Did you know that over the counter drugs and marijuana are popular drug choices for teenagers to experiment with because it is easy to get? Your child’s friends often pressure your child to experiment with drugs so if you haven’t had a discussion with your teenager now would be a great time. Especially with all of the publicity and news broadcasts about making marijuana legal in some states for medical patients who need it. Your teenager might not realize that even where states have made it legal for some people to have marijuana legal it is still illegal for people to posse it if they don’t have a medical necessity for it.
According to the “Marijuana and Teens” from American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, teenage marijuana usage is at an all-time high. Kids as young as 8th grade have experimented with marijuana. Yikes, it is scary to know that kids that young are experimenting with drugs. Parents can attempt to prevent their kids from experimenting with drugs by keeping an open relationship with their kids and talking about difficult subjects such drug use, depression, suicide, sex, and more.
Disclosure: This post is for informational purposes only. If your teen is using drugs, please seek help from a trained professional.
Talking to Your Child About Over the Counter and Marijuana Drug Use
If you don’t want your child to abuse over the counter drugs or abuse marijuana, you need to have a discussion with them as soon as possible to talk to them about the consequences. Most children don’t realize that these drugs could be dangerous even in small quantities simply because you have no idea if it has been laced or how your body is going to react to the chemicals in the drugs. It is best to talk to your child while they are in elementary or moving to middle school. As you are talking to your child, it is best to be open and honest with your child? Instead, ask them open ended questions to get them to open up and talk to you?
Try asking your teen these questions:
- Have you heard of kids at your school talking about using over the counter drugs or marijuana? If so, get them to explain what they have heard.
- Ask them if they know what the known side effects are for each particular drug that you want to discuss with your child?
- You can offer them known facts about the side effects and consequences for using each drug. Try to find reputable stats for your child so that they can see straight facts and statics.
- Try not to glamorize its use so that your child knows that it isn’t good to be addicted to drugs.
- Explain that drug use can lead to them getting caught in the wrong crowded, they could go to jail for possession, lead to them to dropping out of school or job loss in the future, ect.
Confronting Your Teenager About Their Suspected Drug Use
If you suspect that your teenager is using drugs, I highly suggest that you talk to a professional before you confront your child. It is best to avoid confronting your child when you are mad, upset, or haven’t digested the information that you have learned. Instead, gather the evidence and continue to watch their behaviors. Once you decide to confront your child, it is best to take them to a safe place to talk. I know that sometimes it isn’t best to confront them at home where other siblings or people can interfere or distract the conversation. Also, start the conversation by letting them know that you love them. Most teenagers will often deny that they are using drugs during the first conversation, keep talking to them and they will eventually open up and confess.
Find Out How Serious Your Child’s Addiction Is to the Drug of Their Choice
After you get a confession from your teenager, you need to find out how serious their addiction is so that you can get the proper treatment. Depending on the severity of the drug use, you might need the help of a doctor or rehab center. Don’t be afraid to seek outside help from a professional. Getting help doesn’t make you or your family look bad, it shows the opposite that you care for the health and well being of your children. Parents don’t beat yourself up over your teen’s drug use more thank likely their choice to use doesn’t have anything to do with you especially if they are depressed , ADHD, or have low self esteem.
Here is an InfoGraphic to Help you with Marijuana Stats
