Talking to Kids About Drugs in Grand Rapids, Michigan

All children in Grand Rapids will eventually be exposed to drugs in some form – prescription medications, alcohol, tobacco, vaping products, and sometimes illegal drugs. They’ll also see messages about drugs on TV, social media, at school, and even in local news.

Talking early and often with your child about drugs is one of the most powerful ways to protect their health and safety. Open, calm conversations help Grand Rapids kids build critical thinking skills, understand risks, and feel safe coming to you with questions.

This guide is tailored for families in Grand Rapids, MI, and includes local resources, Michigan-specific context, and practical tips for age-appropriate conversations.

Why Drug Conversations Matter in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids is a growing city of more than 200,000 people, with excellent healthcare systems like Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health. At the same time, like many communities in Michigan, Kent County has been affected by:

  • Prescription opioid misuse and overdose
  • Underage drinking and binge drinking, especially around weekends and school events
  • Vaping and flavored nicotine products among middle and high school students
  • Seasonal risks, such as winter-related depression and substance use as a coping tool

Cold, dark winters and long stretches of indoor time can increase stress, anxiety, and boredom for kids and teens. These are all risk factors for experimenting with alcohol and other drugs. Honest, ongoing talks at home are a key layer of protection.

Getting Ready to Talk to Your Child About Drugs

Before you start the conversation:

  • Think about what your child already sees
    Ads for alcohol during sports, vaping in school bathrooms, news about fentanyl in West Michigan, or people smoking in movies.

  • Expect questions about your own drug or alcohol use
    Your child may ask if you’ve ever used alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs. You do not have to share personal details. If you choose to, think ahead about:

    • How much detail is appropriate
    • Whether your story will actually help them make safer choices
    • How you’ll respond if they ask follow-up questions

  • Be clear on your values and rules
    Decide what you believe about:

    • Underage drinking
    • Vaping and tobacco
    • Marijuana (legal for adults in Michigan, but still illegal and unsafe for minors)
    • Riding in a car with someone who has been drinking or using drugs

Use the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol as a reference. They emphasize that the safest choice for children and teens is no alcohol at all.

Be Consistent With Your Messaging

Kids and teens in Grand Rapids watch what adults do, especially at:

  • Family gatherings
  • Lake trips and summer cookouts
  • Holiday events and sports games
  • Ice fishing weekends or winter cabin trips

You can positively influence your child by:

  • Not saying you “need” or “deserve” a drink to relax
  • Following national alcohol guidelines and not drinking excessively
  • Showing you can have fun without alcohol, especially at local events (ArtPrize, Griffins games, high school sports)
  • Refusing a drink when you’ve had enough or are driving
  • Building alcohol-free days into your week

Avoid myths like “everyone drinks in college” or “weed is natural, so it’s safe.” Focus on realistic, age-appropriate information about risks and harms.

Talking About Medicines and Everyday Substances

In most Grand Rapids homes, children already see:

  • Coffee or energy drinks
  • Prescription medications
  • Over-the-counter cold and flu medicine (especially during Michigan’s long cold and flu season)
  • Nicotine vapes or cigarettes (in public or in media)

Use these everyday moments to teach:

  • What a drug is:
    A drug is any substance that changes how our body or brain works. This includes:

    • Everyday substances (coffee, energy drinks)
    • Legal drugs (alcohol, nicotine, some vaping products)
    • Prescription and over-the-counter medicines
    • Illegal drugs (cocaine, meth, MDMA, fentanyl, etc.)

  • Safe medicine use:

    • Medicine is only for the person whose name is on the bottle
    • Only adults should give medicine to kids
    • Following the correct dose is essential – more is not better

  • Two-pronged health message:

    • Some things hurt our bodies (smoking, misusing pills, vaping, heavy drinking)
    • Some things help our bodies (nutritious food, sleep, exercise, time outdoors, staying active year-round even in winter)

Using Media and Real-Life Examples

When your child sees or hears about drugs:

  • Someone smoking or vaping in a movie or on YouTube
  • Characters drinking heavily on TV
  • News about overdoses, fentanyl, or impaired driving in Michigan
  • Public figures in trouble for drug use

Use it as a conversation starter:

  • “What do you think is going on there?”
  • “Have you seen anything like this at school or online?”
  • “How do you think that affects their health or safety?”

Then, explain simply and clearly:

  • Smoking and vaping: nicotine addiction, lung damage, heart strain, and how vaping isn’t “just water vapor”
  • Alcohol: how it affects the brain, especially teen brains, increases risk of accidents, and impairs judgment
  • Illegal drugs: addiction, changes in mood and behavior (like anger or confusion), and the real risk of overdose with substances like fentanyl

Keep explanations simple at first. If your child asks for more information, provide more detail.

How to Talk So Your Child Will Talk

  • Stay calm and non-judgmental
    Ask: “What have you heard about drugs at school or online?”
    Listen more than you speak at first.

  • Avoid shaming or dismissing questions
    Don’t say, “That’s a stupid question” or “You shouldn’t be thinking about that.”
    Instead: “I’m glad you asked. Let’s look at the facts together.”

  • Correct misinformation gently
    If your child repeats something that isn’t true (“Vaping is just flavor,” “Weed isn’t addictive”), respond with:

    • “A lot of people say that, but here’s what we know from doctors and researchers…”

  • Leave the door open
    If your child seems uncomfortable:

    • “We don’t have to talk about all of this right now, but I want you to know you can always come to me with any question—no matter what.”

Over time, most kids and teens will come back with more questions, especially as they move through middle and high school in Grand Rapids Public Schools or other local districts.

Talking About Real Risks: Driving, Parties, and Peers

As your child gets older, focus on real-life risks they might face in West Michigan:

  • Impaired driving
    Explain:

    • Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal
    • They could lose their license, face fines, or even go to jail
    • They could seriously injure or kill themselves, a passenger, a pedestrian, or another driver

  • Create a family safety contract
    Consider a written or verbal agreement that covers:

    • No riding in a car with a driver who has been drinking or using drugs
    • Your child promises to call you (or another trusted adult) for a ride, anytime, no questions asked in that moment
    • Rules about parties, curfews, and communication

  • Discuss peer situations
    Talk through what they would do if:

    • Friends are vaping or drinking at a school event or weekend hangout
    • Someone offers them a pill, edible, or vape
    • They feel pressured to “just try it once”

Help them practice simple refusal lines, like:

  • “Nah, I’m good.”
  • “I’ve got to drive later.”
  • “I’m on meds; I can’t mix stuff.”

Be Clear About Your Expectations

Your child should know exactly where you stand. Be upfront about:

  • Your rules for:
    • Alcohol
    • Vaping and smoking
    • Marijuana
    • Prescription medications (never sharing, never taking someone else’s pills)
  • The consequences for breaking family rules
  • Why you have these rules (to protect their health, safety, future opportunities, and to keep them safe on Michigan roads)

Stay informed about:

  • Current street names for drugs
  • New trends (like THC vapes, counterfeit pills, fentanyl-laced substances)
  • How different drugs affect the brain and body

If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so honestly and look it up together using trusted resources.

Age-Appropriate Tips

Talking to Kids Ages 4–7

Keep it very simple:

  • Explain that:
    • Medicine is not candy
    • Only adults give medicine
    • Some things (like cigarettes, vapes, or unknown pills) can hurt our bodies
  • Use everyday moments:
    • When you give them medicine for a cold
    • When you see someone smoking outside a store or at a park

Focus on:

  • Keeping their body strong
  • Healthy foods
  • Sleep and play
  • Staying away from things that can make them sick

Talking to Kids Ages 8–12

At this age, kids in Grand Rapids may:

  • Hear about vaping or marijuana at school
  • See older kids using nicotine vapes or energy drinks
  • Watch more mature content online

Talk about:

  • What drugs are and how they affect how we feel, think, and behave
  • The difference between:
    • Everyday substances (coffee, energy drinks)
    • Legal drugs (alcohol, nicotine, some marijuana products for adults)
    • Illegal drugs (cocaine, meth, MDMA, etc.)
  • Why kids’ and teens’ brains are still growing and more easily harmed by substances

Encourage questions and check what they’re hearing from friends and online.

Talking to Teens Ages 13–17

Teens in the Grand Rapids metro area may:

  • Know peers who drink, vape, or use marijuana
  • Attend parties, games, and events where substances are present
  • Drive or ride with teen drivers

With teens, be more detailed:

  • Talk about:
    • Addiction and how it develops
    • Mental health (anxiety, depression, stress) and why substances are not healthy coping tools
    • How alcohol and drugs affect grades, sports performance, jobs, and college or career plans
  • Discuss Michigan-specific issues:
    • Marijuana is legal for adults 21+, but still illegal and unsafe for minors
    • DUI laws and consequences in Michigan
  • Practice real scenarios:
    • What they would say if offered a drink, vape, or pill
    • How they’d get home safely if their ride has been using substances

Keep the focus on safety, not just punishment.

Let the Conversation Flow

You don’t need to cover everything at once. Instead:

  • Start with a few basics
  • Ask what they already know or have seen
  • Follow their questions and concerns
  • Come back to the topic regularly, especially:
    • At the start of the school year
    • Before big events (homecoming, prom, graduation, summer trips)
    • Before winter and spring breaks

It’s okay not to have all the answers. What matters most is that your child knows you are a safe, reliable source of information.

Local Help and Resources for Parents in Grand Rapids

If you’re worried about your child’s substance use or just want more support, you don’t have to handle it alone. In Grand Rapids and Kent County, you can reach out to:

  • Kent County Health Department
    Offers information on substance use, prevention programs, and local treatment resources.
    Website: search “Kent County Health Department substance use”

  • Grand Rapids Public Health / City of Grand Rapids
    Provides community health information and links to local prevention and treatment services.

  • Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health
    Many local health systems offer:

    • Adolescent medicine
    • Behavioral health
    • Substance use assessment and referrals

  • Local family doctors and pediatricians
    Ask your child’s doctor for:

    • Screening for substance use
    • Mental health referrals
    • Guidance on talking with your child

  • State and national parent resources (evidence-based information):

    • The Other Talk (for parents talking about alcohol and drugs)
    • Alcohol and Drug Foundation (general information and support)
    • Raising Children Network (warning signs and parenting support)

If you’re unsure where to start, calling your child’s pediatrician or a local hospital’s behavioral health department is a good first step.

Local and National Help for Kids and Teens

If your child or teen wants to talk to someone besides you, encourage them to use:

  • School counselors or social workers
    Available in most Grand Rapids-area schools.

  • Youth helplines and online resources:

    • National crisis and youth lines (search “Kids Helpline USA,” “988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline”)
    • Youth drug and alcohol advice services that offer phone, text, or webchat support
    • Evidence-based sites for teens about alcohol and other drugs (search “teen drug facts” or use resources recommended by your child’s school)

Let your child know it’s okay to ask for help—from you, from a trusted adult, or from a professional.

Staying Your Child’s Most Trusted Source

Research shows that children and teens still see their parents or caregivers as one of the most credible sources of information—even in the age of social media.

By:

  • Talking early and often
  • Listening without judgment
  • Staying informed about drugs, local trends, and Michigan laws
  • Connecting with local resources when needed

you help your child in Grand Rapids:

  • Understand real risks
  • Build confidence to say no
  • Make safer, more informed choices now and in the future.

These conversations don’t have to be perfect. They just need to be honest, ongoing, and grounded in care for your child’s health and safety.