“A friend wants to know what you think about a Christian on drugs?”

Is the “friend” actually the youth asking the question? Why can't the “friend” ask the question outright? Is the “friend” in the youth group? Is it a real question or an attempt at testing you to see how you respond and whether you can be trusted.

Responding to such a question is life or death and yet there is no good clear, always appropriate answer. Here are a few guidelines:

• Keep your internal reactions to yourself.
• At the beginning, at least, keep your own opinions and attitudes to yourself. You do not have enough information to give a solid answer.
• Although such questions can be somewhat irrelevant, try to keep the conversation open by asking questions: “How old is the friend? What kind of drugs are we talking about? Do all the friend's friends do drugs also?”
• Consider the age and education of the youth asking the question. If they are Middle School/Junior High School, giving specific information (make sure you are correctly and properly informed – you may have to say that you'll give them more information once you have time to study up) about the effect of the specific drugs on the age group in question.
• A High Schooler who has had all the classes on the subject is more concerned with the ethical/moral issues.
• Check to see if the “friend” is in need of help with an established addiction. [This is covered in other posts]
• Get the questioner's view about the subject. Engage in conversation, don't just lay the “truth” on them. It may be the truth, but a heavy handed approach will keep you from being effective, especially with older youth.
• Always end the conversation with an offer to help the “friend” get appropriate help. Offer to give names phone #s of clinics, etc.

Students today get a lot of classes, including discussion oriented and personal research classes on the subject of drugs and additions. Just offering a class or program on the subject will not be very helpful. You need to find a different angle that might be interesting to them:

• Were the disciples on drugs
• What does the Bible say about drugs
• Why do churches seem to be so opposed to drugs
• What to do if a friend is experimenting with drugs