DFKC’s annual tracking study surveys parents and children separately. Each year kids have listed their parents as their most reliable source of information, followed by school and then peers.Vallerand says the “just say no” lecture approach to educating youth on substance use is outdated, as it is anchored in the belief of abstinence as a solution.
As part of National Drug Drop-Off month during August, DFKC encouraged parents to limit accessibility to prescription drugs at home, making sure they are safely stored or disposed of if no longer needed. Safe disposal means bringing drugs back to the pharmacy, for example, rather than throwing them in the toilet or garbage.Another reliable source of information on substance use are schools. D.A.R.E.
The initiative is funded by the government of British Columbia and promotes evidence-based approaches to youth substance use education in B.C. schools. “A lot of times teachers or principals are called on to support parents talking to parents about what’s happening with their child,” she said.Amlani echoed Vallerand’s sentiments on the “just say no” tactic for substance use discussions, saying it limits the conversation.“When you just say no, well, what if I’m in an environment when someone else has said yes? What do I do in that situation? So we want to create that sense of safety.
Fifty-one per cent of participants reported problematic cannabis use. 37 per cent reported increased alcohol use. Jenkins notes that a large portion of the youth who died in B.C. due to overdose in the last few years had involvement with the child welfare system.