Today, many children and teens are abusing marijuana. Many kids are succumbing to the dangerous effects of this harmful substance. You don’t want your kid to be one of them, do you?

Children and teens start abusing harmful substances like marijuana for many reasons – curiosity, anxiety and desire to fit into their friends group are common ones.

As a parent it is your responsibility to identify this drug (marijuana) abusing habits in kids and help them stay away from this dangerous habit.

You can identify marijuana abusing habit in your kid by observing some physical and behavioral changes. In this article, we will discuss on how to identify if kid is using marijuana.

Educate yourself about marijuana

First thing you need to do is to educate yourself about marijuana. You need to fist get answers for some questions like, where is it (marijuana) available, how is it used, and what are its effects on teens.

On a bigger picture, marijuana, also called as pot, weed, or herb, is a mixture of dried leaves, seeds, stems, and flowers of the hemp plant, Cannabis. It is usually smoked as a cigarette or through a pipe. It creates a sense of euphoria that influences teens to use regularly. However, several health effects (short-term and long-term) are evident with this drug abuse.

Warning signs of marijuana abuse

Observe physical and behavioral changes in your kid that are typically associated with marijuana abuse. Here are some warning signs that are specific to marijuana abuse.

• Red, bloodshot eyes with dilated pupils

• Smell of marijuana from breath and clothes

• Over-eating and gaining weight due to increased appetite

• Uncontrollable and excessive laughing at inappropriate moments due to euphoria

Some other symptoms that are common are:

• Changes in physical appearance with negligence in grooming

• Deteriorating relationships with friends and family

• Dizziness

• Unsteady walking

• Inability to remember things that had just happened (poor memory)

• Altered sleeping habits

• Mood changes or emotional inability

In addition to the above warning signs, you need to look for other things.

You will find traces of marijuana use like cigarette rolled papers, pipes, water bongs, or homemade smoking devices made of soda cans or plastic soda bottles in your kid's room. You may also find traces of ash, tobacco powder and some suspicious packets in his room.

Changes in behavior at school

Check your kid's behavior at school. Inquire school authorities regarding his attendance, academic grades, performance in sports and other activities, and behavior with other students. Check if he got involved in violent activities or any reports of intoxication at school. Find if he has any drug abusing friends.

Conduct marijuana test at home

If you think that the above mentioned things are familiar, you need not shy away from conducting marijuana test. Various types of home drug test kits are available in the market today. Choose marijuana test kits approved by FDA (also, check if they are set to SAMSHA recommended cut-off levels). These home drug testing kits provide accurate results within minutes – that too at the privacy of your home.

Identify marijuana abusing habit in your kid and help him stay away from this destructive substance.