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Recognizing Use

Recognizing Drug Abuse

Different drugs cause different reactions and signs in the person using them. Parents can narrow down the identification of the substance being used if they are familiar with signs associated with that particular substance. Click on the name of the substance to learn the effects it might have on your teen.

Acid (LSD)
Alcohol
Cocaine
Ecstasy (MDMA)
Heroin
Inhalants
Marijuana
Methamphetamine
PCP
Prescription Drugs
Steroids

Also view the "Identifying Drugs" section to be able to visually recognize illicit substances.

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Marijuana

Marijuana is usually smoked using cigarette rolling papers, a purchased water bong, or a makeshift bong that can be made from a variety of items. Hash can be smoked or eaten, and is sometimes cooked into baked goods.

What to Look for:

Dilated (large) pupils
Cigarette rolling papers
Seeds that have been cleaned from marijuana
Smell on clothing, in room, or in car
Bloodshot eyes
Sleepy appearance
Reduced motivation
Pipes, bongs, homemade smoking devices (you may see sticky residue from burned marijuana)

Generally it can be difficult to recognize marijuana use if you don't see your child after smoking when they are still experiencing the effects of the drug. The potency of marijuana has increased exponentially in the past 20 years.

Related drugs: hash, hashish

Slang: Weed, ganga, bud, IZM, jive stick, Kentucky blue, Ju-Ju (marijuana cigarette), kiff, kilter, Lakbay diva, laughing grass, light stuff, binky (cigarette), macon, magic smoke, blanket (cigarette), Mary and Johnny, Mary Jane, Mary Jonas, Mary Warner, Mary Weaver, meg, meggie, mow the grass (to smoke), moving the lawn (smoking marijuana), bowl, broccoli, budda, oboy, OJ, butter flower, pine, cannabis, Queen Ann's lace, root, rope, sasfras, sen, shrimp, siddi, crying weed, spliffy (cigarette), splim, dinkie dow, duros, tin (pipe made out of tinfoil, container), toke (to smoke), wheat, gage, gash, wooz, yeh, yellow submarine, zol, Greta, griff, grogged (extremely stoned), gungun, herb



SageWalk

SageWalk Wilderness School

Wilderness therapy is one of the most effective ways of reaching defiant teens. SageWalk specializes in drug and alcohol issues. As seen on ABC’s Brat Camp.