Teens, Diabetes and College Temptations

Do alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana affect teens with diabetes differently? Yes, and it’s time to talk to your teen about the risks.

Although Justin Fones’ parents have talked to him about the dangers of drinking alcohol for years, their advice took on special meaning when he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2003. Now the Macungie resident enjoys healthy activities like playing tennis.

Tell Friends So
They Can Help

Make sure your teen tells friends and roommates he has diabetes. He should also alert them to signs of hypoglycemia and tell friends what they should do if he shows the warning signs. People with hypoglycemia may feel dizzy or hungry, and may appear shaky, nervous, irritable, sweaty or confused.

Your teen will soon be at college, living on his own and making decisions. The college send-off is enough to make any parent nervous, but for parents of teens with diabetes it can be especially worrisome.

From testing his blood sugar regularly to counting carbs, you’ve helped guide him along the way. And now, on his own, he’ll be tested to make good decisions about everything—including drugs and alcohol.

Now’s the time to talk to your teen about drugs and alcohol. Here are a few reminders to cover during your conversation with him.

Alcohol

Remind him that alcohol affects his blood sugar. “Alcohol is one of parents’ biggest fears as teens go off to college, and that’s especially true if your teen has diabetes,” Katz says. “Drinking alcohol can cause blood sugar to drop, leading to hypoglycemia, or even coma or death.” Insulin and alcohol both lower blood sugar and alcohol can cause hypoglycemia up to 24 hours after consumption. Your child should stay away from alcohol. You can emphasize that alcohol can alter his behavior and the behavior of people keeping an eye on him. For example, too much alcohol can also affect the thinking of your teen’s friends, so they may not be able to recognize changes in his behavior. “ If he drinks, his friends may attribute his behavior changes to the alcohol, rather than a blood sugar problem,” Maurer says. “The effects of alcohol would make it even harder for him to notice the symptoms.”

Remind him that experimenting is not the same for him.

Cigarettes

Remind him that smoking boosts risk of complications. Diabetes already puts your teen at risk of developing heart and kidney disease and disease of the arteries later in life. “Cigarettes don’t affect blood sugar, but they do increase that risk,” Katz says. “Teens who smoke, whether or not they have diabetes, are putting themselves in danger of having these problems at a younger age.”

Marijuana

Remind him that, like alcohol, marijuana can affect behavior. “Marijuana doesn’t affect blood sugar, although it can affect how teens react and their ability to make good decisions,” Katz says. “That loss of inhibition can have a snowball effect. For example, if your teen smokes marijuana, he may not realize his blood sugar is dropping. He may forget to take his insulin or test his blood sugar. He may eat too much, especially since marijuana increases your appetite.”

Herbs

Remind him that most herbal supplements have neither been tested nor approved by the FDA. “Because they aren’t standardized, you have no idea what’s in them,” Katz says. “They may not contain as much of the active ingredient as teens think. It’s better not to take the chance.”

Street drugs or drugs people may offer him

Remind him not to take drugs that aren’t prescribed for him. “No one should take a drug that isn’t prescribed for them,” Katz says. “Teens have no idea what they’re really taking or how the drug could affect their blood sugar.” Taking a drug that hasn’t been prescribed for him can also make a diagnosis more difficult if your teen becomes ill. “A doctor won’t know what’s causing the problem, whether it's the diabetes, the drug or something that's mixed into the drug," she says.

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