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A Guide f

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www.TheAntiDrug.com

(800) 788-2800

Other publications in this series:

Keeping Your Teens Drug-Free: A Family Guide

Keeping Your Teens Drug-Free: A Guide for Hispanic Families

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Your Words and Actions Matter 

Whether you are a parent, grandparent or simply someone who cares about the future of a teen in your life, you know theimportance of keeping young people drug-free. But it isn’t always easy, especially when teens are getting mixed messagesabout drugs from music, movies, television and even their friends. As an African American parent, you pride yourself on doing a good job supervising your teens, providing discipline and setting rules. Perhaps this style of parenting is whyAfrican American teens overall have lower rates of drug use than any other population studied in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, except Asian American teens. 

According to the Monitoring the Future study, younger (8th grade) African American

teens are catching up to white teens when it comes to marijuana: 13 percent of AfricanAmerican and 14.5 percent of white teens report having used marijuana in the past year. Inaddition, one out of six (17.8 percent) African American teens has tried marijuana at least once (National Survey on Drug Use and Health).

Teen marijuana use is not something parents should just accept as part of today’s teen

culture. With a little extra effort, a greater commitment to monitoring teens and settingclear “no marijuana” rules, you can help keep your teen drug-free. This booklet can helpyou be clear about the risks of teen drug use in the African American community and takesteps to keep teens away from drugs.

Why do you need to know the facts? Research shows that teens who learn about the risks of drug use from their 

parents or caregivers are less likely to use drugs than those who do not. Two-thirds of teens fear that they will upset theirparents or lose the respect of family and friends if they smoke weed or use other drugs. Young people need to hear aboutdrug dangers from you. The bottom line: You Matter.

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Where to Get Help 

If your child is using drugs, find out why. Perhaps your teen is going through a rough time at school or at home or indealing with peer pressure. Regardless of the reason, let your child know that you do not approve of drug use. Set apunishment such as no contact with friends for a week or so or take away things that matter to them for a time, e.g., cell phone, MP3 player, video games, etc. Make it clear that if there is a next time the punishment will be even tougher.

If your child is repeatedly using drugs, there is help available. In most communities, you can get help from a counselor 

at your child’s school, your pediatrician, nurse or other health care provider or your faith community. You can also visitwww.findtreatment.samhsa.gov.Don’t Give Up You’ve worked hard to teach your child right from wrong. And now, your teen is starting to make his or her own choices.However, it’s important that you continue to provide guidance. Be clear about drug dangers, and monitor your teen tohelp keep him or her drug-free.

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Marijuana Causes ProblemTeens today are using drugs at ythe illicit drugs, marijuana is thoffered marijuana.

• Some frequent, long-term 

of motivation (amotivatiocaring about what happenhow they look. As a resulperform poorly in school 

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control memory, attention to learn and perform task

• Smoking marijuana cause

those caused by cocaine, hlearning about the many 

• One joint can deliver fou

tobacco cigarette.

• In a study conducted by t

dose of marijuana alone wwith alcohol were marked

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Beware of Messages That 

Many African American parenttrivialize drug use and fail to shhave power. You can set rules aKeep in mind that teens can noYou should let your kids know 

Watching television or goin

character in a movie or video is what his family thinks about thWhat If You Suspect Drug It’s not always easy to tell when While there is no single warning 

• Skipping classes or not d

• Hostility or lack of coope

• Borrowing money often, 

• Significant mood change

• Change in friends 

• While not everyone who uses marijuana becomes addicted, when a user begins to

seek out and take the drug compulsively, that person is said to be dependent on thedrug or addicted to it. In 2002, more than 280,000 people entering drug treatmentprograms reported marijuana as their primary drug of abuse, showing they neededhelp to stop using it. Some heavy users of marijuana show signs of withdrawal whenthey stop using the drug. They develop symptoms such as restlessness, loss of appetite,trouble sleeping, weight loss and shaky hands.

• The marijuana that teens use today has more than twice the concentration of THC, 

the chemical that affects the brain, than the marijuana of 20 years ago.

• Young people who use marijuana weekly have double the risk of depression later in life, 

and teens who smoke marijuana weekly are three times more likely than non-users to have suicidal thoughts. Marijuana use in some teens has been linked to increased risk for schizophrenia in later years.

Other Substances

• Underage drinking can cause many problems for young bodies and brains. Alcohol use

during the teen years can interfere with important developmental processes and can causeproblems with thinking and learning.

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Get Help From Your Relatives, Friends and Neighbors. Take advantage of grandparents,

aunts, cousins, brothers and sisters and ask for help from neighbors and even members ofyour faith community. These trusted adults can help you monitor your child and affirm your“no drug” rules.

• Ask friends and family to stop by when you are not home, or to keep an eye on what is

going on at your house. A caring neighbor can be your best friend.

• Know the parents of your teen’s friends. Develop relationships and phone trees with

these parents so that you can easily call to check up on your child and, in turn,encourage friends’ parents to call you as well.

• Find out which adults your child trusts and looks up to, and make sure they know your

desires to keep your child drug-free.

Again, set firm “no-marijuana” rules, and set clear consequences forbreaking them. Remind your teen of the consequences before he or shegoes out. Teens need rules in order to resist peer and other pressures touse drugs. African American parents tend to make stringent rules aboutschool, sex, respect, chores and phone privileges. Respect is a cardinalrule. Marijuana tends to be an “unspoken” rule that needs to be spokenabout. So be clear about your rules, and don’t be afraid to enforce them.Of course, it is also a smart idea to praise your teen and reward goodbehavior for abiding by your rules.

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• MDMA (ecstasy, XTC, X

stimulation, enhanced senhowever, and, on rare occpressure and other symptand chills or sweating. In lead to a sharp increase in and cardiovascular system 

• Methamphetamine (meth

associated with serious hedamage, psychotic behavi

increased transmission of 

• Other substances abused 

substances are collectively produce mind-altering effcan be inhaled. Many peospray, glues and cleaning to their intended uses. Yethem out for this purposekidneys. Inhalants can ca

• Prescription and over-the

dextromethorphan (DXMdependence and serious wand even death.

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• Anabolic (muscle-building) steroid abuse is associated with increased risk for

heart attacks, strokes and severe liver problems. People who inject anabolicsteroids put themselves at risk for contracting dangerous infections, such asHIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C and bacterial endocarditis. Anabolic steroidscan also cause undesirable body changes. Men may develop enlarged breasts,and women’s bodies may become masculinized. Both sexes can develop acne and hair loss.

Steps to Keeping Your Teens Healthy, Safe and Drug-FreeOpen Lines of Communication. It’s important to let your kids know what toexpect from you. It may surprise you to know that your opinion about drugsreally matters to them. You’re busy and pulled in many directions, but try to find time to be with your teen when he or she asks to talk to you. Don’t say, “In just a minute” or “Not right now.” Ask questions that encourage conversation. To show you are listening, you can use phrases like:

• “Sounds like you’re saying ...”• “Do you mean that ...”• “When that happens to me, I feel like ... Is it like that for you too?”

Set Clear Rules About Drug Use. Tell your teen that you do not want him or her using marijuana, other illicit drugs 

or alcohol. As they move into middle and high school it is more important than ever to tell your teens that you don’t want them using drugs. Setting a firm rule of no drug use will help your teen resist peer and other pressures to use drugs.

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Create an Environment That Cwithout you, stay involved in theimonitored by their parents are fouimportant it is to monitor your te

• Ask, “Who?” “What?” “W

they are going to be spentime they will be at their going to be.

• Once in a while, make a 

going and ensure that he friend’s house. Let your tee

• When your teen is away f

a number where he or she 

• Check in with other paren• Studies show that when t

that your child check in w

• Get your teens involved i

adults. For example, sign organizations to see if theadults are present (e.g., re

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