Marijuana the Teen Drug of Choice Overtaking Alcohol – What Parents Can Do

Teen alcohol use is declining while marijuana use is on the rise. Read Part One on Marijuana the Teen Drug of Choice Overtaking Alcohol.

Faced with the alarming increase in marijuana use by teens, it might seem that there’s not a lot that parents can do to reverse the trend. The fact is, however, that there is a lot that parents can do to help their teens come to grips with the reality of just how dangerous marijuana use is as well as discuss the dangers of alcohol and other types of drug use.

One of the most widely-recognized and effective anti-marijuana messages was the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s “Above the Influence” initiative. Unfortunately, Congress eliminated the campaign’s admittedly modest budget this year, despite the recent published studies documenting the success of the campaign’s message to teens. This is but one example of budget cuts affecting drug prevention programs aimed at teens. Now, the responsibility lies solely with parents. Still, it isn’t an overwhelming burden or even all that difficult to do.

Here are some suggestions on how parents can make a difference in their teen’s perception of drug and alcohol use and impact their children’s behavior.