Survey shows parents unaware of their children’s drug use A Harris/Decima survey commissioned by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) has found that Canadian parents are in the dark when it comes to their kids and drugs. Most don’t think their kids have experimented with drugs. According to studies in Canada nearly one third of 15-17 year olds and almost half of 18-19 year olds have used marijuana in the past year. In fact Canadians are the largest group of cannabis smokers in the developed world with kids as young as 11 trying it for the first time. With the evidence pointing to ‘somebody’s children’ smoking 70 per cent of Canadian parents don’t think it’s their kid. Even more, 80 per cent believe if their kid was using drugs they were recognize the signs. “Today’s poll shows a real gap between perceptions and reality,” says Michel Perron, CCSA’s CEO in a press release. “The fact is, far more kids are experimenting with drugs than most parents think. This is a wake-up call to all parents to take note and take action—and that means talking to your kids about drugs.” With 18 per cent of Ontario students in Grades 7-12 saying that they have taken prescriptions for non-medicinal reasons it is surprising that most parents did not think that their kid had ever stolen a prescription from the family medicine chest despite one out of five Canadians having prescription painkillers in their medicine cabinet at home. “When our kids are toddlers, we childproof our homes and lock up household cleaners to keep them out of reach. Now that our kids are teens, we should be no less diligent,” says Perron. “Kids don’t think pharmaceutical drugs are dangerous since they are legal and prescribed by a doctor.” When it comes to a parent finding out their children was using a drug it depends on what it is as to their level of concern. While 91 per cent would be concerned if their child had experimented with cocaine only 76 per cent would worry if that experimentation was with marijuana. “We as parents must be aware of the reality,” says Perron, who himself is a parent of children aged 15 and 18. “All of these drugs can have harmful effects, especially in adolescents whose brains are still developing.”