Discussing the dangers of drugs with your teen

Here are five websites that can help start that dialogue with your teen:

1. Be Drug Wise: This modern-looking website for youth is linked to from Health Canada's Just for You page, an area that deals with a variety of subjects from body image to smoking. As part of Canada's Renewed Drug strategy, the goal of the site is to give teens the "information they need to make conscious, informed choices." Fact sheets show how to recognize signs of drug use and printable PDF booklets provide further reading for both parents and adolescents.

2. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health: Canada's leading addiction and mental health teaching hospital has a whole page devoted to information about drugs and addiction that can be useful for both parents and teens. The site also provides multilingual resources with a section on understanding addiction.

3. The Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission: This comprehensive site has a section for parents who are seeking ways to address a variety of issues with their kids, including drug use. The youth area provides facts on drugs and addiction as well as a section called Express Yourself where teens can communicate their adolescent angst through stories, poetry and art.

4. Kids Help Phone: Children of any age can anonymously call a counsellor or ask a counsellor a question online 24/7 through this bilingual, national service. A Topic Library links to a section called Becoming a Young Adult with information on drugs and alcohol.

5. The McCreary Centre Society: This small, non-profit organization, concerned with the health of young people in British Columbia, has a Youth Advisory Council and provides colourful fact sheets on a variety of issues, including Facts about Substance Use. Note: You may be prompted to enter your name and e-mail address to download the PDF.

There is no easy way to bring up sensitive subjects with your teen. But the message you want to send to your child is: this is a real topic, it's safe to talk about together and you won't be judging them, says Dr. Walker. "If your child discloses drug and/or alcohol use, as shocking as this may or may not be to you, your child trusts you enough to share. Build on that trust, create a safety plan and reach out to people in your community who are trained to help you."