After spending most of their life being influenced by their parents/caregivers, teens are also being influence by other individuals – most often their peers. 

Risks facing teenagers are very real.   Peer pressure – the urge to fit in. During this time, your kid may seek greater independence and acceptance by friends, risk taking, rebellion.  Teens today are exposed to a different set of cultural/societal pressures not found during the baby boomer years.  According to Monitoring The Future – National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) survey, the drugs most frequently abused by teens: methamphetamine, prescription drugs, marijuana, alcohol, nicotine, inhalants and ectasy.  While they may seem like harmless party drugs, all of them carry serious short and long term side effects.

When your kid reaches adolescence they still need their parents close enough to talk about problems yet far enough so they can make informed decisions for themselves.
Use the early adolescent years and teen years to connect with your teen and help guide them through these interesting and challenging years. 

Here are some helpful hints from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Spend time together – talk open and honestly
• Praise your teen on their accomplishments, no matter how small.  Be careful not to criticize
• Listen to them
• Have regular meals with your teen and the family – despite all of their extracurricular activities
• Know your teen’s friends and know their parents.  Do they respect your rules?
• Set rules and limits
• Discuss risky behaviors
• Be firm but not intrusive or too restrictive
• Be specific about substance abuse and avoidance – discuss scenarios they might encounter and what to do when “pushed to the wall” when offered meth.
• Set consequences for breaking rules
• Do you know where your teen is after school and who he/she is spending time with?

Despite all the education and awareness given by both parent and school, adolescents and teens are still going to be confronted with reality. 

Be observant:

• Is your teen unusually stressed – family life, academic/sports pressures or physical appearance?
• Is your teen susceptible to peer pressure, lack strong coping skills, depressed or suffer from anxiety?
• Does your teen bore easily and is in constant need for stimulation and excitement?
• Noticeable changes in behavior, attitudes or grades?
• Is your teen going through a transition – new school, neighborhood, entering middle school or high school, learning how to drive?
• Is your teen already experiencing minor legal trouble?
• Is your teen surrounded by a family with a history of substance abuse, violence or

If you notice unexplained changes in physical appearance or behavior, it may be a sign of meth abuse or other substance use – or it could be a sign of another problem. You will not know definitively until a professional does a screening.

What Do I Do If I Think My Kid Is Using Meth?

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