You notice your teen is quieter than usual. Their grades slip a little, they start hanging out with new friends, and they spend more time behind a closed bedroom door. You brush it off as “normal teenage stuff”—until you wonder if something more is going on.
For many families, that moment of doubt is the first sign that a teen may be experimenting with substances. What might start as “just trying something” can quickly become much more serious.
Monique Evelyn, Senior Director of Outpatient Services for SMA Healthcare, has worked with countless families navigating this challenge. “The top three substances we see are nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana,” she says. “You throw vaping into that—we know you can put just about anything into a vape pen these days.”
Why Teens Try
It’s easy to assume teens use because of peer pressure, but the reality is often more complicated. “Some parents allow their kids to drink at 16, so they’re introduced to it at an early age,” Evelyn explains. “But for many adolescents, it continues because of something that happened within their childhood—usually a traumatic event, issues in the home, or even a history of abuse.”
For many teens, substances become a way to cope. “We oftentimes hear people say, I use this to feel calm, or it doesn’t make me think about anything,” Evelyn shares. “For some, it even helps them concentrate in school.”
Red Flags Parents Shouldn’t Ignore
Every teen is different, but there are signs that should raise concern. Watch for sudden changes in mood or personality, slipping grades, withdrawing from family, or hanging out with a new group of friends.
And don’t assume your child is safe just because they’re “at a friend’s house playing video games.” Evelyn cautions, “You have no idea who’s on the other side of that screen. It could be an adult for all we know. Outside influences are everywhere.”
The Fentanyl Factor
Another risk that makes today’s landscape more dangerous: fentanyl. “We do know there is a rise in fentanyl use, but we’re not seeing where adolescents are picking that up intentionally—it’s not their drug of choice,” Evelyn explains. “They’re purchasing marijuana off the streets or from their friends, and unfortunately, it has fentanyl in it.”
That means even one experiment with marijuana or vaping can have devastating consequences.
How Parents Can Respond
So, what can parents do? Evelyn’s advice: start early and keep the door open. “The same way we talk about sex is the same way we should be talking about mental health and substance use, because these things happen,” she says. “Creating an environment where your child feels safe and trustworthy enough to have that open dialogue is what needs to happen.”
The Takeaway: Teens today face pressures that parents never imagined, from vaping to fentanyl-laced marijuana. The best thing you can do is stay connected, keep the conversation going, and create a home where your child feels safe coming to you. As Evelyn puts it, “Being able to establish that level of honesty and trust with your kids so that they feel safe—that could be the key.”
