School's Out – Don't Let Your Teen's Summer Go to Pot

With summer vacation right around the corner, many teens are looking forward to more free time and less responsibility. For precisely this reason, the summer months can present new challenges for parents.

According to data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), more teens smoke marijuana for the first time in the summer months of June and July than any other time of the year. Every summer day, more than 5,800 teens try marijuana for the first time. This is equal to the enrollment of eight average-sized U.S. high schools.

So how can you stop your teen's summer from going to pot? The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has developed a list of S-U-M-M-E-R tips – simple things parents can say and do to help keep their kids marijuana-free.

1. Set rules: Let your child know that marijuana use is unacceptable. Two-thirds of kids say that upsetting their parents or losing the respect of family and friends is one of the main reasons they don't smoke marijuana or use other drugs. Set limits with clear consequences for breaking them. Praise and reward good behavior.
2. Understand and communicate: Take time to learn the facts about marijuana and talk to your teen about its harmful health, social, learning and mental effects on young users.
3. Make sure you know where your teen is: Know where your teen will be and what they will be doing during unsupervised time. Research shows that teens with unsupervised time are three times more likely to use marijuana or other drugs. Unsupervised teens are also more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as underage drinking, sexual activity and cigarette smoking.
4. Make sure you know who your teen is with: Get to know your teen's friends and their parents by inviting them over for dinner or talking with them at your teen's soccer practice, dance rehearsal or other activities. Stay in touch with the adult supervisors of your child (camp counselors, coaches, employers) and have them inform you of any changes in your teen. Warning signs of drug use include distance from family and existing friends, hanging out with a new circle of friends, lack of interest in personal appearance, or changes in eating or sleeping habits.
5. Engage your teen in summer activities: Enroll your child in a supervised summer camp, educational program, or a summer sports league. Research shows that teens who are involved in constructive, adult-supervised activities are less likely to use drugs.
6. Reserve time for family: Spend time together as a family regularly.

For more information on marijuana and keeping your teen drug-free, visit www.theantidrug.com. The site also offers a free brochure called, "Keeping your Kids Drug-Free: A How-To Guide for Parents and Caregivers." The brochure can also be ordered by calling 1-800-788-2800.

This document was developed for general public use by and can be found at: http://www.theantidrug.com/atwork/article_list.asp