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June 2023 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM Page 17
Summer is a Risky Time for Youth Substance Use
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contriButed By: elizaBeth Brochu, neWfound coali- tion for youth (ncfy)
More teens start drinking and smoking cigarettes and mari- juana in June and July than in any other month, the U.S. Sub- stance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in a report entitled, “Monthly Variation in Substance Use Ini- tiation among Adolescents.”
“More free time and less adult supervision can make summertime an exciting time for many young people, but it can also increase the likelihood of exposure to the dangers of substance abuse,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in a news release. “That is why it is critically important to take every opportunity we can throughout the year to talk to our young people about the real risks of substance abuse and effective measures for avoiding it, so they will be informed and capable of making the right de- cisions on their own.”
With less structure and adult supervision, summertime is rife with opportunities for teens to fall into a bad crowd, experi- ment with drugs or alcohol, or engage in other forms of high- risk behaviors. For working parents, it can be challenging to monitor youth during the day- time hours. You can help keep your teen safe and drug free with these summertime tips:
Set Summertime Rules:
Make your rules clear regarding unsupervised time spent with friends, as well as your expec-
tations surrounding drinking, smoking and other risky behav- iors.
Supervise: This can be es- pecially challenging for parents of high school students. How- ever, be physically present when you can, and when you cannot, try asking a friend, neighbor or relative to randomly check in. Research shows that unsu- pervised youth are three times more likely to use alcohol or other drugs.
Monitor: Know with whom and where your child is at all times. Randomly call and text your child to check in, and don’t be afraid to check up on your child by calling other parents. Communicate regularly with the parents of your child’s friends.
Stay Involved: Show your child you care by taking time out of your busy schedule to do something fun together. Provide some structure by helping them find a summer job, volunteer work, or other supervised activ- ity.
Regardless of the season, it is always a good time to talk with your teen about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Open (or maintain) the lines of communication and be your child’s trusted source of in- formation. Remember, silence isn’t golden—it’s permission, so be sure to keep talking because they’re listening!
To learn more about New- found Coalition for Youth visit cadyinc.org. If you, or some- one you know, struggles with substance misuse or addiction, please call 2-1-1 or the Door- way at (603-934-8905) for help. You can also connect with Plymouth Area Recovery Con- nection (PARC), our local re- covery center, located at Whole Village Family Resource Center in Plymouth at info@parcnh. org or 603-238-3555. To learn about prevention, treatment, and recovery resources in Cen- tral NH, visit Findwell NH at findwellnh.org.
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