Don’t pretend friend’s pot use “okay”
May 19Dear Straight Talk: I’m 16 and my friend, also 16, smokes pot. I don’t know what to do about it. She’s been my best friend since third grade. Do I tell her parents and then lose a friend, perhaps many friends for being a tattletale, or do I just stop hanging around with her—or do I pretend everything is okay so we can keep being friends? —At a loss
Dear Loss: Pretending things are okay only works when problems dissolve immediately—which it might—maybe she’s only experimenting. Talk to your friend about your concerns. Definitely don’t hang around with her when she’s using or you stand a chance of being busted along with her. If she’s doing more than experimenting, tell a caring adult, whether that be her parents, a teacher, or counselor. She may hate you for it at first, but you will always know you did the right thing.
