tell their children about their drug use because 'Just Say No' advice might not be enough, the Washington Post reported Sept. 7.

Therapists and substance abuse experts strongly recommend that parents talk to their children about drug use. Studies have shown that children of parents who dodge the subject of drugs altogether are more likely to use them.

If their kids ask, they should tell them,said Joseph A. Califano Jr., president of the addiction and substance abuse centre and secretary of health, education and welfare in the late 1970s. They should tell them the truth.

Furthermore, most experts say if children ask, parents should tell the truth about their previous drug use without getting specific. I don't think it's necessary for parents to go into specific detail about what their experiences were any more than they would about their sexual experience. If there's a direct question, say as little as possible and certainly don't glorify it,advised Babette Wise, a social worker who directs Georgetown University's Alcohol and Drug Clinic.

Others in the field, however, believe it's okay for parents to be less than completely honest about their drug use.

I think the first line of defense is to obfuscate or minimise,said Jacqueline Wallen, a professor of family studies at the University of Maryland and a psychotherapist who works with parents of kids with drug problems. You do not have to account to your child; you do not have to explain your life to your child.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America recommends a conversation with no lies. If you do choose to lie, if at any time your child picks up on the fact that you have not been truthful, your credibility has been blown.

DRUGS DGS