Drugs, including tobacco and other dangerous activities, are easily accessible to children and adolescents. As a parent, you have a great influence on your child's decision not to use drugs.

It is very likely that children in elementary school have not started to consume alcohol, tobacco or any other type of drug. For this reason, when they are in elementary school it is the perfect time to start talking about the dangers of drug use. Prepare your child for the time they come to offer drugs.

Prevention of drug abuse begins when parents learn how to talk with their children about difficult issues. Then, the programs offered by schools, sports, and other groups can contribute to what you have already started.

Prevention against drug abuse begins with parents

As a parent, you have a great influence on your child's decision not to use tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.

• Prevention begins when you start talking and listening to your child.

• Help your child make good decisions and have good friends.

Parents have power

Parents are the strongest influence children have. There is no guarantee that your child will not use drugs, but there is less chance that it will happen if you:

• Provide guidance and clear rules to say no to drugs.

• Spend time with your child.

• Does not smoke tobacco or consume other drugs

What messages send what he says and does to his child?

Children realize how parents consume alcohol, tobacco, and drugs at home, in their social life, and with other people. This includes how parents control their intense feelings, their emotions and stress, and even mild pain and discomfort.

Prevention begins when you start talking and listening to your child.

Talk politely with your child about healthy choices. Listen to what your child has to say. Get in the habit of speaking and listening, the sooner the better!

Be clear and consistent about the rules of the family.

It does not matter what other families decide; your family's rules show the values of your family.

Avoid TV shows, movies, and video games that glamorize tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.

Since it is difficult to ignore the messages found in music and advertising, talk to your child about the influence these messages have on us.

Take time to do things together.

Eating together as a family gives you the opportunity to talk and find out what is happening.

Make smart decisions

The work of parents is to correct mistakes and bad decisions with love and based on their experience. Mixing praise and criticism, you can correct your child's behavior without saying he or she is a bad child. This helps children to trust in themselves and to learn to make healthy and safe decisions. In due time, making intelligent decisions for yourself becomes easier to do.

Help your child make good decisions and have good friends.

• Good self-esteem and ability to discern the good from the bad will help your child say "No" to drugs and other risky behaviors. Help your child:

• Realizing the efforts made as well as their successes.

• Praising him for the things he does well and for making good decisions.

Encourage your interests and good friendships.

• Make sure you can trust the friends and neighbors your child spends time with and who have values similar to yours.

• Find a way for your child to participate in sports, hobbies, school clubs, and other activities. Generally, these activities promote positive interactions that help to develop character and lead to good relationships with their peers.

• Look for activities that you and your child or the whole family can do together.

The study of the young brain

Using the latest imaging technology, scientists from the addiction recovery centers will observe how childhood experiences including the use of any drug-interact with each other and with the evolving biology of the child. And they affect brain development and social, behavioral, academic and health outcomes, among other areas of their lives.