How can I tell if someone is abusing drugs?

[Susan]

I think my step son is abusing some kind of drug. He always has a strange musty smell about him. Someone told me he might be smoking crack because of that smell. It is not marijuana.

[carla lewis]

YOU can tell when some one is using crack  because they are moody,
tired, dont want to see there friends any more, they make new friends like drug friends, If I was you I would ask him and if not just keep a close eye on him and get some books for health centers about drugs and they will help you I know this because I have been on it.

[Susan]

Carla, Thanks for the info. Does the odd smell on him indicate that he might be smoking crack?

[indira]

how can you tell if someone is doing drugs?

[kaitlyn1]

I am 12 yr old girland I know my parents do drugs because I found bongs all over my house, thier not hid very well and on my fathers computer one da I found something that said "how to use a bong" so I clicked on it so thats how I know wat it's called I want to talk to them about it, but I can't find the courage, and as the musty smell that Susan said I can smell wen I go anywere, only from my Dad tho, My mom is NOT doing drugs, she only bought a bong, but at this age I am worried about theier health and If thier gonna be here when i graduate, i love them and I awant to help them, but I'm only 12 for god sake!what am I supposed to do, I go on theese wbsires and I turn to Intervention on Television when it's on to show them that this is what will happen to them, if they don't stop, and Shool work, boys and my entire life riding on my bavk too, I can't handle it. as I am writing this letter I am crying, my best Friend in the WHOLE world, Kayla is the ONLY person I have told, and I know she understands, the question is Will they. Well anyways I better go, bed time I'm wiped out,ok Bye.


Sincerely,

Kaitlyn♥

[sunshinechick]

Kaitlyn I'm so sorry for what you're going through. You need to tell someone who can help you. Do you have a school counsellor you can talk to? That would be a good place to start. It is not healthy for you to have to be responsible for your parents. Please talk to a teacher or pastor or a friend's parent, or someone who can help your situation change. Good for you to recognize that there is a problem & want to do something about it. I also recommend asking God to help you, because He will. Bless you.

[DanaDoo]

Hi Kaitlyn,

I would talk to your parents about it. Before you bring a bunch of other people into it .

[natalile]

It take a huge amount of gut's to do what you've done & posted on here. Well done hun. If you carn't take to your mum & dad then we are alway's hear for you.
I do belive that your mum & dad don't no the exact damage they are doing to you. You could quiet easy be my 10 year old son. I have done ALL drug's when he was around to see it.
Therfor i have alot of bridge's to bild with him
I mean how the hell doe's he no i'm not going to go back?.
Please try & talk to your mum & dad agin, Tell them you no for sure & to please not try & hide the fact, Your old enough to no the truth, God you should no the truth if they are leaving bong's ect around.
Tell them you won't feel eny different about them. If not you'll respect them more for been up front with you.
Due to what dylan has seen & been trough. Thing's a boy of his age should never see. I have been totaly honest with him. I have been a herion addict 13 year's & try every day to stay clean.
I strongly recommend talking to them again. Even get info for when you talk to them. Leflet's ect. & just ask what they are or should i say he is taking.
Your a strong girl & don't think im patronising you i'd never do that. Even if you hadn't put your age my advise would be the same. But you learn from your parent's mistake's & take the positve from this. You have seen first hand the effect's of drug's on family's as it dosn't just invlove the user's.
Keep us posed hun. There is alway's someone to talk to here our door's are never shut to enyone.
Peace nat xxx

[natalile]

How do you no it's crack?. Have you been told?. Or have you found useing parafinalia? ( god i'm c**p at spelling lol ).
You are going to have to ask him. You should no by the way he's acting now & when you ask him if he's been honest with you.
Crack has a plus side. It's more of a mental w/d than physical. I no i've had addiction's to most drug's. Crack can have a kinda emoina smell. It all depend's on what it's been made with.
I wish you all the best & you sound like you really want to help him. Let him no he can. He may feel like he cannot talk to enyone about this.& it's so inportant he can & do's. That's if he's willibng to accept he has a problem. Like they say you cantake a horse to water but cannot make it drink
Take care & be honest with him
Peace nat xxx

[natalile]

I wouls also take danadoo advise talk top your parent's first

[IBKleen]

Hey Nat----Susan was here 8 years ago. I don't see her around anymore, but good advise!

[natalile]

LOL.
God ye i've just got onto it PMSL LOL, I did say i wasn't with it LOL.

[christine70]

Do you have your grandparents around or and aunt or uncle?  If you tell school counselor, she/he will be forced to call social services possibly putting you with strangers.  Request from your parents that you live with a family member or a close friend's family until they clean up their act.  You don't need to be around that and don't get upset if they never clean up their act since that is a possibility.  You just learn from their mistakes and live a wonderful drug-free life.  If you stay away from the lifesyle you will be just fine in the long run.  You rae a strong girl to have posted your thoughts.  You keep that strength and surround yourself with good people and work hard n school to live a comfortable life as an adult.  I will pray for you and your parents.......Christine

[LKA92]

I have this....I guess you could call him my boyfriend. He is a little older than me and I have a heard a lot of stuff about him and drugs. Of course I don't want to beileve them but how can I tell if he is using drugs??



Annoynomus.

[starfish1963]

Crack smells like burnt wires.

[pierre75]

Im dont want to believe it ive been through so much with my son after getting back in to society after 16 months of being incarcerated i am almost positive he is useing drugs again.I suspect meth and pills give me some more info on meth and how to help him.

[Carolyn7139]

Your parents could be smoking tobacco out of the bongs...So dont assume they're doing drugs just because you see that. Thats why its legal to buy bongs in tobacco shops..Now, they could be doing drugs. But it really just depends. I wish you the best of luck honey.

[Red931]

People that have been smoking crack will begin to have very bad teeth. See if you can see a change in his teeth. Crack will leave a digusting residue that toothpaste can't remove.

[Red931]

You stated that you do not think your mother is using any drugs. My suggestion to you is to try and talk with your mother first alone. Then see if your mother can arrange for you all to sit down and talk about this problem together. It will make it easier for you to do it this way.

Should you mother be reluctant to participate then you should seek the help of a school counsellor as others have suggested.

Give your mother a chance first before going to someone else. Do you have any aunts or uncles that are close to your mom and dad that you could talk to? If so you may be more comfortable talking to them to help you with this.

[mo65]

I have a 14 and 17 yr old sons. Been going through all the trial junk. Alcohol, cigs, marijuana. I have found razor blades, lighters, a propane torch and now a glass pipe with a round end. I'm trying to find pics to see what it is used for. this pipe thing i found outside under a pine tree. They say it isn't theirs and don't know where it came from. Of course after everything else I don't believe them. Behavior at home seem normal, I am a working mom and can't watch 24/7. I don't smell anything in the house. What do I do, I don't want them to destroy their lives? When the 17 yr old stays at a friends he seems tired all day the next day. where can i get pics of drugs par?

[kim715]

Google 'meth pipe'.....Is that what you found?

[momof279]

try to locate a nar anon meeting or better yet a nar ateen meeting....these groups are for the family members of addicts...you will be able to find people that feel the exact same way...and hopefully kids your age as well...

[jesse474]

My name is jessica. I'm not sure but i think my dad and his girlfriend do drugs and are addicted. My dads girlfriend has little dots all over her leg that are purplish/blue and she has marks on her face that looks like she picks at it. And i have also heard from people that they sell my dad drugs and that he sells drugs. I heard that the drugs my dad takes are pain killers but i heard that if you're addicted for too long it could kill you. I think he might have the same problem that michael jackson had he was addicted to his painkillers, im just so terrified that he's gonna end up going into cardiac arrest or something. I don't know what to do

[IBKleen]

Hi Jessica,

this post is very old and I am concerned it will get overlooked and you will not receive help. So please, go to the top of this page and hit the green Post A Question button. Copy & paste what you wrote here so that you will have your own thread. If you have any questions or need help, let someone know.

Hope to see you in the forum.

[brett911]

Kaitlyn my name is Brett. Im also 12 years old. I have a foster sister who is 16. She has a learning disabbility. She has come from a very dark past of drugs. Crack,meth,weed,heroin,coke,pot. Everything. And it kills me because she hangs out with kids my age. And i have told the guidance councelar at school but he said that I was baising this on rumors. But honestly i think its very likley shes abusing all of them. She even admitted it to my face. And I would tell my parents but if im wrong thell send her away to ANOTHER foster home. And she used to cut herself and try to commit suicide because she had no parents growing up and was always moving around from home to home. And she really likes it here so i dont want to ruin that. But thats honestly not what im worried about. She hangs out with 6th gradesrs and im just scared theyll get caught in this mess too. Kaitlyn I know i am a complete stranger to you. but when it comes to what's happening to us. I know what you are going through. So i really wish you the best of luck with all of this. Because we are only young. This isint fair to us. i can bairley figure out math and i have to come home and take care of this. I really want you to get through this and i wish you the best of luck!