Parents & Caregivers
Work on building a close relationship with your daughter. Talk to her every day and find out what's going on in her life. This will make it easier for her to come to you when she has a problem. Research shows that having a close relationship with your child makes her or him less likely to try alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes.
The resources in this section can help you talk to your daughter about alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. To get started talking, your daughter can take the quiz, Guess what's in a cigarette . Afterwards, sit down and talk to her about what she learned.
Web sites
Teen.smokefree.gov - This site is designed and run by the National Cancer Institute. It helps teens understand the decisions they make - especially the decision to quit smoking - and how those decisions fit into their lives.
SmokeFreeTXT - SmokefreeTXT is a free mobile service designed for teens across the United States. SmokefreeTXT was created to provide 24/7 encouragement, advice, and tips to help teens stop smoking for good. Signing up is quick and easy - and free!
A Family Guide To Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy &amp; Drug Free - This web site from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration was developed to support parents and other caring adults who are working to promote mental health and prevent the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs among 7- to 18-year-olds.
ClubDrugs.org - This Internet site is dedicated to providing reliable information on club drugs that are used by young adults at all-night dance parties such as "raves" or "trances," dance clubs, and bars. NIDA-supported research has shown that use of club drugs can cause serious health problems and, in some cases, even death. Used in combination with alcohol, these drugs can be even more dangerous.
girlshealth.gov: Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking - We have created the girlshealth.gov section on drugs, alcohol, and smoking to help adolescent girls learn more about some of the unique health issues and social situations they will encounter during the teen years. This section provides information, resources, and links to help your daughter learn more about how to deal with situations that involve drugs, alcohol, and smoking.
StopAlcoholAbuse.gov - This Internet site is a comprehensive portal of Federal resources for information on underage drinking and ideas for combating this issue. People interested in underage drinking prevention-including parents, educators, community-based organizations, and youth-will find a wealth of valuable information here.
ClubDrugs.gov - This Internet site is dedicated to providing reliable information on club drugs that are used by young adults at all-night dance parties such as "raves" or "trances," dance clubs, and bars. NIDA-supported research has shown that use of club drugs can cause serious health problems and, in some cases, even death. Used in combination with alcohol, these drugs can be even more dangerous.
Drug Facts: Street Terms - The Street Terms database contains over 2,300 street terms that refer to specific drug types or drug activity. The database is used by police officers, parents, treatment providers and others who require a better understanding of drug culture.
Got a Minute? Give It to Your Kid - This kit tackles teen tobacco use by providing information on how to talk about it with teens. It offers parents 10 methods for staying closer to their preteens or teens, such as scheduling weekly time and sharing meals, and suggests ways to help teens quit smoking.
Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know - This online publication provides tips for parents to help them address marijuana use with their children. It also provides information on signs of use and long-term effects.
NIDA InfoFacts: Hallucinogens - LSD, Peyote, Psilocybin, and PCP - This InfoFacts discusses four common types of hallucinogens: LSD, Peyote, Psilocybin, and PCP. It reviews appearance, common nicknames, and methods of use. It also reviews the health hazards and statistics regarding the extent of its use among young people.
Parent Information - This website compiles all of the information within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS, about parenting. It has a wealth of information, covering topics such as child safety, immunization schedules, and developmental milestones.
Prescription Drug Abuse (Copyright © TheAntiDrug.com) - This internet site educates parents on prescription drug abuse and its increasing problem among today's teens. It contains information on why teens abuse prescription drugs, where they get them, what types they are using, and what parents can do about it.
Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking - This call to action, from the U.S. Surgeon General's Office, appeals to Americans to do more to stop America's 11 million current underage drinkers from using alcohol, and to keep other young people from starting. It lays out recommendations for government and school officials, parents, other adults and the young people, calling them to action to address the problem of underage drinking.
Suspect your Teen is Using Drugs or Drinking? A Brief Guide to Action for Parents (PDF - 258KB) - Parents will want a copy of this valuable resource to take action if they suspect or know that their teen is using drugs. This 12-page brochure covers the challenges parents face, signs and symptoms to look for if they suspect their teen is using illicit drugs or drinking, suggestions for starting a discussion and what parents can do and say to keep their children drug-free.
Teens and Prescription Drugs - This report gives recent findings about prescription drug abuse among teens. It covers issues such as gender differences among teen drug abusers, types of drugs abused, and accessibility of these drugs to teens.