Summer vacation and unsupervised teens go hand in hand, so it’s not surprising that there is a 40 percent increase in first-time youth marijuana use during June and July compared to the rest of the year.

“When there is more freedom, there is also more temptation,” Pathway Family Center said in a statement released on Tuesday. “Statistics show that youthful experimentation with drugs, tobacco, and alcohol is more likely to occur during an unsupervised time when teens are alone or with their peers.”

Pathway Family Center has been offering a substance abuse treatment program for adolescents aged 10 to 21 and their families since 1993 and opened a facility in Chesterton last year.

“Structure and continuity are very important over the summer months,” the statement said. “As a parent, you must try and create a different kind of routine. Encourage your child to continue his/her after-school activities. Insist on a summer curfew. Get to know your child’s friends and families. Plan summer activities the entire family can enjoy together. Most importantly, continue to drug test regularly during these essential months; give your child the ability to say “No” to drugs and alcohol. If you feel your teen might be experimenting, contact Pathway Family Center’s 24-hour Parent Help Line at (800) 261-4605 for a free drug test and assessment.

Pathway Family Center provides a complete continuum of care including drug screening, substance abuse assessment and referral, outpatient services, and a “unique long-term treatment program.” It is a family-oriented facility which focuses on teaching coping strategies and life skills and strengthening both individual and family relationships, and its dedicated staff of professionals are experts in substance abuse and behavioral problems.

Contact the Northwest Indiana Center at (219) 926-2583 or visit its website at www.pathwayfamilycenter.org

Posted 5/22/2008