What Parents Can Do

In this ever-changing drug environment, what can parents do? Dr. Emil Chiauzzi of Inflexxion, a company that creates behavioral health solutions for prevention, education, and disease management using interactive technologies, says that parents should make themselves aware of the “road signs” of drug abuse.

• Look for all types of changes in your teen. Is your son suddenly more defiant? Are his grades slipping? Has he lost interest in how he looks and dresses?

• Does your daughter have a whole new set of friends? Is she talking too much or not at all? Does she spend more time out of the house than she used to? Do people call on the phone asking for her, but refuse to identify themselves?

• Is your teen suddenly having cash flow problems? Or conversely, is he flush with disposable income, possibly from dealing drugs? Are you discovering that items are missing from your home, items that could have been sold for drug money?

If you start to see any of these signs, it‘s time to take action. Dr. Glenn Zehner of Drug-Free Pennsylvania stresses the importance of taking the time to talk to your teens. “Find out what’s going on in their lives and who they’re hanging out with. Talk to your teen’s school counselor.”

The Partnership’s Steve Psierb urges parents to take preventive measures to keep teens from abusing drugs. “Parents typically fear having the ‘sex talk’ with their kids, but they also fear having the ‘drugs talk.’” He advises parents to start talking to their kids about drugs at the beginning of middle school, using television shows and celebrities in the news who have drug problems as springboards for conversations. Kids who learn about drug risks from parents are only half as likely to start using—despite what you might believe, teens will heed their parents’ advice if they get it early.

If a teen already has a drug problem, Psierb advises parents to treat it as a health issue, not a legal issue and avoid the “moral failing mentality.”

“Treat it like diabetes or any other health problem,” Psierb counsels. “Tell people, ‘My kid has a health challenge and we’re dealing with it.”

If you suspect that your teen is abusing drugs:

• First, make your expectations for his behavior clear.

• Monitor his Internet use to see if he’s repeatedly visiting drug sites. If you have good reason to believe that he’s buying drugs online, take away his credit card.

• If the problem persists, consult school guidance counselors and addiction specialists.

• Partner with your pediatrician or family doctor to work with your teen.

• If necessary, find a treatment facility.

There are ways to stop this very serious problem in its tracks, but you have to be vigilant.

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Issue: January 2008