The drug landscape has likely changed since you were a child, depending on your age. They may not be in the public eye as much as they were in the coke-filled 1970s and 1980s, but production has increased nonetheless. Potency of many drugs, including marijuana, has also increased. This means that being a solid role model is more important than ever before. You can't shelter your children forever, but you can make sure that they aren't smoking to escape problems at home.
Step 1
Smell your child's hair. The scent of pot is difficult to get out of human hair, especially if your child is unaware that the odor exists. A subtle way to check would be giving your child a hug and taking a discrete whiff of her locks. This ensures that she doesn't think you're betraying her trust.
Step 2
Encourage your child to open a checking account with online banking. Stealing money from you is a likely sign of drug use, but your child can probably support his own habit if he has a job. First and foremost, opening an online checking account is financially responsible. Secondly, you can see suspiciously routine ATM withdrawals from his account.
Step 3
Look for changes in the behavior of her social circle. A different set of friends is one sign, but it's also possible that her regular friends got into smoking pot. Sudden lethargic and apathetic behavior on her part or her friends' part should not be ignored.
Step 4
Ask for grade reports whenever possible. Marijuana affects your child's short-term memory, so even if he is studying, there might be a decline in his grades. After all, you can't recall learned information during a test if your memory blocked it out.
Step 5
Look into your child's eyes often. She is probably smart enough to buy drop to clear up eye redness; she can't really fix pupil dilation besides staring into bright light. Try not to jump to conclusions as some people have naturally large or dilated pupils.
