My heart goes out to this family and other individuals and families whose lives have been impacted by drugs and alcohol. A common mistake parents make is minimizing adolescent marijuana use, as if it is “just marijuana.” Statistics show that early use of drugs and/or alcohol increases the odds of becoming an addict/alcoholic. Parental attitudes about drug use has a huge impact on whether or not kids use and continue to use drugs and/or alcohol.  If you know your child is a regular user, get them assessed by an addictions professional. Get them and the family into counseling. Educate yourself about adolescent addiction signs and symptoms. Start with the information at this link to a National Institute on Drug Abuse informational brochure.

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