Drugs and Warning Signs

Alcohol: The surest sign of drinking is “booze breath.” Drunken behavior (stumbling, slurring words, and acting overly passive or aggressive) is also easy to spot. More subtle indicators are declining grades, sneaky behavior, body odor and becoming detached from family activities. Does your teen stay out late on weekends and then appear hung over on Monday? It might help to know who they hang out with.

Marijuana (Pot, Grass, Weed): Unless your teen is stoned, it is difficult to tell if they are smoking marijuana. Pot has a noticeable odor similar to burning rope (hemp production is a commercial use of marijuana). Forgetfulness, slow movement, and sleepy appearance might signify usage. Look for bloodshot eyes or brown, tarry stains on fingers. Related paraphernalia are pipes (metal or stained glass), bongs (water pipes), rolling papers and roach clips (a small clip used to hold joints which may have a distinct odor).

Stimulants (Cocaine, Coke, Crack, Meth, Dope): Use of “uppers” results in loss of appetite and “twitchy” behavior. If your teen skips meals, stays up all night, and talks a lot while saying little, be concerned. Snorting coke or meth causes runny noses and nosebleeds. Chewing on lips is another indicator. Paraphernalia consists of razor blades, small mirrors, straws, and glass pipes. Crack cocaine is made up of small white “rocks”, while cocaine and meth are generally a white powdery substance.

Hallucinogens (LSD, Acid): Hallucinogens change the way users perceive reality. Use can disrupt behavior patterns, although “flashbacks” are uncommon. Users are hard to spot, although they sweat a lot and have bad body odor. Acid is synthetic. Nature provides two hallucinogens; peyote (cactus buttons) and psilocybin mushrooms. The drugs themselves are the only tangible signs. Acid is commonly taken on small (quarter-inch) squares of paper which often have a cartoon character or other drawing on them.

MDMA (Ecstasy, XTC, Adam): Use of this synthetic drug popular at “raves” has nearly doubled in the last five years. Users show symptoms associated with stimulant and hallucinogen use, sweat excessively, and seem dazed. Short-term effects are hangovers, panic attacks, teeth grinding and nausea. Long term usage leads to depression, paranoia, and mood swings. Permanent brain damage can result. Ravers often suck on lollipops, or wear candy necklaces. Pacifiers (to keep from grinding teeth) are common paraphernalia.

Prescription Drugs (Scrips): Abuse of medication by teens is growing with codeine-based drugs most common. The painkiller Oxycontin has received some press as of late. Prescriptions can be obtained through a doctor, or illegally. Signals of usage are sleepiness, garbled speech and glazed eyes. As with acid, the pills are the only evidence. Some teenagers fake pain or injury to get prescriptions from unwitting doctors.

Depressants (Downers): Symptoms are similar to being drunk, minus the bad breath. Users seem dull and unanimated. Depressants are prescribed medications usually meant to combat psychiatric disorders, as opposed to painkillers.

Heroin/Opium (H, Horse, Dope): Since heroin is injected, “track marks” or blemishes at the injection site are indicative. These track marks are usually on the arms, but careful users learn how to conceal them. Syringes, cotton balls, and rubber tubing are used to inject the drug, while it is cooked in spoons which show burn marks. The pupils of a user’s eyes also narrow, and have trouble adjusting to light changes.

Inhalants (Solvents, Nitrous): While it can be fatal, some teens take to “huffing” or inhaling common household products to get high. Examples are Liquid Paper, gasoline, rubber cement, model glue, and spray paint. Empty containers of these products should be noted, especially if you didn’t buy them. Also look for plastic bags, or rags with dried solvent residue, since this is the preferred means of huffing. Inhalants have a strong odor which lingers for a while after usage. Huffing produces watery eyes, nausea/vomiting, spasms and unresponsive behavior. Prolonged usage leads to heart problems and permanent brain damage.

PCP (Angel Dust): When snorted, PCP can cause dramatic, uncontrolled shifts in behavior. Panic attacks and paranoia send some users into violent rages, characterized by superhuman strength and immunity to pain. Users may also stumble; act confused, and have little or no facial expressions. Some symptoms resemble drunkenness. The drug itself (a white powder like cocaine or meth) is the only physical sign.