Get Them to Just Say No

A lot of parents feel helpless when it comes to their kids. They think their kids will do what they want to do, including drinking or taking drugs, no matter what. But statistics show that’s not the case. In fact, kids whose parents talk to them about the dangers of drugs and alcohol are 50% less likely to use them. But how you go about educating them, and what you say, is pivotal.

Many parents think that simply telling their kids not to drink or take drugs, or telling them they’re dangerous, is enough. But the kids are being told something entirely different by their peers. They’re just ‘having a good time.’ They’re not aware of the immediate dangers, nor are they looking at the future.

They don’t realize they could become addicted and not even realize it until they try to stop. They don’t realize they could take a drug that has dangerous side effects, including the possibility of overdose. They also don’t know that if they drink too much too quickly, they may not feel the effects until they pass out.

Their friends aren’t likely to know any of that information either. They think passing out from drinking, for example, is just sleeping it off. They don’t know they’ve reached a toxicity level so dangerous they’re right next door to dead.

They also don’t know about prescription drugs. They go to parties with other kids who being drugs from their parents’ medicine cabinets and thrown them all together in a bowl so everyone can take what they want. They think the drugs are safe because they originally came from a doctor. Do they know that drug companies spend literally billions of dollars every year settling lawsuits for the people who these drugs have killed or seriously damaged? Do they know there are thousands of lawsuits going on at any given time? Do they know that prescription drug addiction is even worse than with street drugs?

Kids also tend to think they’re invincible – nothing like that would ever happen to them. And they think they’re doing things sensibly and making sure they’re not in danger, the equivalent of looking both ways before they cross the street. What they don’t realize is that taking drugs and drinking alcohol is like jumping into the path of an 18-wheeler going 60 miles an hour. Sure, there’s a chance the truck will stop, or be able to swerve off the road, but the chances are just as great that they won’t.

Start talking to your kids about drugs and alcohol early – Grade 5 is not too soon. That’s about the time they’re going to run into other kids at school taking drugs or drinking. Surprised? Don’t be. Many kids start when they’re 12 or 13. And don’t just talk to them once. They need to be reminded. And they need to know what to expect. They need to know that other kids may tell them that what they’re taking isn’t really drugs, it’s something from the doctor to make you feel good. They may also tell them the same about marijuana – that doctors prescribe it, so it’s safe.

And watch for the alcohol or drug use warning signs: changes in their moods, school problems of any sort or dropping sports or other extracurricular activities, rebelling against family rules, not communicating as much as they used to with parents, changing their friends and not really being willing for you to meet them, not taking care of themselves or their stuff, adopting an attitude that things aren’t important, sleeping more or seeming nervous or jittery - any kind of physical, mental or emotional changes or problems could be a sign they’re drinking or taking drugs.

If they’ve already started, your best bet is to contact a drug rehab referral service that is staffed with experts who can help you figure out what to do. You may need to find an alcohol or drug addiction treatment center, especially if it’s gone on too long.

The worst thing you can do is nothing. The longer you wait, the greater the chances your kids will get into real trouble. And the longer you delay talking to them about alcohol and drugs when they’re young, the greater the chances they’ll take them. Which could ruin their lives, and yours.