Are you worried about your child’s use of substances? There is support available.
Substance Use Prevention
Substance use prevention aims to prevent or delay the onset of substance use, as well as reduce the harms associated with its use in youth.
It’s normal for young people to be curious. Some may experiment with alcohol or drugs to relax, be social, deal with stress, or cope with pain and mental health struggles. However, using substances at a young age can lead to problems with health, school, and relationships.
Additional resources for parents and caregivers are available:
Talk With Your Kids
Talking about drugs and alcohol is important. As a parent or trusted adult, you have a big influence on the choices your child makes. Here are some tips to help you have these conversations:
Start early: Talk about substances like alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs when your child is young. This helps them learn before they face tough choices.
Know your own views:
Think about how you feel about different substances. Understanding your beliefs can help you feel more confident when talking with your child.
Make space for open talks:
Look for chances to talk—like during a walk, a car ride, or while making dinner. Keep the conversation relaxed.
Be kind and open:
Don’t judge. Listen carefully and guide your child with care and respect.
Talk About Alcohol
Talking with your child/youth about alcohol is important. You can help them make safe choices by being open, honest and supportive. Here are some points to guide you:
Talk About Cannabis
When you talk with teens in open and non-judgmental ways, you help them get ready to make informed decisions about, if, or how, they will use cannabis.
To be ready for these conversations:
Safer Cannabis Use:
Some teens will choose to use cannabis, especially if they believe it helps them relax and cope. Help your teen become aware of the Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines (LRCUG) and The Blunt Truth to help them make safer choices if they are using cannabis.
The Get Sensible resources are available to those of post-secondary age and those who heavily use cannabis. These resources can support you in having informed and non-judgmental conversations about cannabis.
Talk About Opioids
Prescription opioids are medications that doctors may give to help treat pain. Some common ones are Percocet, Tylenol #3, Demerol, Dilaudid, OxyNeo, and codeine.
While these medicines can help when used as directed, using them without a doctor’s advice, or using too much, can be dangerous and even deadly.
Non-medical use of opioids means:
- Taking opioids that weren’t prescribed to you
- Using opioids in a different way than your doctor – recommended – like taking more than needed or using them to feel high instead of for pain management.
Many young people think prescription opioids are safe because they come from a pharmacy, but that’s not always true. Even though they are legal when prescribed, using them the wrong way can be just as risky as using illegal (unregulated) drugs.
Learn more at:
Talk About Vaping
Please visit our
Hey Parents, Let’s Talk About Vaping page.
Problematic Substance Use
Some people struggle with substance use, and there are many reasons why this can happen. One reason is something called Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs. ACEs are stressful or traumatic events that occur before someone turns 18. These experiences can affect how the brain develops and may lead to problems with physical and mental health, including substance use.
Types of ACEs:
- In the home: violence, abuse, neglect, mental illness or family problems
- In the community: poverty, not having a home or not having enough food to eat
- In the environment: climate change, natural disasters, or pandemics
The more ACEs a person goes through, the greater the risk of having health and/or social problems later in life.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from hard times. It can protect people from the harmful effects of ACEs.
You can build resilience by:
- Participating in meaningful activities (like sports, arts or volunteering)
- Having strong, supportive relationships
- Taking care of your mental health and well-being
- Learning helpful ways to cope with stress.
The Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI) shares helpful information about how ACEs affect the brain and health.
They offer a free online course called the Brain Story, which explains how the brain develops and how it connects to addiction and mental health.
You can also watch the AFWI Brains Journey to Resilience video to see how people can grow stronger even after facing tough experiences, as well as the AFWI How Brains are Built video.
Problematic substance use can happen to anyone. It is important to decrease stigma so that people can feel comfortable seeking help and treatment.
