Just Say Yes to Anti-Drugs

Keep Your Child Drug-Free

By Kendeyl Johansen

As the mom of three sons, negative statistics about kids and drugs worry me. And it doesn't help that access to drugs is easier than it was when we were kids. None of us want our child hooked on drugs, but we all know it can happen. What can we do to keep our kids drug-free?

Fortunately, recent data shows that keeping kids away from drugs is easier than we think. The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse recently reported that parental disapproval of drug use makes a big difference in whether or not kids choose to experiment.

"Our most recent data shows that kids who say their parents would 'strongly disapprove' if they tried marijuana once or twice‚ reported using an illicit drug at a rate of 7.1 percent, compared with 31.2 percent for youth who thought their parents 'did not strongly disapprove,'" says Edward H. Jurith, acting director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. "Taking an open and unequivocal stance against drugs with our children is the best way parents can prevent their children from using drugs."

The survey also reported a decline in drug use for 12- and 13-year-olds, and that to keep this decline going we all need to sit our kids down at an early age and educate them about the dangers of substance abuse. But preteens and teens have a tendency to "tune out" parental lectures, so keep the discussion interactive by helping your child discover their anti-drug. An anti-drug is something that kids can utilize in place of drugs to feel good.

Laurel and Ashley Willoughby, 13-year-old twins from Park City, Utah, know their mom, Anita, strongly disapproves of drugs because she's told them so. And Anita Willoughby encourages Laurel to use art as an anti-drug by signing her up for classes and enabling her to experiment with different styles and mediums at home.

Want to see more?

• Giving Your Kids the Facts About Drugs
• Protecting Your Child From Predators
• Giving Your Child the Facts About Sex