Even if you're 99 percent sure that your teenager is not drinking alcohol or using other drugs, consider the facts:

• Sixty percent of high school seniors report having been drunk at least once--as do 20 percent of eighth-graders.
• Forty-six percent of high school seniors have tried marijuana.
• Teenagers also report use of other illicit drugs, including inhalants, LSD, MDMA (ecstasy), cocaine and heroin.

These findings are from the 2004 Monitoring the Future survey, an annual study of adolescent drug use sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. They underline the fact that drugs are widely used among teenagers, putting even the best kids at risk.

Michael Borowiak, a social worker who counsels addicted adolescents, defines "experimenting" with drugs as using them once or twice. "The experimenting is over after that," says Borowiak. "After that, they're into a pattern of substance abuse."

Adolescence can lead to sudden changes in a child's moods and behaviors, making it hard for you to spot the signs of alcohol or other drug use. But according to Lea Goldstein, a licensed psychologist who specializes in working with teens and families struggling with substance abuse, observing more than a few of the following signs means that it's time to take action:

• the smell of alcohol or odor of marijuana
• stealing or borrowing money
• defensiveness about activities and possessions
• unusual mood changes or temper outbursts
• marked changes in eating or sleeping habits
• decline in academic performance
• heavy use of perfumes, mouthwash or other scents to hide drug use
• a bedroom littered with burned matches, pipes or other drug paraphernalia
• changes in friend groups
• significant change in personal appearance or hygiene
• loss of interest in usual activities and hobbies
• difficulty with concentration

The earlier you respond to such signs, the better. Goldstein offers the following guidelines:

Talk about it. Share your observations with your child, while avoiding direct accusations. Stick to the facts and stay calm during this discussion. Don't have it if your child is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

Help your child create a plan for refusing drugs. The key is to come up with a plan that your teenager will actually use in a social setting where kids are using drugs. "If you're in that situation," Borowiak says to teenagers, "go to the bathroom--wherever it is--and sit in there for five minutes and time it. Then come out and tell your friends that you're sick and that you need to go home. Call home and have a parent pick you up."

Enforce a zero-tolerance rule. Research indicates that parental disapproval does deter adolescent drug use. Remind your children that you expect them to avoid all alcohol or other drug use--period. Set clear rules and expectations around alcohol and other drug use and establish reasonable consequences if those rules are broken. Borowiak suggests developing a written contract, including a clause such as this: "If I ever use alcohol or another drug in the future, this means that I need help to stop and am asking you to provide it."

Involve other people. You don't have to do this alone. Many people can help you intervene with your child--for example, a family doctor, school counselor, or addiction counselor. In addition, turn to support groups for teenagers and their families who are in recovery from addiction.

Focus on prevention. Stay actively involved in your teenager's life. Get to know his or her friends and their parents. Set and enforce curfews. Encourage participation in school and after-school activities. Also take time each week to ask what your child is thinking, feeling, and doing--and listen to the answers without interrupting.

Sources used in this article and the guidelines above are taken from Teen Alcohol and Other Drug Use: Knowing the Signs and What to Do About Them, a 15-minute video and DVD produced by Hazelden. For more on this video and other prevention resources, call Hazelden Publishing and Educational Services at 1-800-328-9000 or send an email to customersupport@hazelden.org.

--Published September 5, 2005