Our oldest just hit double digits earlier this month – the big One Zero (10). He was pretty excited. As parents, it’s a scary reminder that before we know it, we’ll have a teen on our hands. Turns out the easiest way to keep a teen from substance abuse is to keep the family in tact:
1.Cigarette use. Teens in intact families are less likely to initiate cigarette smoking compared to peers in non-intact families. full details
2. Cigarette use. Teens in two-parent families reported, on average, lower levels of cigarette smoking than peers in single-parent families. full details
3. Alcohol abuse. Teens in two-parent families reported, on average, lower levels of drinking than those in single-parent families. full details4. Alcohol abuse. Teens in intact families are less likely to abuse alcohol than peers in non-intact families. full details
5. Alcohol and marijuana use. Teens who lived in intact families during early adolescence are less likely to initiate alcohol and marijuana use than peers who lived in non-intact families. full details
6. Illicit drug use. Teens in intact families are less likely to use illicit drugs other than marijuana compared to peers in non-intact families. full details
7. Illicit drug use (European teens). European teens in intact families are less likely to use illicit drugs than peers in non-intact families. full details
8. Cocaine use. Individuals from intact families are less likely to use cocaine compared to peers from non-intact families. full details9. Drug abuse. Teens in intact families are less likely to abuse drugs compared to peers in non-intact families. full details
10. Behavioral problems. Teens in intact families are less likely to exhibit behavioral problems such as binge drinking than peers in blended or divorced single-parent families. full details
I just checked with my wife… we’re staying married.