Teen Drug Use: Not My Kid - Is it?

Parent denial is probably one of the most common threads many teens have while they are smoking a joint or popping a pill - even downing the cough syrup.  Many parents think their teen is not the bad child - it is the ones they are hanging with - or simply doesn't exist.

Being a parent in denial doesn't help anyone, not even the parent.  Since eventually it does catch up with you and you find yourself dealing with a teen that is escalating out of control.

With the holidays here, there will be more free time for our teens.  Will they be home alone?  Are you familiar with over the counter (OTC) drug abuse?  Get informed, stay informed and talk to your teens.

Teens who learn a lot about the dangers of drugs from their parents are half as likely to abuse drugs.
For three years Five Moms has taken on the fight of spreading awareness and educating parents, schools and communities.  One of the moms asked to have her message passed on:

My name is Christy Crandell. I am a mother of two, drug awareness advocate, and member of the Five Moms campaign to stop cough medicine abuse. When my son, Ryan, was 18-years-old, he was arrested for armed robbery while high on over-the-counter cough medicine. Shocked doesn’t even begin to describe how my husband and I felt after his arrest – although there were warning signs, Ryan had a huge heart and I never thought something like this would happen in my family.

I joined the Five Moms campaign to show parents across the country that it’s never okay to think “not my kid.” I want parents to understand that this type of denial can lead to tragedy, and that cough medicine abuse has real, life-altering consequences. (Watch video for Christy's story)


For parents, here are some tips to learn more:
  • Order free copies of the educational brochure, Preventing Teen Cough Medicine Abuse, for parents to distribute the next time you know you’ll be in a social situation with other concerned parents.
  • The next time your child has a doctor’s appointment, bring in a few fact sheets for the physician and the other doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, etc., at the practice.
  • Print out this page the next time you have a scheduled meeting with a teacher or anyone from your child’s school.
  • Send an e-mail to your friends and neighbors using the StopMedicineAbuse.org tell-a-friend tool, available in both English and Spanish.
  • Join other concerned parents by signing up for the StopMedicineAbuse.org e-newsletter.
  • Visit DXMstories.com with your teen and go through the real-life stories of teens who have abused cough medicine and learn the true dangers of abuse.
  • Download the brochure, Preventing Teen Medicine Abuse from Home to Homeroom, a publication from StopMedicineAbuse.org and the National Association of School Nurses.
Be an educated parent - you will have safer teens.

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