How do I keep my kids safe from drugs?
- Handle all medications safely, for example by locking them up (in a safe such as this one) or storing them too high for a child to reach. Find more medication safety tips at Safe Kids or Up and Away.
- Dispose of unused and expired medication safely. This can be done several ways:
- Use a product that deactivates the medication such as DisposeRX and then throw the medication in the trash.
- Find a medication disposal site in your area https://prescriptiondrugdisposal.com/
- Learn more about safe storage and disposal at the Georgia Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Initiative.
- Foster an environment in which your child has more protective factors (things that keep kids safe from drug use) in their life than they do risk factors (things that make kids more likely to engage in drug use).
Examples of Protective Factors
- Sense of optimism, mindfulness, healthy expression of emotions, spirituality
- A sense of basic trust within the family and a positive family dynamic
- Parents having a clear, expressed expectation that the child will not use substances
- Supervision and monitoring – ask them where they are going and who they will be with
- Opportunities for prosocial involvement – have a variety of structured activities that may capture the attention of kids that can bond them to school outside of academics
- Cultural norms that set high expectations for youth
- Media literacy (resistance to pro-use messages)
Examples of Risk Factors
- Rebelliousness, impulsivity, difficulty regulating emotions
- Family history of drug use (especially that of an older sibling); family conflict
- Favorable parental attitudes toward drug use (e.g. “it’s not a big deal, I did it when I was a kid.”)
- Friends who engage in substance use.
- Transitions (such as scheduled school transitions from middle to high school, or unscheduled, such as moving to another school.)
- Community laws and social norms favorable toward drug use – community events such as beer festivals can promote the social norm that substance use is acceptable.
- Media portrayal of pro-use
Watch the above video about risk and protective factors from the Cobb County School District or read this scholarly article for a deeper understanding of risk and protective factors.
- Talk to your kids about substance use. Do not be afraid that talking to your kids about substance use will make them use substances or that it will make them feel you don’t trust them.
- See the following tips on how to talk with kids about substances:
- Encourage your kids to join a group, such as a Teen Action Council or a YELLS After School Program, at their school if it exists. (Find other youth-centered groups from the Behavioral Health Resource List.)
- Encourage kids to watch out for their friends and help keep each other safe, especially from dangerous illicit drugs such as fentanyl. You can find some great tips on how to do that here.
How do I know if my child is using substances?
Trying to determine if a child is using substance can be tricky – many of the indicators can just be a teen being a teen. However, the more signs a child is displaying, the more at risk they are for using substances. Learn more about early warning signs for teen substance use:
What do I do if my child has a substance use disorder?
- Remind them that you love them. Harsh punishment has not been shown to be an effective strategy for helping a child with a substance use disorder.
- Find them help. Call your insurance company for a referral to a treatment provider, or for free or sliding scale services, go to findhelp.org or refer to the treatment resources on the CDPH page.
- Become familiar with the signs of an overdose and make sure you have naloxone on hand. You can buy naloxone over the counter at many pharmacies or get it for free from the CDPH pharmacy. For information on how to use naloxone, please go here or contact CDPH for information on training resources.
- Be familiar with the 911 Medical Amnesty laws and make sure your child knows that if they or a friend overdoses, they can call 911 without fear of being arrested for drug use.
- Take care of yourself. Find parent support groups in your community either from your church, Al-Anon, SMART Recovery Family & Friends meetings, or the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). You can also learn more about general mental health, suicide prevention, and resiliency at Cobb Collaborative.