How to best talk with teenagers about drinking and drugs

Parents setting limits on drinking and using drugs is still appreciated by teens as it shows they care. – SPH

What's the best way to talk to teens about alcohol and drug use without them clamming up or tuning out? Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of Calgary in Canada have been studying the question.

Together with her colleagues, Emily Jenkins – a UBC professor of nursing, specialising in substance abuse among young people – interviewed 83 young people between the ages of 13 and 18.