The use of psychoactive substances is considered an “adult” activity. When we say “alcoholic” or “smoker,” we don’t imagine a 13-year-old child with a bottle in his hands and a bull in his teeth. There is nothing to say about drugs - the average drug addict in the mass consciousness is a man of about 30 with a needle in his hand. In reality, there is a trend towards an increase in the number of addicts among teenagers. - How to protect a child from psychoactive substances? The answer is simple: no way. Most children are exposed to psychoactive substances in the form of nicotine and alcohol from the first years of their lives. This does not necessarily apply to children of addicts. Let’s take the ideal case when the child’s parents, in principle, do not use surfactants. Even with such input, the child will not be protected from encountering drug use. Smoking is so common in society that it is impossible to walk down the street without meeting a person smoking. The same can be said about drinking alcohol - especially in the warm season on weekends, when residents of houses, for example, go out to drink beer with friends on a bench. The information field - books, films, news, TV shows, popular shows and music are also replete with mentions of alcohol and nicotine, and, more and more often, drugs lately. As soon as the child grows up and learns to fully use the Internet, then, believe me, no matter how much you protect him, he will learn about all these “miracles” of life. This will also be facilitated by his interested circle of friends and school buddies. Why does a child suddenly start drinking alcohol or anything else, if there were no prerequisites for this before? In middle school, the child begins a “transitional period.” At this time, he is lost, because many life guidelines and stereotypes are being broken down - he is entering adulthood. It is very important to be with the child at such moments and guide him, explain to him what is good and what can be dangerous, without taking away responsibility from him. In this case, he will most likely successfully pass this difficult period. If excessive pressure is put on him, overprotection or vice versa, very little attention will be paid to him - he may fall into abuse. This is primarily due to separation and “teenage rebellion.” In defiance of his parents, who “don’t understand” him, he begins to seek approval from others. The most accepting and warm company is formed among teenagers who use. They don’t need to develop, compete with each other, learn, achieve something and exchange experiences - they just need to drink and have fun together. The child feels his worth among those like him, and at the same time is engaged in “adult” things. Petty hooliganism and crimes can also be added to this list of “adult” cases. Frail physics, psyche and an undeveloped value base are exposed to the destructive effects of use many times faster than in adults - it takes 2-3 times less time for a child to become addicted. - What happens if you let the process take its course? The answer will be quite obvious - nothing good at all. In the best case, the child begins to neglect school responsibilities, stops receiving an education and finishes school poorly, if at all. Then, if he’s lucky, he will have a low-prestige education, low-paid work, loans, “everyday life” and drunkenness. In the worst case, he leaves home so that no one and nothing interferes with his wild lifestyle. There is no talk of any school, and as a result, the child most likely becomes a criminal. Then he is very little separated from prison and a ruined life that has not even begun. - What can and should be done to prevent a child from falling into the clutches of addiction? Of course, each case is individual, but the message does not change - addiction is destructive for children, and no less so than for adults. It will not be possible to protect a child from using it under any circumstances - except perhaps by locking.