Drugs in high school do not always look suspicious. In fact, the most common and prevalent drug use in high schools actually comes from a prescription bottle. To help you as a parent understand more about drugs in high school and how you can help your teen make right decisions (and what to do if they don’t), here are 11 facts about drugs you should know:

1. Drug and alcohol abuse as a teenager often leads to serious substance abuse and addiction later in life. It is not a phase that they grow out of and instead becomes a lifelong disease they will suffer with unless it is treated as soon as possible.
2. Substance abuse and depression are widely linked. Teens might start to turn to illicit substances to manage mental health disorders, only for these substances to exacerbate their issues and leaving them with a dependency that can be hard to break on their own.
3. Alcohol is the most prevalent drug used by teenagers. Some teenage alcohol poisoning statistics to note include the fact that almost 60% of 12^th graders have had alcohol, and just over 40% of 10^th graders will have had alcohol. In the USA, teenage alcohol poisoning deaths average out to approximately 4,300 per year.
4. Teens can get high off of nearly everything, even cold medicine. As a parent you might be wondering, can you get drunk off cold medicine, can you get drunk off of cough syrup, or is there some sort of high involved? Misusing cough syrup has a similar effect to heroin in high doses. Addiction occurs because it takes larger and larger doses in order to feel high.
5. Marijuana use is prevalent among teens, though studies have shown teens use marijuana less when they live where it is legalized. Though you cannot overdose, you can become reliant on it and use it as a crutch that affects your performance at school and your health.

If you smell pot on your teen’s clothes regularly, it is wise to sit down with your teen and address the issue. If you are wondering what does pot smell like on clothes, or want to know does pot smell sweet, it does not. It smells moldy, and can even smell faintly of skunk. If you smell it on them regularly and notice a change in their behavior, it is time for a talk.

1. Nicotine, or cigarettes, is and always will be a dangerous substance for teens.
2. Adderall is a drug to help those with ADHD focus. When those without the disorder take it, it increases energy and also increases their risk of seizures and even strokes.
3. Opioid addiction is something that can plague both adults and children alike and is a huge risk if your teen is suffering from an injury or prolonged health risk that requires them to take them legally. Opioids can lead to poor health and overdose.
4. Xanax for teens is used to treat anxiety and has a similar effect to opioids or even heroin, and is wrongly seen as safer. Addiction regularly occurs.
5. The U.S. Surgeon General’s study in 2016 discovered that 70% of teens who tried illicit substances before they were 13 developed an addiction.
6. In comparison, less than a third who tried drugs after they were 17 would become addicted. Drugs and prepubescent teens are a dangerous combination.

We hope you take these facts about drugs in school to heart and try to steer your child away from drug use. If that doesn’t work, give us a call, and we will help your teen discover a life without addiction.

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Mendi is a passionate advocate for teens and young adults in the fields of mental health and addiction. Baron creates programs to bring a unique approach to the treatment of adolescents and young adults who are struggling with a variety of emotional and behavioral disorders and substance abuse issues.

Clinically trained, Baron earned a BA with honors in psychology and social work at the University of Maryland and an MSW at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. His extensive experience as a therapist includes individual and group counseling for children, adolescents, and families in various settings.  Gaining insight and experience, he has worked at several treatment centers including the Chesapeake Center for Youth Development, the Carroll County Youth Services Bureau, Chabad Crisis Centers, and the Center for Discovery and Adolescent Change.

Before launching Ignite Teen Treatment, Mendi conceived and built, from the ground up, multiple successful, high end adolescent residential and outpatient programs in Los Angeles. Mendi has appeared on the Dr. Phil show, is regularly featured in mental health and addiction publications, and speaks around the country in person and on Tv/Radio on these topics. With his newest ventures, Mendi instills a rare blend of energy, creativity, and experience to the treatment of teens, young adults, and their families struggling with addiction and mental health issues. The son of a Rabbi, eldest of 11 children, is a part-time rock musician, boxer, cantor, and father of three.

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