Syringe and spoon found in 16 year old stepdaughters drawer.

[LittleWhile]

Yesterday I found a tea spoon and a narrow syringe tucked away in a cosmetic bag in my stepdaughters drawer, when I was tidying the carnage of her bedroom, while she is at her mothers house. I was immediately alarmed and suspect drug use or at least intention of drug use, so I mention it to her Father. He hardly reacts, and then today says there is probably some rational reason for it, and says he will ask her. He doesn't seem at all bothered, and laughs when I mention possible drug use. She has (non) eating issues, anxiety and depression, which lead me to suspect drug use may be a possibility. He sees no reason to be concerned. Today he suggests that she be allowed to "study" at our house while we are away on holiday, next week, which I strongly object to, as I don't feel comfortable letting her have unsupervised access to the house, while we are not there. She says there is too much distraction at her Mothers house caused by her Mum and her brother. I feel she should ask her mum and brother to be quieter, so can study or maybe go to a library! or use earplugs! Her father and I have now had an almighty row because I feel he doesn't listen to me. He says she should be allowed to, and if she messes up, he will deal with it. I'm imagining all sorts going on in my home, while we are away, if she has a key! He doesn't believe she shouldn't be trusted. I feel undermined and as if I'm catastrophising. Am I being unreasonable or over-reacting? I've been a 16 year old girl and I've also had a 16 year old daughter, so I'm basing my reasoning from experience, but I now doubt my own judgement. Help!

[starfishmummy]

Agreeing with Mrs DeVere.

An oral syringe is designed so that needles cannot be attached to them as a safety feature (so that oral drugs cannot be accidentally injected).

[NigellasDealer]

i think the OP knows that, she just put that thread title to be dramatic and get attention.
like I said, if my stepmother had been going through my stuff at that age, I would be packing my bags.

[SweetTeaVodka]

As others have said, oral syringes cannot be attached to needles so useless for injecting drugs.

I saw a YouTube video where a teenage girl showed how to do eyeliner flicks using the side of a teaspoon as a guide, so if I saw a teaspoon in someone's make up bag I would assume that's what it is for.

[TheBeautifulVisit]

Why are you going through her drawer, and her make-up bag in her drawer?

[HoleyGhost]

I remember a thread here where the OP hid Australia immigration forms in her bedside drawer to freak out her evil MIL who had form for prying.

Your sdd may have done something similar - you have outed yourself as deranged enough to even go through her makeup bag. Maybe your DH was nonplussed as you have form for drama

[Kudzugirl]

Deranged at looking in a make up bag? My stepdaughters and I were constantly in and out of each others make up bags .

[OhSoVintage]

Well Im always in my dd's make up bag, she borrows my stuff and I borrow hers. We both annoy each other with it but it all ends up merging into one.
Both me and my dd are disorganised currently in my make up case there is a Rubber, a crayon, paracetomol, glue, iron tablets, the side of my broken sunglasses and a needle (I thought it was tidy :) )

A oral plunger is a plausible item, I have used it for medication for both my girls and have a couple of them in the bathroom. A clean spoon is also an item that seems to appear in our bathroom from time to time and could easily end up in my make up bag if i was using it while getting ready. Have you thought about asking her?

I wouldn't consider looking in a makeup case snooping tbh.
My dd is messy to the extreme and I have to sort through her stuff to help her organise however she has a few drawers/boxes that I know are out of bounds and won't touch. Her make up bag is not one of these places.

I would have thought if it was for drug use she would have a better hiding place and there would be other signs.

[Russianfudge]

From what youve said about her I think whoever mentioned the dramatic Instagram photo might be the closest! People are right to say if she's injecting then she's been in to drugs for quite a while. It doesn't sound like it's the case.

I don't think you should speak to her about it, rather keep a very close eye. Shame her Dad isn't interested as it shouldn't really fall on you. If worse stuff happens and he still turns a blind eye you may just have to detach

For what it's worth my step daughter and I go in each other's make up bags all the time. She wouldn't bat an eyelid. She also has tea spoons in lots of weird places because she takes them to school for yogurts then secretes them.

[cassee]

If it's in her makeup bag, I suspect she uses it to mix her makeup. Seriously. I use a syringe for that and a small bowl, not a spoon, to crush and mix eyeshadows to create different shades and put them on wet (hence the syringe, for water or makeup remover) which is often better. I also use the syringe and bowl to mix foundations together.

[Kudzugirl]

It isn't correct to assume that injecting = longer use.

There are plenty of users who go pretty much straight onto injecting. I have worked with enough of them. They might have smoked dope for a while but many of them don't progress from smoking, say Heroin to injecting it. For many it is a matter of economics.

So many assumptions about drug use are incorrect.