Health Encyclopedia

Home | List of Topics | Children's Health | General Pediatrics

Drug signs and teenagers

Alternative Names

Teenagers and drugs

Information

Although some surveys suggest that drug use in teens has decreased since 2001, the numbers are still quite high. Over 17% of high school students admit use of illegal drugs within one month of when they were asked and more than 40% of those over 12 years old say that they have tried an illegal substance at least once.

Some signs of possible drug use include:

• Bloodshot eyes
• Persistent cough
• Pupils of eyes extremely big (dilated) or extremely small (pinpoint), nystagmus (rapid eye motion) might be a sign of PCP abuse
• Loss of appetite (occurs with amphetamine, methamphetamine, cocaine use)
• Increased appetite (with marijuana use)
• Sluggishness, listlessness, or constant sleeping (opiate drugs such as heroine, codeine. Or may occur when coming down off stimulant drugs)
• Hyperactivity (as seen with 'uppers' such as cocaine, methamphetamines)
• Poor school performance and increased school absenteeism
• Withdrawal from family and extracurricular activities
• Change in group of friends
• Unusual odor on breath (inhalant drugs)
• Secretive behavior
• Lying or stealing
• Slow or slurred speech (downers and depressants)
• Rapid, explosive speech (uppers)
• Unsteady gait (ataxia)

Early intervention may decrease the likelihood that drug use will continue in this population.

See: Drug abuse and dependence and drug abuse

Review Date:10/23/2007
Reviewed By:Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.