On June 11, 2008, The Partnership for a Drug-Free America launched a new Web site, "A Parent's Guide to the Teen Brain," designed to help parents and other caregivers understand brain maturation during adolescence. The interactive site presents current research findings on the relationship between brain development and teenagers' normal attitudes, behaviors, and personality. The site was created in collaboration with the Treatment Research Institute in Philadelphia, top scientists and researchers on substance abuse and addiction, and the Boston-based WGBH.
For more information, please visit the section, "A Parent's Guide to the Teen Brain," on the Partnership for a Drug-Free America's Web site.
As college students arrive on campus this fall, it is a time of new experiences, new friendships, and making memories that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately for many, it is also a time of excessive drinking and dealing with its aftermath - vandalism, violence, sexual aggression, and even death.
According to research summarized in a College Task Force report to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the consequences of excessive drinking by college students are more significant, more destructive, and more costly than many parents realize. And these consequences affect students whether or not they drink. View full article to learn more.
If you are concerned about your son or daughter and are concerned that they may be using drugs or alcohol it is better to find out the truth now than wait until the problem is out of control. For tips on starting a conversation with your teen, suggestions for things to tell your son or daughter, and a chance to hear what other parents are saying, check out the Action Guide for Parents
For more information on this topic, download the brochure, "Suspect You Teen is Using Drugs or Drinking? -- A Brief Guide to Action for Parents" (PDF).
People Prevent Suicide has great resources for parents.