NCSA tells parents to be alert as schools reopen

As students prepare to return to the classroom next week, the National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) is urging parents, guardians and adults to stay vigilant, warning that the start of a new school year is a high-risk transition period for children when it comes to substance use.

Dr Ronald Chase, psychiatrist and member of the NCSA’s board of directors, said the beginning of a school year brings a unique set of pressures for young people, particularly those moving into new form levels, new schools, or on to college and university.

“There’s always a concern for our youth . . . especially at transition periods,” he said, noting that while adults may not always recognise it, children face real stressors of their own during these shifts.