Parents Still Key To Drug Abuse Prevention

“As a concerned parent with a child that may be entering middle or high school at this time of year, you need to know that your attitude on drugs plays an influential role in a teen’s life,” says Stephen Ristau, president and CEO of The Governor’s Prevention Partnership. “Parents directly affect the choices their children make when it comes to alcohol and other drugs. And that’s particularly significant since in Connecticut marijuana use begins at age 12 and alcohol use begins around age 11,” says Mr Ristau.

Mr Ristau’s comment comes in the wake of recent results from an annual back to school survey conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

The survey found that since 2002, the number of students who attend schools where drugs are used, kept, or sold has jumped 41 percent for high school students and 47 percent for middle school students. Sixty-two percent of high school students and 28 percent of middle school students now attend “drug infected” schools.

“We most wholeheartedly agree with the survey’s other findings that teen perceptions of immorality, parental disapproval, and harm to health are powerful deterrents to teen smoking, drinking, and drug use. Among other things it underscores that teens who say their parents would be extremely upset if they used marijuana are six times less likely to try marijuana than those who say their parents would be a little upset or not upset at all.

“As your kids get ready to enter middle or high school, we know these may be difficult transition years. We have information and tips that can help you more effectively communicate with your kids during this critical period,” says Mr Ristau who notes that people can contact The Governor’s Prevention Partnership for more information by visiting its website www.preventionworksct.org or calling toll free 800-422-5422.