Resources for Parents & Teen Marijuana Use
This mother, Karen*, called in distraught that the OHIP mental health and addiction office in her community will not assist her in helping her son realize the harms of smoking marijuana or the future problems it could cause for him. Her son, Drew*, is almost 16. This means any public treatment/therapy must be voluntarily, unless court ordered. This is something brought up by parents all over Canada. Legally, their teens are not adults until 18 or 19 meaning parents are responsible for them still, but provincial healthcare systems will not intervene because these youth are old enough to make “their own choices”. The most we could do was give Karen some resources on boundaries, enabling, and parenting. Online meetings are also a good option if her local MHA office cannot assist her directly. OUTPATIENT TREATMENT Because this office is unable to assist you in getting some counselling for Drew, I would suggest that you call them back and book an appointment for yourself. See if there is a counsellor there who can suggest some positive coping strategies for yourself or who can coach you on talking with your son. Community Addiction Services of Niagara 540 King Street Welland, ON L3B 3L1 Phone: (905) 684-1183 ext. 221 E-Mail: mchudy@cas-n.ca PARENT RESOURCES This page has all sorts of resources and approaches for helping you deal with your child’s substance use: http://www.sunshinecoasthealthcentre.ca/teen-addiction.html Here are list of books on boundaries and enabling (One of these might help you set some boundaries): 1. Addictive Relationships: Reclaiming Your Boundaries (1989) Joy Miller 2. Better Boundaries: Owning and Treasuring Your Life (1997) Jan Black, Greg Enns 3. Boundaries – Where You End And I Begin: How To Recognize And Set Healthy Boundaries (1994) Anne Katherine 4. Boundaries and Relationships: Knowing, Protecting and Enjoying the Self (1993) Charles Whitfield 5. Boundaries in Marriage (1999) Henry Cloud and John Townsend 6. Boundaries in Marriage – Participant’s Guide (2002) Henry Cloud and John Townsend 7. Boundaries: When to say Yes, When to Say No, To Take Control of Your Life (1992) Henry Cloud and John Townsend 8. Where to Draw the Line: How to Set Healthy Boundaries Every Day (2000) Anne Katherine MEETINGS Here is a Nar-Anon support group for affected loved ones of substance abusers: Nar-Anon Family Groups of Ontario PO Box 20046 2900 Warden Avenue, Scarborough ON M1W 3Y9 Phone: (416)239-0096 Toll-free: (877)239-0096 E-Mail: info@naranonontario.com Website: www.naranonontario.com ONLINE MEETINGS 1. AAOnline.net 2. Lamplighters Group of Alcoholics Anonymous 3. Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous 4. Cocaine Anonymous Online Service Area 5. LifeRing 6. Narcotics Anonymous Chat and Online Meetings 7. NA Chatroom 8. Online Al-Anon Lastly, here is the contact information for the closest NA meeting to you: http://www.niagarana.com/meetings.html For additional information on available peer-support meetings, visit: ...