Teen Drug Use and Abuse

This teen drug use screening quiz was developed using the warning signs of teenage drug use. It is not meant to be the only parenting tool you use when dealing with street drug use and your teenager. Please follow through with the teen drug use resources provided.

Articles, quizzes and resources to help parents raise drug-free kids and teens.

How to set the rules where teen drug use is concerned.

My son is friends with a boy who I think is a good kid but might be using marijuana. He is my son’s best friend. What do I do?

Many teens experiment with legal substances in an effort to get high. When they are successful they often pass the word on to other vulnerable teens. There’s plenty for parents of troubled teens to worry about when a teen participates in this behavior. To really understand the most disturbing aspects of legal substance abuse, parents are...

Although the legal product K2 is clearly labeled “not for human consumption” this does not appear to deter some teens from smoking it to get high. K2 is a synthetic marijuana, sold legally as incense, that is potentially dangerous to teens who abuse it.

Salvia is and herbal drug gaining popularity with teens. What you need to know about this mind altering substance and it's negative impact on teens who use it.

Drug treatment programs with a primary focus on stopping substance abuse may not be the best treatment choice for a teen who also has a mental health disorder. In order for teens with a dual diagnosis to fully recover, the underlying mental health issues driving the drug abuse also need to be correctly identified and addressed. There are three...

Father of a teen wants to know, is this okay? I mean how bad could it be? Our community of parents respond.

A list of things parents can do to keep their teenagers from taking drugs.

It is scary to know what is going on out there, especially when intelligent kids like this one get so addicted that they arrogantly think they could possibly control themselves and their addiction. Please share your thoughts, opinions and experiences with our parenting community.

Addiction is an uncontrollable need to repeat self-destructive behaviors which include drug addiction, self-harm and eating disorders. Without some type of intervention teens who are addicted will continue to get worse.

Is your teen experimenting with drugs or alcohol? Check these warning signs if you are wondering and be sure it hasn't crossed over to drug abuse.

Detoxification refers to the process of purging drugs or alcohol from the body as an initial step in treating drug abuse in teens. This is necessary so the teen is no longer experiencing the drugs effects and can begin to deal with the underlying reasons for turning to drug.

An important warning about teens abusing nutmeg. Teens are using nutmeg to get high with serious potential consequences.

Resource information on specific drugs teens use and abuse. Alcohol, marijuana, inhalants, date rape drugs, designer drugs and more.

K2 is an unregulated, legal substance sold as incense that teens are smoking because its effects on the brain are similar to using marijuana, it is easy to obtain and doesn’t show up on drug tests. Parents are advised to be alert to the activities and items commonly associated with the abuse of this substance.

Overall, the Household Survey found that 15.9 million Americans age 12 and older used an illicit drug in the month immediately prior to the survey interview. This represents an estimated 7.1 percent of the population in 2001, compared to an estimated 6.3 percent the previous year. Read more here.

All illicit drugs have a set of paraphernalia associated with them - tools that drug users use to carry, process or adminster the drugs. These pictures can help identify various paraphernalia associated with illicit drug use. If you suspect yoru teen is using drugs, finding any of these items could signal a problem.

Adolescents and other young adults who use drugs and alcohol often take risks that endanger their health and the health of others. One of the most harmful risks is that of engaging in risky sexual activities.

Read what parents have said, teens have been known to experiment with drinking alcohol. Some go a step further and need help to keep their drinking from becoming an addiction. Here are stories from parents of teen about finding out their teen was drinking alcohol. Did you remain calm or lose it? What discipline did you use? How did you determine if your teen was just experimenting, being a social teen or if they had a real problem with alcohol?

12-step programs for teens abusing drugs explained: How the 12-step approach helps teens and their families by dealing with their with drug problems. Have a teen who has a drug problem? Get answers here.

If a teen experiences symptoms while detoxifying from the physical and psychological effects of drug use, it does not necessarily mean they have an underlying mental health disorder. If psychological symptoms linger, or if they worsen, this does suggest the possible presence of a dual diagnosis, in which case professional evaluation is highly...

Post-divorce parenting is fraught with danger, danger that you will inadvertently do damage on top of what the divorce has already done. To help you recognize mistakes you may be making and to avoid mistakes you're prone to make, Dr. Phil lists some of the biggest and most frequent mistakes those in your situation typically make.