They see a friend smoking a little pot at parties, and she is still an A student, they see a school basketball player take a drink, and he still plays well. The contradiction makes them question the whole message. Most kids today know more about drugs at their age than their parents did. Thats why parents need to do their own research and speak accurately about what drugs and alcohol can do. The truth about substance abuse is bad enough, there is no need to stretch it in hopes that fear will keep your kids off of them.
Many young people use drugs simply because their friends do.
Work with them to plan chaperoned, drug-free social events and to develop a set of rules about curfews. Monitor your childs where-abouts. If your child is at the movies, be sure to know what movie they are seeing and at which theater. If there's a last-minute change of plans, have your child check with you first. Reseach has shown that when teens are unsupervised and have little to do, they are more likely to experiment with drinking and drugs.