Teens and Drugs: The Real Deal Resource from Red Rock Canyon School.

Teens using illegal drugs are increasing, Red Rock Canyon School is offering valuable Resource on the subject. The average age of first marijuana use is 14, and alcohol use can start before age 12. The use of marijuana and alcohol in high school has become common.

Red Rock Canyon School- View on Teenagers and Drugs
Teenagers may be involved with legal or illegal drugs in various ways. Experimentation with drugs durin
g adolescence is common. Some teens will experiment and stop, or continue to use occasionally, without significant problems. Others will develop a dependency, moving on to more dangerous drugs and causing significant harm to themselves and possibly others.

Teenagers at risk for developing serious alcohol and drug problems include those:

• with a family history of substance abuse
• who are depressed
• who have low self-esteem
• who feel like they don’t fit in or are out of the mainstream

Warning Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse

Please note that even though some of these warning signs of drug abuse may be present in your teen, it does not mean that they are definitely abusing drugs. There are other causes for some of these behaviors. Even the life stage of adolescence is a valid reason for many of them to exist.

In spite of that, if you think there might be a problem, trust your instinct and seek professional advice. Do not ignore the warning signs of teenage drug abuse. If six of these signs, (not all in the same category) are present for a period of time, the Center for Disease Control advises you talk to your teen or seek some professional help.

Signs in the Home

• loss of interest in family activities
• disrespect for family rules
• withdrawal from responsibilities
• verbally or physically abusive
• sudden increase or decrease in appetite
• disappearance of valuable items or money
• not coming home on time
• not telling you where they are going
• constant excuses for behavior
• spending a lot of time in their rooms
• lies about activities
• finding the following: cigarette rolling papers, pipes, roach clips, small glass vials, plastic baggies, remnants of drugs (seeds, etc.)

Signs at School

• sudden drop in grades
• truancy
• loss of interest in learning
• sleeping in class
• poor work performance
• defiant of authority
• poor attitude towards sports or other extracurricular activities
• reduced memory and attention span
• not informing you of teacher meetings, open houses, etc.

Physical and Emotional Signs

• changes friends
• smell of alcohol or marijuana on breath or body
• unexplainable mood swings and behavior
• negative, argumentative, paranoid or confused, destructive, anxious
• over-reacts to criticism acts rebellious\
• sharing few if any of their personal problems
• overly tired or hyperactive
• drastic weight loss or gain
• unhappy and depressed
• cheats, steals
• always needs money, or has excessive amounts of money
• sloppiness in appearance