Parenting Tips: Student Drug Use
With California’s legalization of marijuana and increase in teen usage of vaping, parents have legitimate growing concerns around their child’s exposure to marijuana. There are obvious and less conspicuous revealing signs of marijuana consumption that are worthy of your attention. When your child comes home from socializing with his friends, have a conversation with him and pay attention to the odor on his breath. If there has been drinking or smoking, you may smell the substance on the child’s breath, on their clothing, or in their hair. If your child’s eyes appear abnormally red, or if their pupils look constricted (smaller than normal) with a heavy-lidded appearance, it may be due to marijuana consumption. Pay attention to how your child acts after being out with friends. Is her behavior different than what you would normally see with your child? Is she more talkative, tired, or withdrawn? Is he more secretive about where he is going or with whom he is spending time? Can they tell you details about the movie they saw? Is he ignoring his curfew and coming in much later than expected? If any of these behaviors are occurring, then something may be wrong, and it is time to intervene. For more tips, details, and suggestions, please https://drugfree.org/article/look-for-warning-signs/
If you suspect possible drug or alcohol use, do not ignore it. Prepare yourself to have the hard conversation with your child. There are many resources available to you on the internet that can provide information and suggestions on how to help your child. Locally, you can reach out to the Madera County Behavioral Health at (559) 673-3508 or Camarena Health Center (559) 664-4000. Additionally, MUSD has limited Alcohol and Drug Counseling resources available to your student that you can access by calling Student Services at (559) 675-4500.
