Why you should talk to your child about drugs

SINGAPORE – Roy, not his real name, was caught with sweets in his room.

A few years ago, his mother was cleaning his room when she discovered that her 15-year-old son had uncharacteristically hidden away a stash of gummies and lollipops.

Except that they were not the kiddy treats that Roy had no particular taste for. They were cannabis edibles.

Upon questioning, his mother found out that the Secondary 3 student had bought the candy, laced with the drug, during a recent family holiday in Bangkok.

Roy’s peers had introduced him to similar cannabis edibles, which sparked a curiosity to try them.

The teenager underwent outpatient drug rehabilitation for eight months at National Addictions Management Service (NAMS) at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), says S.B. Viknesan, NAMS’ principal counsellor and Roy’s main counsellor.

Thailand became the first Asian country to decriminalise cannabis in June 2022. Although thousands of cannabis dispensaries sprung up to cater for its recreational use, in June 2025, the government made a U-turn, declaring that the drug could be used only for medicinal purposes.

While Singapore is known for its tough anti-drug policies, drug-related misinformation is easily found online, observers say. They add that drugs can be found in different guises, accessible through commonly used apps like Telegram and TikTok.

The good news, drug education experts say, is that parental vigilance and guidance play a big role in correcting misperceptions and preventing drug abuse by children and youth.

Myth: Cannabis edibles are safe to consume

Youth drug abuse remains a concern, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) noted in its Singapore Drug Situation Report 2025.

In 2025, the youngest drug abuser arrested in Singapore was just 12 years old, and half of the new drug abusers arrested were below 30 years old, according to statistics from the report.

Methamphetamine or meth was the most commonly abused drug in 2025, followed by heroin and cannabis. Six in 10 new cannabis abusers arrested were below 30 years old.

A brief released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in August noted that there is consistent evidence that regular, heavy consumption of cannabis in adolescence and young adulthood is associated with adverse mental and psychosocial outcomes, such as poorer school performance, early school-leaving and cognitive impairment.

Viknesan, who is also a council member at the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA), cautions that cannabis – also known as ganja, weed, marijuana or pot – is harmful and addictive, whether it is consumed through edibles or by smoking it.

When cannabis is mixed into energy drinks, chocolates, sweets, brownies or pastries, these edibles lack the pungent herbal smell of joints, where dried cannabis is smoked like cigarettes, he says.

Because cannabis edibles are so palatable, it is easy to underestimate their risks, he adds, cautioning that “consumption can lead to serious medical complications and, in some cases, may even be fatal”.

Consuming cannabis may also lead to delusions or hallucinations, putting users at a higher risk of mental illnesses like schizophrenia or other types of psychosis. Abuse of the drug can also lead to impaired brain development, especially during adolescence and early adulthood.

Myth: Illicit drugs help students cope with stress

Stress can be a motivating factor in drug experimentation, says Viknesan.

He has worked with drug abusers in their teens who faced stress at school and at home. They connected with strangers on social media, who introduced the adolescents to drugs.

Some of these strangers claimed that illicit drugs can help them deal with stress and mental health challenges such as depression or anxiety, or disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), he adds.

Viknesan says: “Our youth population have multiple stressors in their life and some may adopt unhealthy habits to distract themselves and cope with their problems.

“I have come across young people – from secondary school to university levels – who took drugs thinking they could help with their studies, by helping them to stay attentive in class and complete their assignments. The online environment exposes youth to a great deal of misinformation about drugs.”

Trying drugs just once carries significant risks.

“Illicit drugs are unregulated. You have no way of knowing what is actually in them; how potent they are; or what other substances they have been mixed with. This makes them extremely unpredictable and dangerous,” Viknesan says.

“Taking an illicit drug could mean unknowingly consuming toxic chemicals or a lethal dose, and the damage it causes your brain and body can be life-altering and permanent.”

Drugs hijack the brain’s reward system, producing intense feelings of pleasure that can feel real. But the brain adapts quickly, meaning one needs more of the drug to experience the same effect, he says.

“What starts as curiosity can spiral very quickly into dependency before the person even realises it.

“Because young people’s brains continue maturing until about age 25, drug consumption during this time interferes with critical growth, potentially causing changes to brain structure, impulse control, memory and emotional regulation,” he adds.

Different drugs have different effects.

Stimulants such as cocaine, meth and “ecstasy” can spike the heart rate and blood pressure, triggering a heart attack or stroke, even in healthy persons. In contrast, opioids like heroin can slow the heart rate to the point of death.

Don’t assume ‘my child will never try drugs’

Some young people in Singapore are buying drugs through messaging apps such as Telegram and WhatsApp, as well as social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, says Viknesan.

“It is vital to be aware of where one’s children are and what they are doing, because young people can and do order drugs online – easily and discreetly – using phones or computers, sometimes while at home or even out with their parents,” he says.

He says that vigilance is key for all families. “Parents shouldn’t operate on the assumption that ‘it could never happen to my child’. They should be aware that any child is susceptible to thinking about experimenting with drugs, drawn by curiosity and trends seen online,” Viknesan says.

CNB recently investigated drug-trafficking networks across multiple Telegram channels. Operations conducted in September led to the island-wide arrests of 39 suspected drug offenders. About half of them were below 30 years old.

Assistant commissioner Ng Khai Song, director of the intelligence division, said: “Drug traffickers should be under no illusion that online platforms will shield them from enforcement. Every online interaction leaves a trail.

“CNB actively monitors the online space, develops intelligence and acts decisively to detect and disrupt drug activities. Those involved will be traced and dealt with under the law.”

While news of youth offenders may cause a stir, there is reason for optimism. There is rising confidence surrounding the role of parents in preventative drug education in Singapore.

In the 2025 National Drug Perception Survey by NCADA, 94.2% of youth whose parents had spoken to them about drugs said this deterred them from abusing drugs, compared with 91.7% in 2023.

But how should parents engage with their children on this topic?

What not to say

Zulhaqem Zulkifli is a DrugFreeSG Champion, appointed by the Inter-Ministry Committee on Drug Prevention for Youths. He works with young people and families.

The former volunteer para-counsellor with the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA) urges parents: “Have the conversation before you need the conversation.”

Even before a child demonstrates curiosity about drugs, parents can use ordinary situations – such as a news story, a family trip overseas or something the child mentions from school – to address his or her questions; gently correct any misinformation; clearly convey family values and boundaries against drug-taking; and explain the consequences of drug use, he says.

Noting that curiosity comes naturally to children and adolescents, he advises: “Don’t punish the question.”

He paints this scenario: If an adolescent asks about cannabis, it could be because he or she saw it discussed on TikTok or because the teen knows he or she might come across it on vacation.

The teen might ask: “Why is cannabis so bad if it’s legal in other countries?” or “Why do some successful people take drugs?”

If the parental response is accusatory – “why are you asking?” or “are you taking drugs?” – the child learns quickly not to ask again.

Instead, he suggests an initial response before discussing the topic with the child. For instance, respond by saying: “That’s a fair question. What have you heard about it?”

“This allows the parent to understand the information environment the young person is actually living in,” Zulhaqem says.

He adds: “From engaging with young people, I think they are often interested in questions that adults sometimes avoid. Adults gain credibility when they are prepared to engage with difficult questions seriously, rather than interpreting such questions as evidence that a teenager is pro-drug.”

He also advises listening before reacting and avoiding harsh labels like “addict” or “drug abuser” if a child admits to curiosity about drugs. Rather than criticising the child’s friends or instilling fear – which often backfires by driving young people into secrecy – parents should keep communication open.

Zulhaqem says: “Don’t assume one conversation at age 12 will last until age 21.”

While young children can be supervised online and off, maintaining the same level of supervision is challenging as they enter their late teens. The parent-child relationship itself is a “protective factor” if young adults can confide in their parents, he says.

During this stage of life, he says, young people may also be more receptive to evaluating claims they encounter online. They understand that descriptions of illicit drugs as being “natural”, “legal”, “therapeutic” or “popular” do not mean these drugs are safe to consume, he says.

Viknesan, the counsellor, notes that there are a plethora of drug education resources for parents and children.

These include awareness-raising activities, educational workshops and talks, video competitions and first-hand drug recovery testimonials run by organisations such as CNB, NCADA, SANA, NAMS, We Care Community Services and others.

SANA even has a programme targeted at secondary school students in uniformed groups, which teaches them about drug abuse, and how to handle situations when they are tempted to experiment with drugs. Students attain a SANA badge after completing a series of activities.

The drug scene will evolve

While parents should educate themselves and their children about the harms caused by drugs, it is challenging to keep pace with the evolving drug scene, where new synthetic substances, delivery mechanisms and online narratives will periodically surface, according to Zulhaqem.

In Singapore, for instance, the authorities are concerned about psychoactive substances being administered through vapes, which are themselves illegal, he says.

Zulhaqem says: “Ultimately, parents don’t have to know the name of every new drug. They need to know their child.”

He suggests that parents take these steps.

They should get to know their teens’ friends and social environment, and understand what their children are hearing online.

They should also take notice of patterns of behaviour change, if any, which might suggest drug experimentation, such as withdrawing from long-term friends or an inexplicable need for cash.

Parents are encouraged to talk to their children early on and set clear boundaries.

“Make sure that, even if your child has made a serious mistake, you remain one of the first people he or she will call for help,” he says.

Where to get help

For advice on drug-related concerns, reach out to para-counsellors at the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association on 6732-1122 or sana@sana.org.sg.

For substance abuse, the National Addictions Management Service offers professional counselling, with specialised programmes for adolescents and family support. Reach it on 6389-2000.

For suspected drug abuse, seek early intervention support from the Central Narcotics Bureau. Reach CNB on 1800-325-6666.

• This article was written in partnership with the Central Narcotics Bureau.