Parenting Teens: Sex, Drugs & Alcohol

It is very clear that teen sex and the use of alcohol and drugs may be connected in a less than positive way. Up to 25% of sexually active teens and young adults from the ages of 15 to 24 report having unprotected sex because of alcohol or drug use. This number is from a national survey of adolescents and young adults. And even a larger number of teens have reported that they may do more than they intend to because of the use of alcohol and drugs.

If you haven’t already done this then please run to your teens’ rooms and talk to them about the disinhibiting effects of alcohol and other drugs. You may save them some regret and even STDs. While you are having this conversation with them you may also want to talk to them about acquaintance rape which also seems to be more likely to occur when individuals are under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Listen, I don’t really want you to run to your teens’ rooms frantically to have this conversation but by all means do find the right time to talk about these things calmly and in a caring manner.