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Substance Abuse

ADHD—The Use and Abuse of Psychostimulant Medication: Tips for Parents and Teens
Alcohol and Your Child: What Parents Need to Know
One of the most abused drugs in our society is alcohol. It's also a drug that many people start using at very young ages. Though it's illegal for people younger than 21 years to drink, many children are introduced to alcohol well before they reach that age. The earlier they begin using alcohol, the higher the risk they will have problems with it later in life. This publication was written by the American Academy of Pediatrics to help parents understand the dangers of alcohol and how to prevent alcohol use.
Cocaine: What You Need to Know
Young people are surrounded by pro-drug messages in the media and on the Internet. They may try cocaine for the excitement or the experience without realizing the very real risks and consequences that come with cocaine use.
Drug Abuse Prevention Starts with Parents
Home Drug Testing: What Parents Need to Know
Remember that your teen’s doctor can help assess whether your teen has a drug problem and a laboratory test is not always needed. However, if a drug test is recommended, your teen should know about it. The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes drug tests without a teen’s knowledge and consent.
Inhalant Abuse
A MINUTE FOR KIDS: Inhalant abuse is when children inhale chemicals to get high (huffing). These chemicals can often be found around the house in commonly used products, such as spray paint. Inhalant abuse can be lethal, so warn your child about the dangers of inhalant abuse.
Inhalants: What You Need to Know
Young people today can face strong peer pressure to try drugs, including a group of substances called inhalants. Inhalant abuse is particularly a problem with younger teens, but even children as young as 5 or 6 years may try inhalants.
Marijuana: What Parents Need to Know
As a parent, you are your child’s first and best protection against drug use. The following is information from the American Academy of Pediatrics about marijuana and how to help your child say “No” to drug use. (Child refers to child or teen in this publication.)
Parent's Guide to Teen Parties, A
As a parent, you know the importance of your teen's social life and that parties are a way to socialize and relax. But an unsupervised or poorly planned party can result in unwanted or even tragic consequences. However, parental responsibility is the key to a fun and safe party.
Secondhand Smoke
Even if you don't smoke, breathing in someone else's smoke can kill you. Secondhand smoke has about 4,000 chemicals in it. More than 50 of them cause cancer.
Smokeless Tobacco: What You Need to Know
Chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, and dissolvable tobacco in the shape of sticks, pellets, and strips are all types of tobacco products that are not smoked but used in other ways. All types of smokeless tobacco contain nicotine and chemicals known to cause cancer (carcinogens).
Steroids in Sports
A MINUTE FOR KIDS: As of late, the use of performance enhancing drugs has been in the spotlight. Many young athletes may also use these drugs to do better in school or community sponsored sports. They may not realize the health risks associated with these drugs and more education should be provided in sports programs on this issue.
Steroids: Play Safe, Play Fair
You play to win. You're always looking for a way to get an edge over your opponents.
Substance Abuse Prevention
The use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs is one of the biggest temptations facing young people today. As a parent, you are your child's best protection against drug use. You can start by telling your children that you expect them not to use drugs and become informed yourself about drug use. This publication was written by the American Academy of Pediatrics to help you identify the warning signs of drug use and provides tips on how to help your child (especially during the preteen and teen years) say no to drugs.
Teens and Tobacco
One-third of all new smokers will die from diseases linked to smoking. And nearly 90% of all smokers started when they were teens.
The Risks of Tobacco Use
Many people think that the only people harmed by tobacco use are smokers who have smoked for a long time. The fact is that tobacco use can be harmful to everyone. This includes unborn babies and people who don’t smoke.
Tobacco: Straight Talk for Teens
Did you know that about 80% of teens in the United States don't smoke? They've made a healthy choice.