鈥淪tudies show alcohol experimentation starts and cannabis exposure is starting ,鈥� says Chantal Vallerand, Executive Director at Drug Free Kids Canada. 鈥淭hat can be hard to read, but it鈥檚 not all bad news. Studies also show that parents are for young teens and even young adults. That means you have a lot of sway with your kids and how they navigate their teen years.鈥�
Set your kids up for success this fall by creating an open dialogue around drug and alcohol use. Creating a safe environment for kids and teens to ask tough questions is one of the best ways to help them make healthy choices this school year.
around substance use should start long before the teen years, Vallerand says.
鈥淪tart healthy habits early by teaching toddlers that while vitamins and medicine taste good and are an important part of keeping them healthy, they can also make them sick if taken without permission from you,鈥� Vallerand says.
By the time kids are entering kindergarten they should be able to identify dangerous household products.
鈥淲hen talking about the packaging labels with images like 鈥榝ire hazard鈥�, 鈥榩oisonous鈥�, 鈥榗orrosive鈥�, or 鈥榚xplosive鈥�, try using words like 鈥榟urt鈥�,鈥檅urn鈥�, or 鈥榮ting鈥� so they know what those labels mean,鈥� Vallerand says. 鈥淎lso be sure to place harmful products and all medicines somewhere safe, so they can鈥檛 be accessed by young children.鈥�
Parents and caregivers can start more honest and fact-based communication by age nine.
鈥淲hen starting more serious conversations remember that fear tactics generally don鈥檛 work,鈥� Vallerand says. 鈥�, keep conversations light and casual. The goal is to create a safe environment around these topics so they feel comfortable coming back to you with future questions.鈥�
Create a substance use prevention plan
鈥淪ubstance use is often masking underlying struggles with healthy coping mechanisms,鈥� Vallerand says. 鈥淎 good prevention plan should include helping your teen find healthy coping mechanisms for stress. If your teen is showing signs of struggling with their mental health, consider getting them sooner rather then later.鈥�
Research shows that who admitted to having used over-the-counter medication without a prescription say they got them from home, as a direct result of parents and guardians not securing medications. A amongst youth is that pills from home are safer than street drugs.
鈥淩emind your teens that all types of over-the-counter medication, including pain medication, prescription medication and natural medication are dangerous when used improperly,鈥� Vallerand says. 鈥淜eep it secured safely in your home at all times and return any unused or expired medication to your local pharmacy鈥�
Parent and youth support
Educate yourself so you鈥檙e prepared to answer questions your kids have about drugs and alcohol. Get the information you need to educate and support your child online at .
Concerned your child might be experimenting already? Find support by phone at 1-866-381-1511 or through live chat . Drug Free Kids Canada鈥檚 is available 24/7 offering answers to all of your questions and concerns.
For more information visit and follow them on , and for additional support and resources.