What to Watch if You Are Concerned About Drug Abuse
Lack of personal cleanliness
Red eyes/frequent use of eye drops
Runny nose, congestion/coughing without a cold
Dark glasses when not needed
Pale face, dark circles under/around eyes
Pin point pupils
Abrupt changes in mood
Hostility, defiance of rules
Withdrawn,, depressed,, "I don't care" attitude
Lack of responsibilities in chores, homework, family occasions
Blaming, lying, making excuses
Memory loss, shortened attention span
Withdrawal from family, isolation, secretiveness
New/different friends
Friends not introduced or don't come to house
Give up interest, hobbies, sports
Stays out past curfew or leaves at night to join friends
Difficulty falling asleep, insomnia, sleeping habits changed
Significant weight loss or gain
Poor appetite or sudden appetite (especially for sweets)
Discipline problems
Quitting or getting fired from job
Lowered grades, neglected homework
Falling asleep in class
Positive attitude toward drugs and alcohol:
Pro-drug messages on posters, clothing, social network sites
Strong defense of use of drugs by peers (even if occasional)
Easily angered if confronted about substance abuse
DMX cough medicines empty bottles
Missing pills (you probably aren't imaging it)
Burnt foil pieces
Missing spoons
Toilet paper tubes
Dryer sheets
Mouthwash, breath spray, eyedrops
Glass tubes, broken pens, straws
Brillo pads, steel wool, copper scrubbies, or mesh screens
Cotton pieces or Q-tips
"Stash cans"
Ripped/knotted pieces of sandwich bags
Small zip lock bags, called "apple bags" often with printed images
Dresser/Desk drawers, under bottom drawer
CD/DVD/Tape/Video cases
Backpacks, duffle bags
Under a bed or taped to the box springs
Above a "drop tile" ceiling
In a vent/return air grill
Inside a light plate or wall electrical outlet
Buried in dirt of a plant
In books with pages cut out
Makeup cases and jewelry - inside fake lipstick tubes or compacts
Under loose planks in floor boards or under carpet edges
Inside OTC containers
In radio and other battery compartments
Triple C, Skittles, Syrup heads, Dexing- DXM active ingredient in cough and cold meds
Special K,, K,, Ket - Ketamine
Crank, meth, fire, glass, ice - Methamphetamines
Boy, Antifreeze, H, brown sugar, dope smack, tar -- Heroin
Crunk-high and drunk
Girl, Snow, crack, coke, nose candy, powder, rock - Cocaine
Molly, X, E, bean, essence, stacy - Ecstacy
Home boy, Gamma, Liquid X, Scoop - GHB (Gamma Hydroxybutyrate)
Roofies, R2, rib, roche (roe-shay), rope - Rohypnol
Oranges, Kibbles, Bennies, Smarties - Adderall and Ritalin
Vikes Vicodin/Hydrocodone; Oxys - Ocycodone