Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis: when (and how) to tell your children?

DECRYPTION

Adolescence is generally a period when one experiences oneself, through many experiences, often perceived as so many markers of the passage towards adulthood.

At this time of life, you may be tempted to try dangerous substances without realizing the risks involved.

Especially since in recent years the consumption of alcohol and drugs, especially cannabis, has become widely democratized among the younger generations.

"There is no longer this class distinction that there used to be, whatever the product. It is a mass phenomenon now. France, for example, is one of the first European countries to consume cannabis ", notes Laurent Karila, psychiatrist at the Paul Brousse hospital in Villejuif.

Guest of

, the health program of Europe 1, this specialist explains how to alert his teenager to the dangers associated with alcohol and illicit substances, and especially how to react if we discover that he is consumer.

>> Find all of Sans rendez-vous in replay and podcast here

At what age can I talk to my child about the risks of drugs and alcohol?

"You have to talk about things very early. [...] Parents should talk to their children, even before they are teenagers. The American Pediatric Society believes that children should be told about alcohol around 8-9. years. […] It is about preparing things, with messages adapted to the age, for example, in the form of a relaxed family council, where we will talk about everything and nothing before mention certain substances. […]

Can I use the shock photos found on cigarette packs, for example? 

Children and adolescents do not integrate these messages.

They tell themselves they won't get lung cancer at 14, and they're right.

It's best to focus on the short-term effects it can have, such as being in an accident on public roads, or forgetting to protect yourself during sex.

What external signs can make me think my child is smoking cannabis?

We don't see it right away.

This is seen when the use becomes regular and repeated, with changes in behavior at home and in the classroom, smells on clothes and reddened eyes.

These different elements can evoke cannabis use.

Despite my suspicions and my questions, he continues to deny.

Should we go fishing for evidence?

Imposing a urine test, as some parents do, is of no benefit.

We must try to defuse the situation gently.

If this turns out to be too complex, it is better to call in a professional third party.

My child confessed to me that he used drugs, what should I do?

The key word in all situations is: not to break the intra-family dialogue!

We must not put ourselves in a position of resistance, but discuss it, debrief the situation.

[…] Talking about one's own consumption experiences, telling the truth, will also strengthen the confidence of the bond with one's child. "