Drugs

[trubloffthemouse]

DS (16) told me last night that he and his mates have smoked grass, a few times over the last few months.

My response is not to worry about this - I tried everything under the sun (except heroin) in my early twenties and I personally don't mind a bit of grass smoking.

He swears he'd never try E, coke, or anything else, but of course the reality may be different.

Should I be worried?

My youth was very much like yours, so no I'd not be worried about a bit of weed.

I'd say no too. My long ago youth sounds very similar.
It is great that he can talk to you. My parents, who are generally very open minded get extremely daily mail about drugs. Even blow.

Thanks for replies. Was worried everyone would pile onto me to tell me I should lock him in the cellar.

If he is any good at ironing, I have a cellar full on offer. Will pay travelling expenses too.

I'd say no, too, along with Dooin and Kreecher. My oldest occasionally smokes, with his mates; definitely isn't often. Talks to me about it very openly and honestly. Just keep the lines of communication open so that if he does try anything else, he knows he can talk to you about it.

I would monitor the situation though - ie keep an eye on behaviour, grouchiness, sleepiness, education (anything out of the normal late-teen grouchy, sleepy, can't-be-arsed normality, I mean).

So, on the odd occasion, okay; but not as a habitual thing.

Its a hard one ...my ds has a lot of friends that smoke weed, he has told me he has tried it..I'm glad he can talk to me about it .I smoked a lot when I was his age and his dad still smokes it occasionally

Keep an eye on it. I have one son completely psychologically addicted to a legal substance that you can buy over the internet or in legal high shops. However, his reason for starting with this was for relief from mental health issues he was suffering, but it took over his life.
My other son I know smokes the occasional spliff at weekends but it is not causing him a problem (I hope).

They all do it, but it needs to be kept an eye on and their reasons for doing it can be important.

My son is only 14 and this has not come up.

My concern would be the same as maryz , in that the stuff they get now is a whole different thing than what was around in the 1970s when I sampled it.

All the kids who are in deep shit with drugs started with occasional weed.

It's so hard to know who can take it and not be affected. Not worth the risk really is it?

If you know your child is doing something potentially dangerous and illegal it seems wise to me to try and stop it. That's all. Talking to them about in a 'I'm your cool friend way' does not seem appropriate to me.

And how are they supposed to know the difference between 'recreational' and 'evil stuff'? Is it labelled???

It does not have to be illegal.

Our nightmare was when mephedrone was legal. Legality does not mean a thing in terms of safety unfortuntately.

Coming down hard on them is often not affective. I have tried withholding all funds and this resulted in ending up in A & E because he bought something cheap which was far more damaging. My son took it upon himself to research what he thought was the least damaging and legal substance he could find to eleviate the huge anxiety he was suffering from (since diagnosed with OCD).

He is seeing both a psychiatrist and psychologist, but until he WANTS to stop nothing much is going to help.

All I can say is keep communication open, make sure there are not serious underlying reasons for drug use and watch carefully. This can involve searching their room when they are out I'm afraid.

Keep the communication open I would say and then you will notice the difference if his use changes.

I think you are doing the right thing.

Drugs are different now. I am only 25 but I see a difference in what 18 yr olds are doing compared to what I did at 18.

I can't believe some parents are relaxed about the smoking of skunk taking place in their houses - it STINKS! Also, as it's illegal, they risk getting a police record that would scupper any family trips to Disney World, for example. As a teacher, I have found it impossible to impart any information to students who are stoned, so wouldn't advise teenagers to smoke weed on schooldays, if they are serious about their education.

lazymumofteenagesons (I'm sure you're not really lazy - more likely knackered!) your son sounds so intelligent! I believe both DS1 & DS3 started smoking weed to self medicate - ADHD and anger management respectively. Wish they'd had honest & open discussion with me, like OP's DS, but they've since told me they felt I was too busy dealing with DS2 (he has SLD, ASD & suspected bi-polar disorder)

Thing is cheapskatemum his OCD is slowly getting under control, but he is still well and truly addicted to this 'legal high'. I now regard the addiction as more problematic than his other mental health issues.

My ds aged 15 was caught with his mate innocently and experimentally smoking cannabis. They were both discoverd by community police officers, arrested and taken to a cell until their parents were called. They went through the process of having their mug shots taken and their finger prints taken and their DNA taken just like any other person who is arrested. They had to be formally interviewed under caution.

Now my ds has a police record that will prevent him from entering many jobs. He wouldn't be able to enter some countries either.

The people who sell cannabis are doing it unlawfully to make a big profit and would love to be able to flog their other drugs to kids like mine and yours too.

As a policeman said to DS - when you are dealing with drug sellers and they know who you are they would threaten to harm your baby brother if it meant them getting what they wanted. They have no conscience at all.

why dont you get some information reguarding the effects of what drugs can do to him long term ect.www. Say no to drugs. org may help you and your son. You cant stop them really but you can know that you have educated him enough to beable to make good choises.Best wishes.