Children and drugs
Not all young people take drugs but most will have heard about drugs and probably know people who do take them.
If you suspect your child has taken drugs, the first thing to do is to talk to them about it. If they have taken drugs, try to establish why it happened and what they are taking.
The FRANK website is a good source of information and can help you find out about most common drugs and their effects.
Go to our support services page if you think talking with a professional would help.
Know the risks
There are 5 main risks to taking drugs:
- not knowing what they are
- not knowing if they've been mixed with something else
- not knowing what the effects will be
- not knowing how much to take
- not knowing if they are legal and even if they are, they could still be harmful
Prevent you child from taking drugs
While you can't guarantee your children won't take drugs, by talking to them about drugs from an early age you can help them to make the right choices should the situation present itself. You don't need to be a pharmacist to talk to your children about drugs.
You should:
- talk to them about drugs and the dangers
- explain why we have to be careful about medicines
- show an interest in them, demonstrate that you care about them and what they do
- help them to develop good thinking and problem solving skills
If you want support, there are people who have time to listen and give you expert advice and information. Find out more about drug support services.