Seek advice or consultation from a qualified mental health or drug and alcohol treatment professional regarding an evaluation and intervention for suspected drug use.

Work with a mental health or drug and alcohol treatment professional to establish a crisis intervention plan.

Seek medical advice or consultation if you suspect health problems or if there has not been a recent medical evaluation.

Seek advice and consultation for any mental and emotional problems as well as difficulties that are not covered in the treatment of drug abuse.

Encourage family members and close friends to consult with a treatment professional about the potential involvement in a support group that can provide information, focus on coping, deal with problems and support treatment.

Develop a plan that will minimize and limit arguments and unproductive conflict.

Do not yell, scream or talk to people in an abusive or threatening manner.

Avoid confrontations that are not part of a crisis intervention plan and are not supported by family or close friends.

If there are issues involving abuse or neglect of children, seek advice or further investigation from a crisis intervention specialist or a state human service agency. (Keep records of all relevant contact, conversations, behaviors and especially threats, self–harming or violent behaviors made including dates, times and witnesses.)

Despite our best intentions, as our children follow different paths, somewhere on that path there will be problems. Sometimes those problems will include the use of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs. A simple checklist of how to spot drug use cannot apply to each situation. There is no easy answer or single solution if you find that your child has used a drug. It may be helpful to consider three different stages of drug use and some possible responses.

Recognizing drug abuse in teenagers: Possible indications that your teenager is using drugs include

School performance: Your child suddenly shows an active dislike of school and looks for excuses to stay home. Contact your school officials to see if your child’s attendance record matches what you know about his or her absent days. A student who experiences a drop in performance, possibly failing courses or receiving only minimally passing grades, may be using drugs.

Physical health: Listlessness and apathy may indicate your child is using certain drugs.

Appearance: How they look is extremely important to adolescents. A sudden lack of interest in clothing, grooming or looks may be a warning sign of drug use.

Personal behavior: Teenagers enjoy privacy, but exaggerated efforts to bar you from entering their room or knowing where they go with their friends might indicate drug use. Also, drastic changes in behavior and in family relationships may signal drug use.

Money: Sudden requests for money without a reasonable explanation for its use may be a sign of drug use. You may also discover money stolen from previously safe places at home. Items may disappear from your home because they’re being sold to support a drug habit.

The following brief physical symptoms may suggest the use of a variety of drugs. These symptoms may not effect everyone and are dose and time dependant:

• Hyper – activity and alertness – amphetamine.
  
• Bloodshot eyes – cannabis.
  
• Constipation – heroin.
  
• Dreamy, introverted, head nodding – heroin.
  
• Dreamy, spaced out, giggly, distorted perception of all senses especially time, hungry for sweet things, slow thinking – cannabis.
  
• Dry mouth, great thirst – cannabis.
  
• Loss of co–ordination – solvents, cannabis.
  
• Increased appetite – cannabis.
  
• Loss of appetite – amphetamine.
  
• Insomnia – amphetamine.
  
• Nausea – cannabis.
  
• Pin – prick pupils – heroin.
  
• Skin pallor – solvents, cannabis.
  
• Restless/talkative – amphetamine.
  
• Rapid, repetitive speech – amphetamine.
  
• Rhinitis (running nose) – heroin.
  
• Sweating – heroin, amphetamine.
  
• Shaking – heroin.

Be calm but forceful, letting your children know that you do not find their behaviour acceptable. Because you love them and are concerned about their safety and well being you will do what you can to influence their decision about drug use.

Let your children know that although they may not see the harm or risks associated with their drug use, you are well informed about the risks for physical, social and emotional harm associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco or another drug, at this stage of their lives.

Don’t support their drug use in any way – particularly in providing money that will go buy cigarettes, alcohol or another drug. Don’t rescue your children from the effects of their behaviour, such as covering up for their school absences. However, let them know that the bottom line is that you will help them out if their safety is a concern.

Keep an eye on your children’s school attendance and each report card. Declining school performance is often a sign of increasing drug use. Don’t be afraid to call the school principal or guidance department and talk about your concerns.

Maintain your house rules regarding curfews, checking in and doing chores, with clear consequences for breaking these. If you see actual evidence of drug use, give consequences that are meaningful, such as grounding them for a number of days or not letting them drive the family car.

Focus on changing obvious negative behaviour, such as swearing or rudeness, rather than the drug use which your children may deny

Do not let a consequence or your feelings of anger or frustration with your children’s behaviour interfere with their participation in a family outing or event. It is important to keep your children involved in positive family activities.
Re–examine your relationship with your children, apart from their drug use. Are you giving enough responsibility? Too much? Is there enough independence or too much? Are you giving positive feedback about their good points or have you become so anxious that you are just focusing on negative behaviours? Make a point of communicating with your children every day about easy topics (the ones that don’t lead to arguments)!

Make a point of reviewing the positive aspects of your children, your parenting abilities and your relationships.
DO Try to remain cool and calm.
DO Talk to them and try to find out what they have taken.
DO Call a doctor or take them to the nearest hospital emergency department if they are seriously ill.
DO Tell them, ’We will talk about this tomorrow’.
DO Check them often during the night if they are in a condition to be sent to bed.
DO NOT Shout at, accuse or hurt them in any way. All this is quite useless and harmful when they are in this condition.