It may seem premature to talk about drugs with preschoolers, but the attitudes and habits that they form at this age will have an important bearing on the decisions they will make when they are older.
At this early age, they are eager to know and memorize rules, and they want your opinion on what's "bad" and "what's good." Although they are old enough to understand that smoking is bad for them, generally they are not ready to take in complex facts about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Nevertheless, this is a good time to practice the decision-making and problem-solving skills that they will need later on.
Substances in your preschoolers's world can include:
Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs, Educational Partnerships and Family Involvement Unit, Tips for Parents on Keeping Children Drug Free, Washington, D.C., 2003.; The Partnership at drugfree.org.