How to Talk to Your Students About the Dangers of Addiction

By creating ongoing opportunities for parents to talk to their teens about drugs, schools can ensure they will always be a resource for students when facing exposure to substances by their peers. Ideally, conversations need to be started BEFORE teens are faced with difficult situations that can ultimately lead to a life of addiction. Drug Free Clubs of America can help your school start the necessary conversations to reduce the impacts of drug use in youth.

Keep it Informative

It is important for students to understand that even if they haven’t seen it yet, at some point they will be exposed to drugs while on or off-campus. It is important to be prepared for those situations. As a school, you can keep conversations age appropriate and exclude scare tactics. Teens rely on the credibility and will be able to tell if they are not getting truthful information. Give them multiple opportunities to ask questions where you are able to suggest solutions to remove themselves from the conversation.

Getting Started

If you want to help struggling kids while also improving your school environment, Drug Free Clubs of America is a great place to start! DFCA will empower students to make healthy choices, help parents to feel comfortable having more open conversations with their kids, and provide the tools to foster positive peer pressure around substance use.

“DFCA reinforces everything that we are trying to teach…in a positive and empowering manner. I have had three students this year quit smoking pot so that they could be included in DFCA, the positive culture in our building surrounding the program draws them in and gives them a great reason to say ‘no, I might get tested this week.’”- A Career Center School Faculty Member

Learn how to activate the program at your school! Download these Six Steps to Start Your DFCA Chapter to get started today. Find us on Instagram or Facebook for informative content, prevention resources, the latest facts, and ways to guide teens in your community.

Drug Free Clubs of America is on a mission to reduce the impacts of drug use in youth. Across the nation, drug and alcohol use is on the rise among teens. We provide students with practical tools and techniques to navigate peer pressure and choose a healthy lifestyle. Partnering with schools and communities, we offer preventative programming to meet students where they are. Through randomized drug testing, educational resources, a positive outlet, and a supportive community, we are changing school cultures and reducing alcohol, marijuana, vaping, and other detrimental activities among our members and the entire school body. Drug Free Clubs of America has over 5,000 student and faculty/staff members and Clubs in over 50 schools in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia.