Dangerous experimentation

Keep the lines of communication open
As parents, you can help by talking with your teens about the facts of both prescription and illicit drugs, the problems they can create, and how improper use can impair both mental and physical health. Discuss the problems of the most common drugs -- alcohol and cigarettes -- the way you would discuss any concern about their health. Find ways to introduce the topic of other drugs into your conversations. News stories like the near disqualification of a Canadian snowboarder for suspected marijuana use at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano no doubt started more than one family discussion about marijuana. Be honest about your own past experiences with cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs, but don't feel you must discuss them unless you feel comfortable doing so. Being hypocritical about your current use or abuse of drugs would certainly be problematic.

Role-playing about situations in which peers or others apply pressure to participate in drug use can help your teens find the language to divert "friends" who offer drugs at a party. Make it clear that in situations that present a risk to your teens' safety -- if they are incapacitated in any way they should call you or have someone call you, because you will pick them up at any time.

If your child stumbles home late one night, too drunk or stoned to talk properly, try to ensure his physical safety first by finding out what he has taken, if at all possible. If he's extremely drunk or high on drugs, consider taking him to the hospital emergency ward -- alcohol poisoning or a reaction to, or overdose of, a drug can be very serious. The next morning when he's sober, a non-accusatory statement such as "You were behaving strangely last night," followed up with an open-ended question such as "Can you tell me what happened?" are ways of opening the discussion. Make sure he knows you're worried about him. Try to find out if there's something in his life or even in your family life that's bothering him and that might be contributing to his use of alcohol or drugs.