This is my plan.

Similar background. My parents just took the "everything is very bad" angle but it was very obvious that want true in a lot of cases. The result being a lot of risky experimentation with no support or guidance from an adult.

I think the message is, life is about the journey, we're here to experience everything we can and that includes sex, drugs, and rock and roll. The problem is that its very easy to make a mistake that will greatly diminish your experiences later on.

With driving, and sex, a momentary lapse in judgement can irrevocably change the trajectory of your life. Simply being aware of that is hopefully enough to help someone make smart choices?

Drugs and booze can be fun. I enjoyed the full range of experiences in that regard. The best I can do is to try to ensure my kids feel comfortable talking to me about things.

Edit: yeah smoking is a real bitch. I got off that train a year ago thank fuck. IDK how to talk to a kid about something like that. Maybe just let them talk and challenge the misconceptions. The thing that trapped me is that I thought I wouldn't get addicted because it was so awful. It took a lot of effort to get used to it. By then it was too late.