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Summer House
Your Source for Addiction and Recovery News
Dull Summer Can Lead to Drug Use by Teens
Des Moines Register — Monitoring your teen’s activities is an important deterrent to drug use.
Research shows that more teens begin using tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana between spring break and the summer months than any other time.
Parents can play an important role in helping their teen stay drug-free by setting clear rules, knowing who their friends are, and by having open and honest discussions about drugs.
Q. Why is summer a risky time for teens?
A. Summer is a time that often has little structure for teens. This can lead to boredom.
According to a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, teens who report they are "often bored" are 50 percent more likely to smoke, drink, get drunk and use illegal drugs than teens who aren’t.
Another risk factor for teens during summer is having friends who use drugs. Teens are more likely to feel pressured to experiment with drugs if their friends do.
The summer months also have more unsupervised time, which can lead to involvement in risky behavior.
Q. My teen will be unsupervised at home for most of the summer. What can I do to make sure he stays out of trouble?
A. There are steps you can take to ensure your teen stays safe and healthy.
- Lean on other responsible adults in your neighborhood. Network with other adults in your community to build a safe environment for young people.
- Use technology to your advantage. Teens these days use many forms of communication technology including e-mail, cell phones, text messaging and instant messaging, to name a few. Use these forms of technology to check in with your teen each day.
- Get to know your teen’s friends. They can be an important factor in your teen’s decisions about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
- Plan regular check-in times throughout the day with your teen.
- Find supervised activities in your community that your teen enjoys. Youth who are involved in constructive, supervised activities during non-school hours are less likely to use drugs. Talk with your child about what she would like to do during the summer and see if you can find a summer program in your community.
Q. How do I start the discussion about drug use with my teen?
A. Teens need to be educated by their parents about drug abuse, expectations in the home, and consequences. This can be a difficult conversation to have but the steps below can help guide you though the process.
1. Talk with your partner to agree on rules and consequences if your teen does use drugs. This information should then be shared with your teen so he knows and understands the expectations.
2. Practice ahead of time what you are going to say to your teen. Be prepared for various reactions from your teen and practice how you will react.
3. Make an agreement with yourself to not get upset or angry. Stay as calm as possible. Remember, you are the parent and you are in charge. Be kind and direct in your statements to your child. Know that you are doing the right thing.
Q. What are some signs to watch for if my teen is using drugs?
A. Look for signs of depression, withdrawal from friends and family, carelessness with grooming, or hostility. Also ask yourself, is your teen doing well in school, getting along with friends, and taking part in regular activities? Some additional signs to look for are:
- Increased secrecy about possessions or activities.
- Increase in borrowing money.
- Unexplained injuries.
- Impaired short-term memory.
- Items or money missing from home.
- Illness, shakiness, or tremors.
Q. What other resources are available?
A. A great resource for parents is called "The Anti-Drug," which can be found at www.theantidrug.com. This Web site has a wealth of information for parents about drug education, support from other parents striving to keep their teens drug-free, and helpful articles and advice from experts in the parenting and substance abuse prevention field.