How to Know If Your Child Is Smoking Marijuana?

Despite having had the ̶0;just say no̶1; talk, you suspect your child is experimenting with marijuana. Part of you wants to search her room. Another part would rather not know. Happily, you̵7;ve got allies--other parents, mental-health practitioners and counselors waiting to help if your suspicions prove true. Proceed with caution as the signs you observe may have perfectly innocent explanations.

Instructions

    • 1

      Investigate aggressive or hostile behavior that may be triggered by smoking pot. Contact teachers and talk with her friends to see if there̵7;s a situation you̵7;re not aware of that could be triggering her mood swings. Take into account pubescent angst, social pressure, menstruation or school performance issues before you declare marijuana smoking the culprit.

    • 2

      Assess the amount of time your child spends sequestered in her room and if she̵7;s spending more time behind closed doors than usual. Confront your daughter to find out if drugs are the reason behind her isolation, whether she's suffering from depression or actually studying like crazy to get into her top college choice.

    • 3

      Consider the possibility that your child is substituting marijuana smoking for study time if plummeting grades can̵7;t be explained otherwise.

    • 4

      Investigate abrupt and dramatic style and personal hygiene practices triggered by drugs that morph once-fastidious children into careless dressers. Look for altered wardrobe choices--all black, for example̵2;and suspect marijuana if your child habitually wears dirty garments or exhibits other extreme departures in dress and grooming habits.

    • 5

      Call your son on missing cash and missing easy-to-liquidate possessions if there̵7;s no other explanation for their disappearance. This circumstance offers strong evidence of a need for cash to buy marijuana. Question requests for an increase in allowance or loans if your daughter had been managing money efficiently but now seems unable to make due with that amount.

    • 6

      Look for physical signs pointing to drug use: red eyes, dilated pupils, speech irregularities and acrid smells on clothing. Look for increased gum, cough drop or mint consumption, all signs that your child may be covering up marijuana use. Become suspicious if your child develops an obsession with room deodorant sprays, incense, fragrances, eye drops or you haven̵7;t seen her eyes in weeks because she lives behind a pair of sunglasses.

    • 7

      Be the adult in the relationship and don̵7;t allow fear of alienating your child to stop you from getting to the root of aberrant behaviors. Join the millions of parents whose inquisitiveness elicited plenty of ̶0;I hate you,̶1; ̶0;You̵7;re ruining my life̶1; and other such reactions while bravely bucking the tide, knowing that the faster drug use is revealed, the sooner you'll reclaim your child.

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