While every parent hopes his or her teenager will be able to “just say no” when asked to use drugs or alcohol, it’s clear that many adolescents will have difficulty resisting peer pressure. One way to handle this situation is to give teenagers an excuse so it won’t look like they’re not “being cool” when asked to use an illegal substance. Here are some comebacks that may help kids get out of tricky situations:

• “I can’t drink/smoke because I’m taking a medication for my allergies (or some other condition) that interacts badly with alcohol/marijuana.” If someone asks the teen what he’s taking, he can say he doesn’t know because his mom just gives it to him in the morning.
• “I’ve had a stomach ache all day, and the last thing I need is to drink tonight.”
• “I’ve got asthma so I can’t smoke weed.”
• “My parents are planning to buy me a car for graduation, but if they ever catch me doing drugs or alcohol, they told me I can kiss the car goodbye.”
• “My brother/sister/cousin got into a lot of trouble doing alcohol/drugs so I’m not into this stuff.”
• “I’ve got plans tomorrow morning so I need to be clear headed.”
• “I’m the designated driver tonight.”
• “My brother/sister/pet is sick, so I know my parents will be awake when I get home tonight.”
• “I’ve got relatives in town so I need to be straight when I get home tonight.”
• “My dad goes to sleep late every night, so I can never get away with this stuff.”

Have your own tips? Let me know by posting a comment or sending me a note on the contact me page.