Establish family rules that make it clear that drug use will not be tolerated.
Educate yourself about drugs, so you can talk informatively with your children and answer their questions.
Spend time with your children listening to their concerns and showing how much you love and care for them.
Recognize that YOU are their most important role model.
Because peer pressure is a major factor in teen drug use, know your children's friends.
Talk with other parents. Try to establish uniform rules that make access to drugs harder, such as curfew and the amount of spending money they receive.
If a problem exists, get help! Don't say "Not my child!"
Teach them about the many positive alternatives to drug use.
TOBACCO: biggest killer (400,000 deaths/year) ALCOHOL: most widely abused legal substance PRESCRIPTIONDRUGS: dangerously addictive, rising in popularity METHAMPHETAMINE: labeled an epidemic problem by the press MARIJUANA : most widely abused illegal substance MDMA (ECSTASY) : little research on long term effects, still popular CRACK COCAINE : cheap, destructive drug making a comeback HEROIN : highly addictive drug making a comeback in some areas STEROIDS : horrible side effects, the toll they're taking on athletics DXM : abuse is on the rise among youth - Source and Links to additional info at www.streetdrugs.org
