Substance Use: Talking alcohol, vaping & other drugs with your kids

It’s important to talk openly with your child about substance use from an early age, but as parents and caregivers we don’t always know where to start. Michelle and Bryn sit down with Cindy Andrew and Art Steinmann, both parents and professionals with 30+ years of experience working in the field of youth substance use within BC schools and communities, to discuss how to talk about substance use with your child, how to prevent problematic substance use, and how you can help your child develop the knowledge and skills they will need to make decisions about vaping, alcohol and other drugs as they grow.
You can read the full transcript for the episode here. 

*Note: This episode will not cover chronic and problematic substance use. That topic will be a future episode on Where You Are.

 

EPISODE RESOURCES:

Guest bios
Cindy Andrew
Senior Associate, Bunyaad Public Affairs

Cindy Andrew is a mother of two, a former teacher and long time health promoter. She is a Senior Associate on the team leading The ABCs of Youth Substance Use, a BC government project funded by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Ministry of Education focused on supporting schools – and by extension, parents and caregivers, in addressing substance use with youth. A former program consultant with the Canadian Institute on Substance Use Research, Cindy also works with a Vancouver Island based school district in supporting their health promoting schools related efforts, which includes connecting with and supporting parents and caregivers.

Art Steinmann
Senior Associate, Bunyaad Public Affairs

Art Steinmann is a Senior Associate, Youth Substance Use Health Promotion, at Bunyaad Public Affairs Inc. Art brings over 40 years of experience in substance use policy, education, program development, advocacy and health promotion work including co-founding and co-developing SACY (Supporting and Connecting Youth program) for the Vancouver School Board. A parent as well, Art brings many years of lived experience to the conversation.

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Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre

BC Children's Hospital 
Healthy Minds Centre, Building #85, Room P3-302, 3rd floor,
4555 Heather Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday 9:30am - 5:00pm

Local Phone: 604 875 2084
Toll-Free: 1 800 665 1822
keltycentre@cw.bc.ca

The BC Children’s Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre is located on the unceded, traditional and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

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Need urgent help?

Call 911 or go to your local hospital’s emergency room if you or anyone else’s safety is at risk and immediate help is needed.

If you or someone you know is thinking about ending their own life, or needs someone to talk to about suicidal thoughts or ideas:

  • Call 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) for the BC Suicide Prevention and Intervention Line. Available in over 140 languages using a language service.
  • Call 1-800-588-8717 for the BC KUU-US Indigenous Crisis and Support Line.  
  • Call or text 988 for the National Suicide Crisis Helpline. Available in English and French.

For mental health or substance use crisis support:

  • Call 310-6789 for the BC Mental Health Support Line anytime for emotional support, information and resources. Available in over 140 languages using a language service.

 For commonly asked questions about supports and services in BC, explore our Ask Kelty Mental Health tool.