71 www.rnca.ca Signs And Symptoms Of Drug Use A combination of several of the following signs is a good indication that something is wrong. If you observe several of the following signs, consider taking your child to see a medical doctor or counsellor. If your child demonstrates certain signs and symptoms that suggest drug use, be aware of other possible explanations and avoid jumping to conclusions. At home • changes in sleeping and eating patterns: insomnia, napping at inappropriate times, fatigue, sudden increase or decrease in appetite; • changes in physical appearance: red or watery eyes, pupils dilated or constricted; runny or irritated nose; coughing; headaches; slurred speech; less care given to grooming; weight loss; • significantly increased use of strong cologne, mouthwash or eye drops; • changes in emotions and behaviour: moodiness, depression, hostility, hypersensitivity, lying, secretiveness, giggling for no apparent reason; • difficulty following instructions or concentrating, showing confusion; • avoiding contact with you: going straight to their room or the bathroom when arriving home; • excessive secrecy or "guarded" behaviour (for example, always leaving the room to take calls on their cell phone or quickly shutting down email or instant message accounts when you enter the room); • possession of drug paraphernalia, and presence of strange odours or coverup odours; • overthecounter drugs disappearing from the family's medicine cabinet. School, friends and extracurricular activities • changes in school performance: lower grades, lateness, absenteeism, discipline problems; • loss of interest in sports, hobbies and activities that the young person previously enjoyed; • presence of new or different friends, including friends who are reluctant to meet parents; • defending a known drug user; • requests for more spending money; • seems to have increasing amounts of unaccountable money of their own; • receiving expensive gifts from friends. Drug paraphernalia Various items, referred to as drug paraphernalia, are related to drug use. Some of these can be found in specialized stores or corner stores, or are simply homemade. Following are photos of drug paraphernalia: Bongs or water pipes Generally used to smoke cannabis. Bongs can also be used to smoke other substances such as tobacco, salvia divinorum, crack or methamphetamine. They come in various shapes, colours, materials, styles and sizes. They are often made of acrylic, ceramic or glass, but can also be homemade such as empty bottles. Glass tubes (crack pipes) continued
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