Other preventive strategies

Consider other strategies to prevent teen drug abuse:

• Know your teen's activities. Pay attention to your teen's whereabouts. Find out what adult-supervised activities your teen is interested in and encourage him or her to get involved.
• Establish rules and consequences. Explain your family rules, such as leaving a party where drug use occurs and not riding in a car with a driver who's been using drugs. If your teen breaks the rules, consistently enforce consequences.
• Know your teen's friends. If your teen's friends use drugs, your teen might feel pressure to experiment, too.
• Keep track of prescription drugs. Take an inventory of all prescription and over-the-counter medications in your home.
• Provide support. Offer praise and encouragement when your teen succeeds. A strong bond between you and your teen might help prevent your teen from using drugs.
• Set a good example. If you drink, do so in moderation. Use prescription drugs as directed. Don't use illicit drugs.