Last night, tragedy struck close to home. A 15-year-old boy—one of our daughter’s classmates—died from an overdose. He was a child. A teenager. Someone who probably had dreams, friends, a family who loved him, and a future that will now never come to be.
This isn’t just another sad story in the news. This is real, and it’s here. Our kids are living through the aftermath. They’re going to school with heavy hearts, trying to understand how someone their own age—someone they knew—is suddenly gone. The weight of grief is hard enough, but the looming fear it brings with it is unbearable.
It’s a fear no parent wants to face. But we have to. Because sometimes, one experiment—one pill, one line, one vape, one hit—is all it takes. Fentanyl is being laced into substances teens think are “safe” to try just once. And that one time can be the last time. No do-overs. No warnings. Just a phone call that will change your life forever.
As uncomfortable and frightening as it may feel, talking to your kids about drugs is not optional. It’s essential. Silence doesn’t protect them. Avoiding the topic doesn’t make it less real. The only way to fight back against this terrifying reality is to speak openly, often, and from a place of love—not fear.
Kids need to know the truth: that even experimenting can be deadly. That not everyone who dies from drugs is addicted. That many teens who die of overdoses never had a chance to try anything a second time. It’s not about scare tactics. It’s about facts—and the consequences they carry.
How to Talk to Your Kids About Drugs
It’s easy to let fear turn into anger. But if we want our kids to come to us, even when they’ve made mistakes, we need to be their safe place. These conversations are hard, but they can save lives. Here’s how to approach them:
1. Start with empathy, not judgment.
Let your child know you’re coming from a place of love. You’re not trying to lecture them—you’re trying to protect them. Start with, “I know this is a tough topic, but I love you too much not to talk about it.” My kids know that if they ever need to talk about this stuff I am more than willing to help any way I can. This subject can be super hard for some but it is so much better to be there than avoid it.
2. Be honest about the risks.
Explain how dangerous today’s drugs are. Many teens think trying something once isn’t a big deal. But with substances like fentanyl, one dose can kill. Share real stories—like the one from your community—to make it clear that this danger is real and immediate. Our oldest boy had told me his friends were doing mushrooms one night and I shared my stories from when I had experimented and I never enjoyed it, so I was honest and he had expressed other times he had already tried them and not enjoyed it either. Because we were able to talk about it he decided not to join them and just hang out with other friends. After he had heard about terrible trips from his friends and was happy he didn’t get involved.
3. Make it personal.
Tell your kids how much they mean to you. Let them see your fear and vulnerability—not as a way to guilt them, but to show them how deeply their safety matters. Say it out loud: “I would rather get a call that you need help than a call asking me to identify your body.” We have experienced loss from drugs in our family and have suffered from lifestyles of addicts so sharing this information and making them be aware is normal for us.
4. Create a judgment-free zone.
Make it clear that if they ever do try something—or even just find themselves in a situation they’re unsure about—they can always come to you. No shame. No screaming. Just help, love, and support. Say it again and again: “You can always come to me. No matter what.” I will drive anywhere at any time to save my kids from situations like this and they know it. If your child is struggling with addiction you definitely want to be there to help.
5. Talk about peer pressure.
Help them understand that it’s okay to say no—even to friends. Give them tools and words they can use in the moment, and roleplay if it helps. Let them know they’re never alone, and that you’ll back them up no matter what. Substance use is everywhere at every age and talking about substance use is vital. Luckily my kids are pretty good at saying no when they need to but lately calling has been getting them into deep water. The fact that every kid has one and they do it on the city bus regularly doesn’t help. Passing around strawberry scented and flavoured smoke is normal for the kids these days and it is so hard to keep them away from it.
6. Keep the conversation going.
One talk isn’t enough. Keep the dialogue open, casual, and ongoing. Ask how things are going at school, what they’re hearing from peers, how they’re feeling about it all. Stay connected—and keep listening. We talk about this stuff on a regular basis and check in constantly to keep the doors of communication open.
The Hard Truth
No parent should ever have to bury their child. No friend should have to sit through a funeral for a classmate. And no teen should feel like experimenting is the only way to fit in or escape pain.
The only way we can change this is by making sure our kids know they’re not alone. That they have options. That they have us.
Talk to your kids. Today. Not out of panic, but out of love. Because the most terrifying truth is also the simplest:
I would much rather get a call that my kid needs help than a call identifying a body. And I know I’m not alone in that.
Let’s keep our kids safe—by never letting them forget that they can always come home. Always.
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