Drugs
- The facts
- Different types of drugs
- Why kids take drugs
- Why kids smoke
- Drugs and addiction
- Is your child taking drugs?
- Talking to your child about drugs
- Peter's story
The facts
Many young people experiment with drugs, including legal ones such as nicotine. This doesn't necessarily mean they will go on to use them regularly.1 However, drugs are potentially addictive and harmful to health - that's why it's so important for both you and your children to be well-informed about them.
Different types of drugs
Legal drugs: One of the most widely used legal drugs is tobacco. Although cigarettes can now only be sold to people over 18, almost a quarter of 15-year-olds smoke regularly.2 Many of these risk becoming addicted. Alcohol is the most widely abused one in Britain.3 About a third of teenagers aged 13-17 say they drink at least once a week.3
Solvents: These are substances which people inhale to get high. They include cigarette lighter refills, glues, aerosols and petrol. Solvent misuse is dangerous but isn't illegal, although it is illegal for shops to sell solvents to people under the age of 18 if they think they are going to inhale them.4
Illegal drugs: Most teenagers come into contact with drugs and know where they can be obtained. Research shows that over a third of 15-year-olds have tried an illegal drug at some point, usually cannabis.5
Why kids take drugs
Peer pressure has a huge influence on the way children and young people behave. Sometimes children may use drugs for the first time because it is simply easier to have a go than to say no and look "uncool". The teen years are also when kids start to assert their independence from their parents and develop their own identity. Taking drugs may be part of this process. The risk-taking element of taking drugs is something else that appeals to many teenagers. Plus some teenagers experiment with drugs because they perceive it as fun, without considering any risks involved.
Why kids smoke
Children are three times as likely to smoke if both their parents smoke, and are less likely to smoke if you have always disapproved of smoking, according to the charity Action on addiction.6 As with illegal drugs, peer pressure is another important factor and many young smokers start because their friends or older siblings smoke.6 Children may also start smoking as an act of rebellion against their parents.
Drugs and addiction
Thankfully most teenagers who experiment with soft drugs, such as cannabis, do not move onto hard drugs or become addicted. But cigarettes are very addictive. Smoking is also an extremely difficult habit to break.7
Some teenagers are more at risk of becoming dependent on drugs than others. Risk factors include: low self-esteem, poor family relationships and poor school performance. Family difficulties, such as a death or divorce, can also be a trigger. Regular use in itself can lead to drug dependency, especially if it's combined with other risk factors.
Is your child taking drugs?
It's not necessarily easy to spot whether your teenager is taking drugs. If you are concerned, look for persistent symptoms such as:
- change in sleeping pattern8
- lethargy
- sudden mood changes
- altered appetite
- unexpected aggression
- loss of interest in normal social life
- lack of personal hygiene
- disappearance or shortage of cash
Talking to your child about drugs
What you do is more important than anything you say. It will be much harder to persuade your teenager to avoid drugs if you regularly smoke yourself, for example.
Keep communication channels open. Adolescents might disguise it well, but most still see parents as a trusted source of support and information.
Get informed yourself. While you may not be able to prevent your teenager experimenting with legal or illegal drugs, you can educate them as to the possible consequences.
Don't be afraid to set limits. If you disapprove of drugs and/or smoking, say so. Make any house rules clear and consistent and be prepared to take reasonable measures to enforce them.
Get support if necessary. If you find out your child is using drugs, try to stay calm and get confidential support for yourself (see below) before you try to tackle the situation.
Peter's story
Peter, father to Jesse, 20
"I learned that Jesse was smoking dope occasionally when he was about 16. He was beginning to party with friends. He never did it in the house and, to be honest, it didn't seem to affect his wellbeing or his studies. While I don't think you can stop your child taking drugs if they're determined to, I think it is important to talk to them about how you feel. So I did some research on the Internet and waited for a good time to have a chat with Jesse. We sat down and I expressed my concerns, particularly that he might start taking pills and other drugs. He reassured me that none of his friends were taking other drugs and that he felt no pressure or inclination to experiment. I asked Jesse to talk to me if he ever felt drugs were getting a grip on his life and gave him some information on where to get confidential advice. I think he smokes a bit at university still, but there isn't much I feel I can do about it. Jesse is pretty much his own man now and has to take responsibility for his own actions. However, I try to keep our relationship such that he can talk about it if he wants to."
- Friends - read our faq. Frank. http://www.talktofrank.com/article.aspx?id=120, accessed 3 October 2007
- Young teenagers and smoking in 1998. Higgins, V, http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/smoking.pdf
- Alcohol: The facts. Action on addiction. http://www.aona.co.uk/addiction/alcohol/, accessed 3 October 2007
- Drug laws & licensing. Homeoffice. http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs-laws/other-laws/, accessed 3 October 2007
- Statistics. Wired for health. http://www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk/cat.php?catid=894&docid=7257, accessed 3 October 2007
- Why smoke? Action on addiction. http://www.aona.co.uk/addiction/alcohol/, accessed 3 October 2007
- Let's talk drugs. Action on addiction, http://www.aona.co.uk/news/AOA67_talkdrugs_6.pdf
- Drug problems. Directgov. Young people; http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/.../ConcernedAbout/DG_10030639,
- accessed 3 October 2007