Here are the top ten “outs” that I have collected from teenagers over the years. Not all of them are great, but they cover a range of different ways of saying ‘no’, including excuses (often using information they have picked up in drug education lessons at school) and delaying or putting off the situation.

  • ‘I’m allergic to alcohol.’
  • ‘The medication I’m on at the moment doesn’t mix well with alcohol.’
  • ‘I’d love to smoke but I have an uncle with a mental health problem.’ (A very popular one for getting out of smoking cannabis.)
  • ‘I got really drunk last week and I’m trying to have a few weeks off.’
  • ‘Dad found out I was drinking last weekend and I’ll be grounded if I’m caught again.’
  • ‘We’ve got a big game next week and I want to be as fit as possible.’
  • ‘Mum’s picking me up this evening and she always checks my breath before I get in the car.’
  • ‘Maybe later- I’ve already had a few and I just want a break for a while.’
  • ‘My uncle is a police officer and he’s staying at our house tonight. I’ve got to be really careful.’
  • ‘Dad’s an alcoholic and we’ve been told it could run in the family.’ (Not a great one for you, Dad, particularly if you don’t have an alcohol problem, but if it works for them…)

Of course not all young people need an out – some young people are strong and confident enough to simply say no – but many young people do need help in this area, and it is important that they have some other strategy in place to assist them when they find themselves in difficult situations.

Excerpt from “Teenagers, Alcohol and Drugs” by Paul Dillon.
Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.