LETTING
PARENTS BE PARENTS

Topics: Alcohol; Drugs; Education; Family; Substance Abuse; Teens

References: 1 Samuel 2:12–36; 1 Kings 1:6; Proverbs 22:6

Almost one in five American teens say they live with parents who fail to consistently set rules and monitor their behavior. These teens have a four-times-greater risk for smoking, drinking, and illegal drug use than their peers with “hands-on” parents. So said a survey conducted by Columbia University’s Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA).

The survey of 1,000 children ages twelve to seventeen also found:

•     Teens who believe their parents would “not be too upset” if they used marijuana are three times as likely to use drugs than those who believe their parents would be “extremely upset.”

•     Teens with parents who are “very unaware” of their academic performance are almost three times more likely to engage in substance use than their peers whose parents are “very aware” of their school performance.

“Mothers and fathers who are parents rather than pals can greatly reduce the risk of their children smoking, drinking, and using drugs,” said Joseph A. Califano Jr. “The family is fundamental to keeping children away from tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.”

—“CASA 2000 Teen Survey,” Columbia News (February 23, 2001)