Lethargic attitude, poor motivation, loss of interest in many areas

Less hopeful, more cynical about life in general

Change in self-discipline: does not complete tasks or take care of responsibilities

Deterioration in hygiene: wears same clothes, baths infrequently, room is messy

Change in appetite or eating habits: skips meals or eats excessively

Weight changes: drastic gain or loss of weight, looks thin or pail

Change in sleeping habits: stays up all night, sleeps all day

Occasional lack of coordination: stumbles, appears confused or disoriented

Change in anxiety level: nervous, agitated, unable to sit still

Burns on hands or clothes, brown stains on fingers, reddened eyes, use of eye drops, deep nagging cough

Increased use of profanity and drug language

Highly defensive and argumentative when confronted, becomes aggressive, abusive or violent

Withdraws from family interactions: disengages from family functions, stays in room

Excessive use of telephone in secret: strange, frequent or late night calls to the home, callers hang up

Absent for long periods: stays out all day or all night, leaves home for one or more days

Items, money or alcohol missing from the home, suspicion of stealing from home

Personal possessions missing or unaccounted for

Possession of money not earned, or spending of money unaccounted for

Activities, interests or hobbies at home or with family dropped, no new activities taken up to replace them

Change in attitude toward old friends or non-using peer group

Friends are not known or not introduced, friends will not come to the home or meet other family members

Skips classes or entire days of school, time during school hours unaccounted for

Frequent detentions and suspensions, or expulsion from school

Drops sports or other school activities, lack of interest in school activities

Disrespectful or defiant towards teachers or administrators, defies school rules

Present in classroom but inattentive, sleeps in class or behaves disruptively

Drug slang, phrases or symbols inscribed on school books or work

Fails to inform about school activities, detentions, suspensions, warnings, etc.

Theft, assault, speeding or other violations of law

Trends in Youth Substance Abuse.

What Parents Can Do to Keep Their Teen Drug Free.