Personally, I'd be talking about it because hiding it can cause more problems for you and your family.

Telling them will warn them of the risks etc, but children are going to experiment no matter what, and there isn't really anything you can do about that.

Be honest and open with them about it and discuss it and their feelings and thoughts too.  Don't just leave it at you were a drug addict because they need to ask questions and you as a former drug addict need to answer them, for yourself as well as your children.

Back when I was 17, I got addicted to panadol.  I had moved out of home and was under alot of stress and because of that, I suffered a constant tension headache.  It was my pharmacist that pointed out I had a problem, as I was buying a packet a day.  I then saw my doctor about it and we worked as a team to get me off them.  He actually prescribed me a 2 dose stronger medication that knocked me out for 3 days and that solved the headache.  Even now, I don't reach for the panadol straight away for aches and pains because I know how close I was before to destroying my body.  Paracetamol taken in large doses over an extended period of time will cause long term organ damage.  Not the same as what you went through, I know, but for months afterwards, the slightest headache and I was reaching for them again, but got wise and had a label on them warning me of the path I had once taken.

Hun, you need to do what you feel is right, but hiding things like this will cause problems later on.  Your children will feel hurt that you kept a secret from them and will probably become resentful of that.

Congrats on beating the drug demon, it is a very hard thing to do.

I grew up with pot around me all the time. My uncle and aunty had to have it to function day to day and my mum did it too as well as a few of her friends.

Personally I was told about it and told it was bad (I didnt believe that as everyone was doing it)  but I didnt do it till i was 15.

My Mum told me if I was ever interested in drugs that I had to go to her as she knew ppl who could get me what ever I wanted. (she didnt realise so did some of my friends at school)

I personally wont tell my kids about my use as a teen or my family's either (my aunty was a drug user and so was my sister) I dont feel it is their business to know.

But teaching them the facts th at drugs are bad is what they need to know. If they then say yeah what ever mum/dad who would you know, then you can say well ************** etc.

Good luck with it

Hi,

I think you should talk to your kids about the dangers of drugs. My sister talked to her kids when they were about 10 years old. I do personally think that you might want to just keep it at the dangers of drugs at the moment and don't actually tell them about you until they are older, when they can understand it a bit more.

Hope this helps