In this Q&A from the LaCrosse Tribune, Family columnist Colleen O'Reilly advises a parent who's worried about her 15-year-old daughter and the friends she's making. How do you talk to a daughter whose friends are using drugs? How do you help her avoid the same pitfall?

"Since your main concern seems to be avoidance, I suggest that you make a date where you will not be interrupted. You want this to be important. During your date, you will express your honest concerns for your daughter and admit you are powerless to make her decisions. Continue by saying that you want her to know she can use you as an excuse if she is invited to partake. Many teens like being able to say that their parents will 'kill them if they use.'..."

Getting a teen involved in extra-curricular activities can help, too. Most school clubs and teams have strict rules about drug and alcohol use, which gives a student another great "out" if approached about trying an illegal substance.

NorthStar Center offers adolescent drug treatment to teens and young adults.

Labels: friends, pressure, prevention