Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco

Pre-teens and teens face so many risky behaviors to deal with: sex, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. They need their parents to help them understand and make decisions about these tough issues and set them on a healthy course. You can make a difference in your pre-teen or teen's life and the choices they make about sex, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

While most teens don't, far too many teens are getting involved with drugs and alcohol. The risks are great. Besides the problems alcohol and other drugs can cause with school and other important activities, they can lead to problems with the law and serious health issues. Teens who use alcohol or use drugs are more likely to engage in other risky behaviors.

The leading cause of death among Americans 15- to 24-years old is alcohol-related automobile accidents. Driving under the influence of drugs is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. Drug overdoses can kill.

 Parents can and must help their pre-teens and teens stay away from alcohol and illicit drugs. Studies show that parents have the most influence on their teens when dealing with illicit drugs; among youth ages 13-17, two-thirds of them say that one of the main reasons they don't smoke marijuana or use other illicit drugs is that they don't want to lose their parents' respect. ⁸⁸

For more information, visit Alcohol, Illicit Drugs, and Tobacco. A very good web site with information about alcohol and drug use among teens, and suggestions for how to talk to children, pre-teens, and teens about these risks is http://www.family.samhsa.gov/talk/.

And this Web site has lots of information about drugs and teens: http://www.family.samhsa.gov/main/facts.aspx.

Some other Web sites that have good information for you and your pre-teen or teen are:

http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov

http://www.thecoolspot.gov/

http://www.nida.nih.gov/parent-teacher.html

http://www.mediacampaign.org/newsroom/press06/022806.html

http://www.mediacampaign.org/newsroom/press06/022806_fs.html

Last revised: May 28, 2008