Indiana DRE parental guide
to detecting Signs & symptoms of drug abuse
to detecting Signs & symptoms of drug abuse
Prepared by; Richie Tucker, DRE Instructor
Remember that drug abuse crosses all social and economical boundaries!
Note to parents. This page is meant as a guide. If your child displays any of the signs or symptoms that I write about, does not automatically mean your child is using drugs. You should however continue to monitor your child. If you learn your child is using drugs consult a professional.
Behavior Changes
Change in personality.
Change in social activities and friends.
Starts doing poorly in school activities.
Drops out of school functions, such as sports and other after school
activities.
Starts telling lies.
Short term memory problems.
Notice of money from the home missing.
Personal property from the home or juveniles bedroom missing.
If your child is working and they are paid on Friday and broke by
Monday.
Weight loss with increased appetite.
Comes home and avoids contact with the family.
Comes home and raids the pantry and refrigerator.
Quits caring about personal hygiene.
Begins having more dental problems.
Starts having a constant cough or runny nose.
Notice drawings of drug related items, Anti government, gang signs,
violence on school note books or sketches of marijuana plants. The
number 420 stands for the United pot smokers association.
Look for clothing apparel that reflects support of drug use.
Signs
Bloodshot / watery eyes. (has been using a lot of Visine)
Droopy eyelids. (eyelids look swollen and eyes are barely open)
Slurred speech. ( speech sounds slowed, thick tongued)
Face flush / sweating.
Body is warm to the touch.
Swayed balance. ( uncoordinated movements )
Dazed appearance.
Slow response to questions.
Disoriented.
Agitation. (quickly becomes angry)
Excitement. ( becomes excited or laughs for no apparent reason )
Restlessness. ( starts having trouble sleeping, can't sit still )
Talkativeness. ( rambles on, jumps from subject matter to subject matter)
Anxiety.
Runny nose ( reddening to nasal area )
Grinding teeth (Bruxism).
Body Tremors, (eyelid tremors, body tremors, can see parts of body
tremor)
Odor of unexplained origin.
Impaired ability to divide attention.
Blank Stare. (looks through you)
Hallucinates. (makes comments about seeing, feeling, or hearing things
that are not there.
Symptoms
Pupils dilated. ( pupils are dilated and everyone else around you are not).
Pupils are constricted. ( pupils are constricted when everyone else around
you are not).
Pulse rate is elevated or slow.
Blood pressure is elevated or down.
Body temperature is elevated or below normal.
Items to look for
Rolling papers. (cigarette rolling papers)
Plant like material. (seeds, stems, plant buds.)
Plastic bags containing plant material. Cigarette pack cellophane.
Burnt aluminum foil.
Alligator clips, needle nose pliers, hemostats, tweezers, with burnt tips.
Smoking pipes. (can be made of anything, wood, metal, glass, cardboard
toilet paper rolls, etc.)
Razor blades.
Straws cut to short lengths, with white powder residue.
Reading books with compartments made through the pages.
Tiny zip lock bags.
Corners from sandwich bags.
Glass tubes with burnt residue, could have brillo pad or other screen
material stuffed in end.
Hiding places being constructed. Items taped on the bottom side of clothes
drawers, above ceiling tiles, inside toilet tanks, under bed mattresses,
inside cigarette packs, inside rim of ball caps, compartments of wallets,
under carpeting, behind pictures on the wall, inside the backs of stereos,
televisions, other such items.
For photos of different drugs check the drug photo page.
I hope you found this page helpful. There are lots of other web pages with additional information. Remember to stay involved with your children's lives. Thank You.
Remember that drug abuse crosses all social and economical boundaries!
Note to parents. This page is meant as a guide. If your child displays any of the signs or symptoms that I write about, does not automatically mean your child is using drugs. You should however continue to monitor your child. If you learn your child is using drugs consult a professional.
Behavior Changes
Change in personality.
Change in social activities and friends.
Starts doing poorly in school activities.
Drops out of school functions, such as sports and other after school
activities.
Starts telling lies.
Short term memory problems.
Notice of money from the home missing.
Personal property from the home or juveniles bedroom missing.
If your child is working and they are paid on Friday and broke by
Monday.
Weight loss with increased appetite.
Comes home and avoids contact with the family.
Comes home and raids the pantry and refrigerator.
Quits caring about personal hygiene.
Begins having more dental problems.
Starts having a constant cough or runny nose.
Notice drawings of drug related items, Anti government, gang signs,
violence on school note books or sketches of marijuana plants. The
number 420 stands for the United pot smokers association.
Look for clothing apparel that reflects support of drug use.
Signs
Bloodshot / watery eyes. (has been using a lot of Visine)
Droopy eyelids. (eyelids look swollen and eyes are barely open)
Slurred speech. ( speech sounds slowed, thick tongued)
Face flush / sweating.
Body is warm to the touch.
Swayed balance. ( uncoordinated movements )
Dazed appearance.
Slow response to questions.
Disoriented.
Agitation. (quickly becomes angry)
Excitement. ( becomes excited or laughs for no apparent reason )
Restlessness. ( starts having trouble sleeping, can't sit still )
Talkativeness. ( rambles on, jumps from subject matter to subject matter)
Anxiety.
Runny nose ( reddening to nasal area )
Grinding teeth (Bruxism).
Body Tremors, (eyelid tremors, body tremors, can see parts of body
tremor)
Odor of unexplained origin.
Impaired ability to divide attention.
Blank Stare. (looks through you)
Hallucinates. (makes comments about seeing, feeling, or hearing things
that are not there.
Symptoms
Pupils dilated. ( pupils are dilated and everyone else around you are not).
Pupils are constricted. ( pupils are constricted when everyone else around
you are not).
Pulse rate is elevated or slow.
Blood pressure is elevated or down.
Body temperature is elevated or below normal.
Items to look for
Rolling papers. (cigarette rolling papers)
Plant like material. (seeds, stems, plant buds.)
Plastic bags containing plant material. Cigarette pack cellophane.
Burnt aluminum foil.
Alligator clips, needle nose pliers, hemostats, tweezers, with burnt tips.
Smoking pipes. (can be made of anything, wood, metal, glass, cardboard
toilet paper rolls, etc.)
Razor blades.
Straws cut to short lengths, with white powder residue.
Reading books with compartments made through the pages.
Tiny zip lock bags.
Corners from sandwich bags.
Glass tubes with burnt residue, could have brillo pad or other screen
material stuffed in end.
Hiding places being constructed. Items taped on the bottom side of clothes
drawers, above ceiling tiles, inside toilet tanks, under bed mattresses,
inside cigarette packs, inside rim of ball caps, compartments of wallets,
under carpeting, behind pictures on the wall, inside the backs of stereos,
televisions, other such items.
For photos of different drugs check the drug photo page.
I hope you found this page helpful. There are lots of other web pages with additional information. Remember to stay involved with your children's lives. Thank You.
Remember to
make time for
your children.
Stay involved.
make time for
your children.
Stay involved.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |