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It’s normal for teens to have questions about substances. Connect. Guide. Empower. can help you start a judgment-free conversation with your teen about the risks and how they can stay safe.

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With tips, facts, and resources, this site helps you connect with your teen, guide them toward the facts, and empower them to make safe decisions.

Talking to your teen
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Helpful Tips for Talking to Your Teen

Between school, sports, part-time jobs, and chores, there’s a lot on teens’ plates. And, let’s face it, talking about drugs at the dinner table can be awkward and unproductive.

 

The most important thing you can do is let your teen know that the door is open when they have questions. Make sure they know you won’t judge them or punish them for being curious—because you know curiosity is normal.

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Below are tips for connecting with teens in conversations about substance use, including what teens have said they wish the adults in their lives understood

01. Lead with Empathy

Being a teen is tough, with significant pressure and a different world than previous generations. Teens want their parents to understand their stress and help find healthy ways to cope. Connecting with empathetic parents can lead to positive solutions, empowering teens to make smart choices rather than turning to harmful options.

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02. Don't Judge

You know your child best and understand they're not "bad" for exploring substances. Many parents' language can seem punitive; instead aim for supportive conversations to understand their questions. If your teen uses substances, it's vital to discuss them without stigma, just as you would for any health issue. Addiction is treatable, and reducing stigma can encourage teens to seek the help they need.

03. Leave the Door Open

When discussing substances with your teen, they may not always engage, but that doesn't mean they don't want to talk. Normalize these discussions to reduce awkwardness and let them know they can approach you with questions without fear of judgment. To start, reference mentions of substances in shows, movies, or news to make the conversation feel more natural.

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04. Be Specific

Guide your teen in making choices to reduce substance use; those with supportive parents have lower usage rates. Educate yourself about the unique risks of commonly misused drugs to facilitate informed discussions. Help them navigate the misinformation online, as misunderstanding the risks of different substances may discourage them from asking questions.

05. Build Two-Way Trust

Adolescence is a tricky time to navigate: They’re not a kid, but they’re also not an adult yet. Teens want to feel like they have autonomy over their actions; they want to feel like you trust them and are there for them, no matter what.

The more your teen feels like you trust them, the more they will trust you as a place to turn to with questions, or to get help if they need it.

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Understanding the Mental Health Connection

What Do We Mean by Mental Health?

 

Mental health is the physiological and emotional state of mental well-being that allows people to cope with the stresses of everyday life, learn to work and live well, as well as contribute their skills to the community around them. 

 

Teens and young adults are forced to cope with stressors from school, community activities, family, relationships, their peers, and so much more both online and in person. Mental health can often be a balancing act for adults, and for youth it can often feel tenfold. 

 

Mental Health and Substance Use

 

Mental health is integral to our ability to make sound decisions, build relationships, and set ourselves up for success. Pressures of everyday life and trauma can feel like a weight on youths’ shoulders and substances are often seen as a coping mechanism for them to utilize when life and emotions feel too difficult. 

 

In 2021, 42% of adolescents reported feelings of sadness and hopelessness – which can be indicative of depressive disorder – up from 28% in 2011 (Panchal, 2024). Because of this sadness and loss of hope, a number of youth report using substances in order to “feel mellow, calm, or relaxed” (CDC, 2024). 

 

Because substance use is often found to begin during adolescence, it’s important to address why teens use substances: to cope with mental health obstacles. Adolescents report using substances in order to feel good, relieve pain, aid with sleep, or experimentation. (CDC 2024). 

 

An open, honest discussion with your teens about mental health could help them open up and learn healthy coping mechanisms in order to deal with stress and trauma. Creating a safe space where youth feel comfortable to speak about their mental health could aid in intervening when substance use questions arise. 

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  Facts About  Substances 

Between friends, TV shows, and TikTok, your teen probably has some ideas about substances already. But not all of the information that’s readily available is accurate. Here are some facts to get you up to speed.

Get important drug facts below!

Drug 411
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ALCOHOL

1. Alcohol is the most commonly used  substance among young people in the U.S., and teens who drink alcohol are more likely to experience a range of negative outcomes, including:

  • Injuries such as burns, falls, or drowning. 

  • Unwanted, unplanned, and unprotected sexual activity.

  • Problems in school, memory problems, and misuse of other substances.

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2. Many don't know that alcohol is a classified Group 1 carcinogen, putting it in the same category as asbestos, radiation, and tobaccoA growing body of evidence supports the World Health Organization's recent statement that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, and it is a cancer-causing substance.

 

3. In general, the risk of teens experiencing these negative outcomes is greater for those who binge drink  than for those who do not. But, in New Jersey, about a quarter of teens think weekly binge drinking doesn’t carry risk.​

CANNABIS (AKA MARIJUANA, POT, WEED)

1. Cannabis is only legal in New Jersey for those 21 and older, but youth are exposed to a lot of information about it through friends and social media. It can be hard for them to know what’s true and what’s not.

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2. Today's weed is much stronger than it was ten years ago. High-potency THC  products are commonly sold as vapes and edibles (the most used marijuana products for youth), and are linked to increased mental health issues and psychosis/schizophrenia.

 

3. About a third of NJ students have tried it, and about one in five students currently use it —only slightly lower than the number of students who currently drink alcohol.

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4. Many NJ high school students think using marijuana once or twice a week has either no risk of harm or just a slight risk. However, using marijuana harms the developing brain and leads to problems with:

  • Memory, attention, learning, decision-making, and school.

  • Anxiety, depression, and even self-harm, especially for teens with a family history of mental illness.

 

5. The risk of developing a cannabis use disorder increases for people who begin using marijuana before 18.

OPIOIDS

1. All opioids are addictive. Whether it’s prescription painkillers like hydrocodone (Vicodin) or illegal substances like fentanyl or heroin, they all work in the body the same way. Opioid dependence can happen in just five days. 

 

2. Fentanyl is an extremely potent opioid (10 to 50 times stronger than morphine), and it has led to increases in opioid overdoses and deaths across the country. It has also become increasingly common for fentanyl to be found hidden in other types of drugs without a person’s knowledge, making any opioid (or other drug) use even riskier if it's not from a legitimate pharmacy.

 

3.  About a third of U.S. youths think opioids are easy to acquire; the most common way that high school students in New Jersey get prescription opioids is from friends or family members. About 1/3 of New Jersey student-athletes who misused prescription painkillers got them from their own prescription.

 

4. One way to keep your teen safe from opioids is to practice safe storage and disposal of prescription medications in your home. Keep opioids in a secure place that others can’t easily access, and always properly dispose of unused prescriptions. This site can help you find a convenient drop-off location

STIMULANTS

1. Stimulants are a class of substances that includes things like cocaine, methamphetamine, and ADHD medications—all substances that speed up communication between the brain and the rest of the body. ADHD meds include Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta, and you may hear young people call them “Addy” or “study buddies.”

 

2. Some teens will turn to ADHD meds to try to stay awake or focus. But they can actually make it harder to study and make teens feel anxious, panicky, or sick if the meds weren’t actually prescribed to them to manage ADHD.

 

3. Most teens who misuse prescription stimulants say they get them from someone they know. 

 

4. Anything that didn’t come directly from the pharmacy is risky. It is possible that counterfeit pills masquerading as Adderall could actually be laced with dangerous other substances like fentanyl. 

Cannabis
Alcohol
Opioids
Stimulants
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Find Support

Click the image to visit each resource.

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988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a free, nationwide digital dialing code providing compassionate, accessible care. Text or call 988 24/7 if you are in crisis.

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NJ REACH is a free central call-in line for New Jersey residents who are looking for help with substance use disorder.

Call 1-844-732-2465, 24/7

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Screening 2 Support is a free, confidential tool to self-screen for anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, and more.

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Get free and anonymous naloxone at participating pharmacies through the statewide NALOXONE365 program.

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Support and Share

How to Get Involved 

Are you an organization or parent wanting to share these facts with others? Share information about substances with your community with our easy-to-use graphics and videos!

 

Head to our downloadable content page to share!

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Contact

And if you have an idea for content, we’d love to hear from you. Email aafanador@njpn.org to share suggestions and for general inquiries.

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