Does your son or daughter know the drug-devil?

“Teenage years are historically prone to experimentation” Captain Eddie Hall, spokesperson of Witbank SAPS, explained; “They’re likely to experiment and are more impulsive – it’s part of their normal development.”

“Teenagers might turn to drug abuse for a variety of reasons,” Captain Hall elaborated, “to relieve stress brought on by a strained home life or academics, to escape their problems, to feel special or “cool” or to belong to a special group; teenage drug addicts often refer to themselves as ‘stoners’ – thus identifying with this group.”

Many parents are unaware that they are housing teenage drug addicts.

“The best is to follow your gut. You know your child,” Captain Hall stated.

Teenagers who have developed a drug habit may:

• Have pupils that are larger or smaller than normal;
• Frequent nosebleeds (from snorting drugs such as ‘cat’ or cocaine);
• Sudden weight gain or weight loss;
• Deterioration in grooming or personal hygiene;
• Shakes, tremors or slurred speech; and
• Decreased academic performance.

Common hiding places where teenagers have been found hiding drugs and drug paraphernalia (such as syringes and spoons) include:

• Dresser drawers, beneath or between clothes;
• Desk drawers;
• Small boxes – jewelry, pencil, etc;
• Backpacks/duffle bags/school bags;
• Under a bed;
• In a plant, buried in the dirt;
• Between books on a bookshelf;
• In books with pages cut out;
• Makeup cases – inside fake lipstick tubes or compacts;
• Under a loose plank in the floor boards;
• In fake soda bottles with false bottoms;
• Inside over-the-counter medicine containers (Tylenol, Advil, etc); and
• Inside empty candy bags such as M&Ms or Skittles.