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How can I help my friend to stop smoking?
I met this girl in my neighborhood and we’ve been hanging out. I thought she was nice, until she told me she does drugs and smokes at school. I asked her to stop because it makes me uncomfortable, but she said there’s nothing else to do at her school. She used to be emo and drink, but she got out of that when her mom abandoned her for drug reasons.
Can I help her get out of smoking, and should I even keep being her friend?
Hey girl! I’m so sorry to hear about your friend. Drugs and alcohol can be extremely addictive and hard to quit. There are a few things you can do to try to help your friend.
Give her the facts
Tell her how bad smoking and drugs are for her and what can happen if she continues to take them. If she has any dreams for herself--going to college and having a successful career--she needs to break her addiction to drugs.
Tell her how you feel
Make sure she knows how uncomfortable you are when she does drugs. Let her know you are always there for her, but if she doesn’t stop, you might not be able to hang out with her as much. Remember to be supportive and let her know how much you care about her and that’s why you want her to stop her addiction.
Get a third party involved
Ask your guidance counselor for advice. They are trained to deal with addiction, especially in teenagers. So, even if you don’t want to bring your friend directly into the conversation, your guidance counselor will probably have some great advice for you.
Being friends with her is up to you. Let her know you are always there if she needs to talk, but ultimately you have to do what is best for you. There are only so many ways you can get your friend help, and she has to make the choice to accept the help.
Good luck,
Liz
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