You need to keep an eye on your teenagers even if they do not use drugs.  Your teen may well become a user and it is preferable to anticipate that things could change without you realising.  You should never assume that your teen is not involved in the drug scene or that they will not want to experiment at some time in their life.  Kids can feel pressured to take drugs because all their friends do it; they want to fit in, be part of the crowd.  Pressure from your teen’s peers can be enough to push your child into something that they would normally never do.  It is imperative that you do everything in your power to ensure that not only your teenagers, but also your whole family stay drug free.

There are several signs and symptoms that would point to the fact that your teen is using drugs, but unfortunately some of these mirror typical teenage behaviour.  Signs to look out for include:

·        Mood swings

·        Change in sleeping patterns

·        Changing their friends

·        Withdrawing from the family

·        A loss of interest in their hobbies

·        Lack of interest in their school work and a fall in the grades they receive

You need to watch out for the characteristics, which are negative and remain for a long time.  The key signs that something is going on are a sudden and dramatic change in behaviour and personality.  When those typical teenage characteristics become persistent or severe it is a sign that your teen could be experimenting with drugs.  You must be careful not to automatically assume that drugs are being used as teenagers give off sporadic signals.  You must also be careful not to lull yourself into a false sense of security regarding the possible use of drugs because you don’t see any of the above symptoms.  Kids who take drugs are not addicted immediately, so logically they will not show the symptoms in the beginning.  It could be over a year before parents see any signs that point to the fact that their teen is involved in drugs. 

Your main aim should be impeding your teen from being able to experiment with drugs. It would appear that parents who are involved with their kids and ask questions about school and friends, even when they don’t want to talk about it, are more successful in identifying when their kids habits and behaviour change.  It pays to be persistent and show interest in your kids.   It is often difficult to spot the subtle difference in your teens behaviour, if you are unsure, ask someone.  They may notice something that you are too involved to see.  Many parents fall at the first fence by thinking that “my child would never take drugs” but if you keep an open mind and are aware that all kids are at risk, then you are more likely to be ready to deal with it should the situation arise.

Listed below are a few ways to maintain regular surveillance over your teen’s behaviour and look out for signs of drug abuse:

1.      As soon as your teen arrives home you should give them a cuddle, this way you can assess their physical condition.  Do they smell of marijuana smoke?  Are their pupils dilated?  Be aware that they will do almost anything to cover up the fact that they are using drugs, e.g.: using perfume/aftershave or chewing gum. 

2.      You might find that your teenager avoids eye contact with you and will go straight to their bedroom when they get home.  You should try to engage them in conversation so that you can observe their appearance.  Are their eyes bloodshot?  Is their speech slurred?  What is their sense of balance like?

3.      You should, if possible, stay up until your teen returns home. 

4.      You should look out for distorted vision, ask your teen what time it is and observe how they look at their watch.

5.      If you have concerns when your teen out of the blue, wants to stay over at friends, say no.

6.      Try to be unpredictable, be flexible so that it is impossible for your teen to plan around your lifestyle.

7.      Meet their friends and get to know the parents too.  This can help to identify some of the changes mentioned above.

8.      Get your neighbours on side and ask them to keep an eye on what is going on when you aren’t around.

9.      Speak to your teen’s teachers; they will be able to tell you if there is any change in their academic performance.

10.  You should get to know your kids friends. Invite them over to your house when you are there.  When a friend calls, make sure you know whom it is. 

You must remember that your main aim is to stop your teen being able to experiment with drugs.

It is imperative that you are able to talk to your teen about how they feel about the use of drugs going on around them.  Most kids will know of someone whether it is in their group of friends or at school, who is involved in using drugs.  It could be that your child has already been approached and if this is the case you should persuade them to recount how they dealt with it.  You should always be honest with your kids and they are more likely to be honest with you.  It will then be easier for you to ask them how you can help them stay drug free.