Our Role in Prevention
- sstromberg6
- Apr 19, 2023
- 2 min read
Sometimes starting the initial conversation with children about health and substance use can feel challenging or awkward. The first thing you can do is get credible information about youth substance misuse and vaping. Need help finding credible information? Start here:
Vaping:
Alcohol:
Now that you have some reliable information how can you bring up the issue? What should be discussed?
Discuss often
Do not think of vaping and substance prevention as a one and done conversation, instead put these conversations into your everyday conversations. Talk at the dinner table, in the car, while you are watching TV. Keeping the conversation small and consistent, this helps to remove pressure to get all your information out at once.
Discuss your expectations
Be clear and consistent with your expectations of substance misuse and vaping. Explain the consequences for breaking these rules. Be fair, and be sure to follow through if the time comes.
Discuss the reality
Data from the 2019 Minnesota School Survey (MSS) shows that MOST Forest Lake students do not vape or use substances. However, there is a clear misperception that MOST students believe that MOST other students vape or use substances. Discuss the true reality, by doing so the misperception of peer use can be corrected.
Discuss peer pressure
Provide examples of how your child can respond to peers when they are asked to vape or misuse substances. Have your child practice how they will respond if they are put in a situation. If your child is in a situation where there is substance misuse, brainstorm ways they can leave in a way they are comfortable with. Perhaps you create a codeword for being picked up due to an emergency at home.
Give the opportunity for questions
Discussions tend to work better than lectures, providing time for children to ask questions. Let your children be heard by not interrupting and practice active listening by rephrasing their question back to them.
By Kayla Baker
Regional Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Coordinator
MN Metro - Region 7
References:
1. American Lung Association (2022). Vaping Conversation Guide. Retrieved from: https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/helping-teens-quit/talk-about-vaping/conversation-guide
2. Catch® My Breath (2021). Catch® My Breath Parent Toolkit. Retrieved from: https://digitalcatchdirectuploads.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/thinkific/cmb/CATCH+My+Breath+Parent+Toolkit.pdf
3. Minnesota Department of Education (2018). Minnesota School Survey Reports 2013 - 2019. Retrieved from: https://public.education.mn.gov/MDEAnalytics/DataTopic.jsp?TOPICID=242
4. Office of the Surgeon General: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022). Talk with Your Teen About E-Cigarettes: A Tip Sheet for Parents. Retrieved from: https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/documents/SGR_ECig_ParentTipSheet_508.pdf
5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2021). Answering Your Child's Tough Questions. Retrieved from: https://www.samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you/parent-resources/answering-your-childs-tough-questions
6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2021). Why Small Conversations Make a Big Impact. Retrieved from: https://www.samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you/parent-resources/small-conversations
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