Do you know where your teenager is every hour of the day? Do you know who he talks to and spends time with? Are you completely confident that your son or daughter would never try drugs? If you can answer yes to all of these questions, you are one of the lucky ones. Don't be fooled into thinking, though, that your teen will never be exposed to some form of drugs. Don't automatically assume that your teen's friends would never take drugs or offer drugs to your child. Most importantly, don't believe that your teen will tell you that he was offered or has tried drugs.

Statistics

The statistics are staggering. According to the National Survey of Substance Abuse Attitudes in 2000, more than sixty percent of teenage students stated that drugs were used, kept, or sold at their school. By the time a child reaches the eighth grade, more than fifty percent of teens have drunk alcohol, forty percent have smoked cigarettes, and at least twenty percent have tried marijuana.

There is hope, however. The Partnership for a Drug Free America reports that teenagers whose parents talk to them about the dangers of drug use are forty-two percent less likely to use drugs than those teens whose parents never talk to them. While these statistics give parents hope, only one in four teens report actually having had this type of talk with their parents.

Warning Signs

Parents should not automatically assume that their child would never choose to try or use drugs. Education is the key, and parents should educate themselves on the possible warning signs that could indicate drug use by their child. Some of these signs include:

• Change in attitude including hostility, depression, and withdrawal
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of weight
• Drop in grades
• Changing friends
• Lack of goals
• Change in appearance, including poor hygiene
• Rebelliousness
• Doesn't bring friends home
• Skipping school
• Borrowing large amounts of money
• Money and other items missing from home
• Increased use of eye drops
• Glassy eyes
• Skin abrasions
• Chemical odor on breath

Teenagers who use drugs typically exhibit many of these behaviors. You may notice that your child's attitude begins to change. She may become withdrawn, refusing to participate in family activities and spending most of her time in her room when she is at home. She may also become volatile and have violent outbursts when she disagrees with something you have said. She may lack motivation and show complete apathy and disregard for her future. You may discover that she lies easily and shows no concern or respect for you and your spouse.

Parents should also pay attention to their child's physical appearance. Have you noticed a change in his hygiene? Is he losing weight? Are his eyes glassy, and does he use eye drops often? Have you noticed any unexplained skin abrasions, which could indicate that he is using drugs intravenously?

What about your child's grades? Are they dropping? Does she seem to need more and more money, but you don't know what she is using it for? Have you noticed valuables or money missing from the house? Does your child become extremely defensive and even hostile when you question her about these missing items?

Prevention

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, your child may have a problem with drugs. If you have not seen any indication that your child is using drugs, it is so important that you become proactive in teaching your teen to stay away from them. There are several steps you can take to become more involved in keeping your child off of drugs.

Communication

Communication is the single most important step that you can take to keep your teen off drugs. The statistics are real, and they continue to show the importance of talking to your child. How can you do this, and what should you say?

While it can be difficult to talk to your teen, you must find a way to. Adolescents typically don't respond well to lectures, so you need to find a way to talk with your teen instead of to your teen. Let your teen know how important he is to you. You can point out the statistics all day long, but most teenagers will simply tune those numbers out. Instead, try to tell your teen how important it is that he live a safe life and let him know that safety and drugs cannot coexist. Do some role playing with your child to help him decide how he will deal with peer pressure.

You need to know your child's friends. The more you know about the people your child hangs out with, the better sense you will have about what your child is doing. You should also try to become better acquainted with the parents of your teen's friends. If you ever have concerns about what your child and his friends are doing, it will help if you can also talk to other parents.

Involvement

Stay involved in your child's life. You should not be afraid to ask questions about your child's activities. If she doesn't want to answer your questions about where she is going, what she is doing, and whom she is seeing, you might want to limit her activities. Let her know that you want to stay active in her life.

Encourage your child to stay involved in extracurricular activities. These can be school related, or they can be after-school programs and activities. The more involved your child is, the less time he will have to experiment with drugs. If your child isn't already playing some type of sports or involved in music, drama, or other activities, encourage your child to find a hobby that he is interested in. Be sure to attend any games, recitals, or other activities that showcase your child's talents.

If you and your family are members of a church, be sure your child has plenty of opportunity to get involved with youth group activities. Try to cultivate friendships with other families that are similar to yours. Find ways to help your child stay busy and involved.

Help

Finally, if you suspect that your child is using drugs, seek help immediately. If you are not sure where to turn, you might want to begin by talking to the counselor at your child's school. You can also talk to your child's pediatrician. These professionals should be able to help you get your child the help he needs. They can also help you get your child back on the right track. Life can be tough, and if your child is using drugs, this doesn't mean you are a bad parent. It is important, however, that you do everything in your power to teach your teen to be tough on drugs!