Almost half of 4th, 5th, and 6th graders say they feel pressured to smoke cigarettes. 80 percent of all 12th graders say it would be easy to get marijuana. Studies show that the younger a child is when he or she first uses alcohol, marijuana, or cigarettes, the more likely it is the child will have some type of drug abuse problem later in life. Risk Factors Reaserch has revealed that there are many risk factors for drug abuse, each representing as challenge to the psychological and social development of an individual and each having a differential impact depending on the phase of development. Other risk factors relate to children interacting with other socialization agents outside of the family, specifically the school, peers, and community.
Children care a lot about what other children think.
When children try to make other children do something they shouldn't like use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs, it's called negative peer pressure. Peer pressure can be positive too. The following points describes traits shared by children who are good at saying no to negative peer pressure. Check off all that apply to your children. Work on any that you call check off at this time so that You improve your children, chances of resisting negative peer pressure.