About Alcohol

About Drugs

About Sex

“I want to tell you why I drink alcohol… how I started and what I feel about my own behavior with it.”

“Can I copy some iTunes of yours? I’d really like to share the music you’re listening to.” (References to drugs in music will let you start talking about the subject.)

"I know you get a lot of different messages about sex, depending on who you’re with or what you read or see. What's the general feeling about hooking up among your friends?"

“When I was growing up, my family’s attitude toward alcohol was X, and I know this made me feel Y.”

“Can I see your MySpace or Facebook page? I’m interested in what you’re doing online and want to be sure you’re safe.”

"Saying 'no' to someone is really hard. Do you ever practice different ways of saying that you just aren't ready?"

“How do I know I’ve had enough alcohol? After one glass of wine, I feel more relaxed; after three, I’m not as coordinated, I get silly, I say things to people I wouldn’t usually say…”

“Please invite XXXX for dinner next week. We think it’s important that we know your friends—what they do, what they like, what kind of people they are.”

"You sound pretty serious about this person. Are you ready to see a gynecologist?"

“Remember when the Katz’s kid got totally drunk and said he’d only had one beer? Alcohol affects young people very differently than adults, especially when they have no experience with the feelings alcohol brings on.”

“I’ve noticed that you’re wearing a lot more black/different makeup/changed your hair. I’ve read that very often, kids who are going through a lot of personal changes want to look different, too.”

"You sound like someone's trying to pressure you to be sexually active. If you're not interested, that's perfectly normal."

“Why do you think people would get in a car after drinking even one drink? Unfortunately, a lot of people with impaired judgment from drinking have no idea that they’re impaired. So just to be on the safe side, you want to ALWAYS have a designated driver.”

“Do you know what ‘trail mix’ is? I’ve heard a lot of kids are taking pills from their parents’ medicine cabinets and trying a handful of them all mixed up. Drugs have such different chemical reactions, that’s like mixing up all the chemicals under the sink and chugging them.”

"Date rape and forced sex is very scary. Do you know anyone who's ever gone through this experience?" (It's important to get both boys and girls to talk about date rape.)

“I never would drink too much on my own, but when all my buddies were binge drinking, it seemed like the thing to do. Drinking with friends who drink a lot, it’s a lot harder to control yourself.”

“When I was in college, there was a lot of experimentation going on, but the drugs today are a lot stronger – and you don’t know the quality of what you’re getting.”

“I think we should watch the coverage of the teen pregnancy story together – I’m really interested in your opinions.”

“What do you think about lowering the drinking age to 18? Do you think teens are mature enough to handle it?”

“If you ever go to a friend's house or a party and you don’t think you can get home, you can call—any time, from anywhere.”

“Why do you think masturbation is only portrayed on TV and in movies as something ridiculous and disgusting? It’s the safest form of sex, after all.”

“Yes, I’ve had a hangover—so has almost everyone who drinks. Let me tell you exactly what it feels like.”

“I think privacy is important. The only time I would ever come into your bedroom without asking is if I were seriously worried about your safety or your health. But in that case, I would come in if I thought I really had to.”

[While watching football or nearly any sports show…] “They sure run a lot of Cialis commercials, don’t they? Interesting how they want to make you think about sex during a game!”