TALK TO YOUR TEEN ABOUT DRUGS

When the Partnership for a Drug-Free America sampled the opinions of some 9,000 youth ages nine to eighteen in 1998, the survey showed that the stronger and more frequent the anti-drug messages at home, the less likely a child is to become a user.

Only 26 percent of adolescents who said their parents had taught them "a lot" about the dangers of drugs had smoked marijuana. Among youth who said they had learned "a little" or "nothing" from their parents, the rates of pot use were higher: 33 percent and 45 percent, respectively. That pattern remained consistent for other drugs.

Tips for Talking to Your Child about Substance Use

Leave no doubt as to where you stand. "You are not to use any drug, including tobacco or alcohol, under any circumstances." The explain why:

• Because we love you.

• Because drugs are dangerous, and we don't want to see you harm yourself.

• Because it is against the law.

Clearly spell out the consequences for defying the rules: what the punishment will be and how it will be implemented.

Don't hesitate to aim for the emotional jugular. Remind you teen that you would be deeply disappointed in his behavior if he were to disobey you on this matter. Research shows that when a child is deciding whether or not to indulge, a key consideration is, What will my parents think?

When discussing the dangers of drugs, emphasize the immediate consequences. Younger teens especially think in terms of today, tomorrow and the next day, not how a behavior will impact their lives in the future. Stress how smoking tobacco causes bad breath, hoarseness and a hacking cough; stains teeth yellow; impairs athletic performance; and in general makes other people not want to be around the smoker.

Remind your teen that smoking, drinking and drugging aren't just harmful, they're expensive. A pack-a-day cigarette habit can cost close to a thousand dollars a year. Surely, there are better ways to spend that money-CDs, clothing, gasoline for the car or college.

Appeal to the adolescent's natural independent streak by praising his determination to avoid using drugs. "I admire the way you've stuck to your principles and refused to use drugs. It takes courage to not always go along with the crowd."

Explain to your teen that once people start using drugs, they may not be able to stop. The teen with an addiction tells himself and everyone around him hat he can quit whenever he wants. But with prolonged use, the addictive substance triggers long-lasting changes in the chemical composition of the brain. At that point, professional treatment is required and the relapse rate is high.

What Every Parent Should Know about Tobacco

Signs of Tobacco Use:

• Dizziness

• Burning of the eyes, nose, throat

• Bad breath

• Stained teeth and fingertips

• Hoarseness

• Shortness of breath

• Smoker's cough, a hacking cough cause by inflammation of the respiratory tract from tobacco smoke

• Tremors

• Decreased appetite

• Hair and clothes that reek of tobacco smoke

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics