High school students are future-oriented and can engage in abstract thinking.   You may want to focus on the potential long-term effects of alcohol and other drugs during these years: drugs can ruin your teen’s chances of getting into college, being awarded scholarships, being accepted by the military or being hired for certain jobs  (See Is it Worth the Risk). 

What You Can Do

• Chances are your teen has friends who use alcohol or other drugs or knows of people who do, so discuss how these habits can threaten lives and may limit opportunities for the future.
• Plan strategies to limit your teen’s unsupervised hours at home while you are at work. 
• Encourage your teenager to work on behalf of a drug prevention program by being trained as a volunteer or a counselor. If they need incentives, this also looks good for college admissions.
• The busier your teenager is the less likely he or she is to be bored and to seek an outlet in alcohol and other drugs.
• Make sure your teen has up-to-date information on alcohol and other drugs and their effects.
• Make an effort to be informed about any new drugs that are popular.
• Cooperate with other parents to make sure that the parties and social events your teenager attends are alcohol- and drug-free (See Parents Who Host Lose the Most and Party Guidelines for more information).
• Talk with your teenager about the future including your expectations and their ambitions. 

By the end of high school your child should understand:
-Both the immmediate and long term effects of specific drugs
-The possibly fatal effects of combining drugs
-The relationship use to diseases and disabilities
-The effects of alcohol and other drugs on the fetus during pregnancy
-The fact that drug use is not a victimless crime
-The effects and possible consequences of operating equipment while using alcohol and other drugs
-The impact that drug use has on society
-The extent of community intervention resources