Why It Matters

Parents need to understand where youth get medications, alcohol, cannabis, and commercial tobacco.

Most youth do not buy substances from strangers or dealers. They take them from home, from relatives, or from friends whose parents have not secured what sits in cabinets, drawers, or garages.

Intentional Access
Most parents think their child would never take pills from a medicine cabinet or drink alcohol from a bottle at home. But research shows the opposite is often true. Kids are more likely to try things that are easy to find and already around them.

Accidental Access
When prescription drugs are kept in the bathroom, when alcohol is left out on shelves, when cannabis edibles look like candy, or when vape devices are left on counters, kids may see these things as safe or okay to use. To them, easy access can feel like permission.

At the same time, the teenage brain is still growing. The part of the brain that helps with decision-making and self-control is not fully developed yet. Using substances during this time can raise the risk of addiction, change how the brain develops, and increase the chances of overdose or accidental poisoning.

If you want to understand the scope of youth substance access in your home and community, take a walk through your space and count what is unsecured.

Contact Info

Real Risks

You may have heard that trying substances is normal or that using them once in a while is harmless. This is not true for kids and teens whose brains are still growing and making important connections.
When teens use alcohol, cannabis, commercial tobacco or misuse prescription drugs before age 18, it can change how their brain develops. These changes are real and can affect everyday life, including:

Consequences of Youth Substance Use and Experimentation

  • Trouble focusing in school
  • Poor memory
  • Higher levels of anxiety
  • A greater chance of dropping out of school
Addiction can also happen more quickly in teens than in adults.

Accidental poisoning is another serious risk. Substances that seem easy to reach at home can be dangerous, such as:

  • Pain pills left over from dental surgery
  • Sleeping pills in a bedside drawer
  • Cannabis edibles in the kitchen that look like regular food

Younger children or teens may take these without understanding the risks or how much is too much. Accidental poisoning and ingestion has increased among children. When you lock up medications, keep track of alcohol, and store cannabis and commercial tobacco in child-safe packaging, you reduce easy access.

Signs of Accidental Poisoning

  • Vomitting
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Drowsiness
  • Slurred speech

*Call Poison Control is you suspect a problem.

The younger a person is when they first use a substance, the more likely they are to become dependent. Early use also increases the chance of using more than one substance over time.
Teens who start with alcohol or cannabis are more likely to misuse prescription drugs or commercial tobacco later.
This pattern is not guaranteed, but it is more likely when substances are easy to access.
You cannot control every choice a teen makes, but you can control what is available at home. Locking up substances does not guarantee prevention, but leaving them unsecured makes it much easier for youth to try them.

Additional Data

Access Points and Accidental Ingestion