There are opportunities to get involved now to help keep your family members safe.
Adolescent substance use is a growing issue. Adolescent drug fatalities more than doubled in recent years – primarily due to opioids – and the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that approximately 15% of adolescents ages 12 to 17 reported past-year illicit drug use. These are worrying trends for anyone with young loved ones, but – like driving – there are opportunities to get involved now and help keep your family members safe.
Discussing Substance Use Risks With Teens and Adolescents
One of the primary risk factors for developing a substance use disorder is age at first use. This is why it’s so important to find ways to connect with your teen to discuss opioid and other substance use before their first exposure. And believe it or not, teens want to hear from their parents and caregivers on this topic. The key is educating yourself and preparing for these conversations, which will make them more impactful and less intimidating.
Parents and caregivers are uniquely situated to influence how teens and adolescents view and react when exposed to substances. The same way you’d discuss risky driving habits so your teen understands the dangers and knows how to avoid them, fostering a safe and supportive environment can help you play a crucial role in steering adolescents away from substance use and misuse.
To get started, it is critical to establish trust and open communication with your teen to ensure they feel comfortable discussing their concerns and real-life experiences about substance use. Additionally, you’ll want to ensure you are providing accurate and realistic information when discussing substance use. Fortunately, you don’t need to tackle all of this alone.
Connect2Prevent Can Help You Discuss Substance Use Risks
The Connect2Prevent program from the National Safety Council provides parents and caregivers with essential information about opioids, misuse, and prevention, and equips them with the skills to discuss substance use with their adolescents and teenagers. While the content is focused on opioids, the action items and communication skills you’ll learn are broad and can be applied to discussions around any substance.
The program is a free, 10-week series of engaging, easy-to-follow email lessons designed by experts to help you feel more confident discussing drug use with your teen. After signing up, you’ll receive a weekly lesson via email for 10 weeks; each lesson takes about 10 minutes to review and includes videos, links and more information to explore.
The lessons cover everything you’ll need to know, from the basics of opioids to how to talk to providers – especially around sports injuries and dental surgeries, when your child is most likely to be prescribed an opioid. Each lesson also includes background education, action steps and evidence-based motivational interviewing strategies you can use to foster safe, impactful conversations with teens around substance use.
Sign Up Now for Free Weekly Lessons to Help Keep Your Teen Safe
Anyone in a teen’s life has a unique opportunity to positively influence them and prevent substance misuse. By establishing trust, fostering open communication and providing accurate information, you can empower your teen to better understand substance use and make healthy choices. Visit the Connect2Prevent program website to learn more and get started.
With a century-long legacy, the National Safety Council is a global center for safety expertise. Let's work together to align resources. We look forward to learning about ways we can join efforts to expand safety everywhere!
There are no items in your cart