Good relationship with your child important in drug prevention

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction said that parents who have good relationships with their children, who nevertheless use alcohol or illegal drugs, have not failed as some children have temperaments or conditions that place limits on influence. File picture

Parents who take time to talk and listen to their children, rather than just setting rules, can influence their teenagers when it comes to preventing substance use and reducing their harm, leading experts have said.

Three top researchers and academics told a webinar organised by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction that, contrary to messages over the years, parents do have an “important” role in influencing their children.