1. Know what your child may be exposed to. Your son or daughter may be exposed to or begin to use drugs or alcohol as early as 12 years old and is more likely to be offered drugs from a friend than a stranger.
2. Get and stay closely involved with your kids' lives as they head through middle school and into high school. You won’t connect with your kids about serious health issues if you haven't been interested in the day-to-day events of interest to them – which test caused half the class to flunk, which of their friends got a part in the play, who lied to their parents and went somewhere other than where they told their parents.
3. Begin the dialogue when your kids are young. Talk early and often. It doesn't have to be a formal "birds and bees" type of discussion, but should springboard off "teachable moments" – like an incident in their town or school, a problem with your extended family, a popular music video or movie, or something in the news. Set a "no-use" expectation, including for alcohol, and make it explicit.
4. Monitor your kids. Kids whose parents supervise them closely are only half as likely to develop a drug problem. Know the "who, what, why, where, when" of their activities, compare notes with other parents, and continue this practice through middle and high school, even when you no longer know all their friends and their friends' families.
5. Be the parent, not just the pal. Your kids already have friends, but they need parenting. Consistently enforce boundaries for your family that apply even when kids are in other settings, or with families that have different rules. Teens like to be trusted, and will feel supported by clear and consistent boundaries that are explained in advance and are based on love and concern for their well-being.

• Missing school or declining grades.
• Increased secrecy about possessions or activities.
• Use of incense, room deodorant or perfume to hide smoke or chemical odors.
• Subtle changes in conversations with friends, such as more secretive behavior or using code language.
• Increase in borrowing money.
• Loss of interest in hobbies, sports, and other favorite activities.
• Evidence of drug paraphernalia, such as pipes and rolling papers.
• Evidence of inhaling products and accessories, such as hairspray, nail polish, correction fluid, paper bags and rags, common household products.
• Bottles of eye drops, which may be used to mask bloodshot eyes or dilated pupils.
• New use of mouthwash or breath mints to cover up the smell of alcohol.
• Missing prescription drugs, especially narcotics and mood stabilizers.

Links:

National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information:
www.health.org

National Institute for Drug Abuse – Research and reports on various drug topics:
www.nida.nih.gov

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA):
www.family.samhsa.gov

National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign:

www.theantidrug.com

www.laantidroga.com (Spanish)

Partnership for a Drug –Free America:
www.drugfreeamerica.org

Mothers Against Drunk Driving:
www.madd.org

Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools Prevention Bulletin:

Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools Prevention News Bulletin

Office of National Drug Control Policy Community Prevention Listserv:

Office of National Drug Control Policy Community Prevention Listserv

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Coalitions Online:

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Coalitions Online

Join Together:

Join Together

University of Maryland Center for Substance Abuse Research:

University of Maryland Center for Substance Abuse Research

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention:

U. S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

NCADI Update Listserv:
NCADI Update Listserv

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse:
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse