In a recent study on high school seniors, a high number (40 percent) of the teens had tried marijuana, a large number within the last month, and a smaller percentage even admitted to using marijuana on a daily basis. The “news” isn’t all bad, because teen substance abuse rates for some drugs have gone down in the past ten years, some as far down as 20 percent. The reality still is middle schools and high schools are the front lines of defeating the teen substance abuse problem we face.

Remember that you as a parent should talk to your teen about drugs. It sounds so simple, but many parents loathe lecturing their teens on the basics of life. Or they think that it’s a complete waste of time. Substance abuse is far too serious of an issue to simply push under the rug and forget. It does depend on the teen, how old they are, if they’ve used already, and even if you used once. Talking to teens is something that truly takes a masters course to do, but the odds are better when you are completely honest with them, explain what can happen to drug addicts, and give them healthy alternatives to having fun without drugs.

Often people within your family who experience someone going through drug addiction will react in many negative ways. A recent study by HelpGuides.com, using research, noted that family members often experience feelings of abandonment, anxiety, fear, anger, concern, embarrassment, or even guilt. These feelings are quite natural, and you may feel so angry that you want to completely cut off the teen. Abandoning them as they’ve abandoned you isn’t the answer. While it may seem odd for a parent to disown a teen for abusing drugs, we all do odd things when we feel betrayed and angered. You can’t entirely cut ties; you need to be firm but not throw them out of the house or into jail.