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Working Together
Making the
Greater Five Towns
A Drug-Free Community
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Strengthen Your Detective Skills As A Parent |
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Both parents and educators are often challenged with determining whether a teen is using drugs.
With the widespread availability and abuse of prescription drugs and now heroin, today it is more critical than ever to know if a young person is involved in substance abuse.
It’s no surprise that teens can be very clever about where to hide their secret possessions.
Teens are notorious for being innovative, and hiding their drugs is no exception. Not only do teens hide drugs in their room, they also hide them in their car and bathroom. Their hiding spaces are limitless, but just in case teens need some help, they only need to go as far as their phone to check out drug concealment options online.
For parents, it’s important to stay in the know of what your teen is doing in his or her spare time. While paranoia is never a good thing, neither is denial.
Intervening is sometimes a matter of life or death.
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Backpacks with Hidden Compartments |
As a parent, if you’ve ever suspected one of your children may be using drugs, you likely have tried going through their pockets and their backpacks for marijuana, pills, or other drugs.
Yet any teen who wants to hide drugs can find ways hide them so well that a concerned parent will not be able to find them.
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Most young people have unlimited access to the internet and here they can find detailed instructions on how to hide drugs (or anything else) in places parents or other adults are unlikely to ever check.
There are a number of forums online dedicated to drug use and it is these sites where suggestions and instructions can be found.
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There’s even specially made underwear for men and women with a zipper pocket for concealing anything from drugs to cash. One person advised others trying to smuggle drugs into drug-free music festivals that this underwear was his usual solution easily found on Amazon.com
Just go to Amazon.com and type in “diversion.” You’ll find more than a thousand results for concealment. Some may be designed to hide other items such cash or firearms, but any of them can be used to conceal drugs.
Technology can make a parent’s job even harder in this regard. Teenagers are often more up to date with computer and smartphone programs that can hide information from their parents.
The Today Show, as well as other media outlets, have reported on teens “sexting” using so-called “ghost apps.” These are apps that appear to be one thing, but with the right password transform into an app that, for example, hides particular photographs.
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While not violating a teen’s trust or their understandable need for privacy, parents have to be vigilant in watching for signs of potential drug abuse.
A sudden change in friends they’re hanging out with, a greater defiance or disrespect than before, a drop in grades or even withdrawing from family activities should be enough for parents to start a conversation with their children about drugs and alcohol.
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Alarm clocks, radios, or speakers: Drugs can be hidden in the small battery compartment alongside the batteries or in hidden compartments. |
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Posters: Run your hands along poster edges to feel for flattened drug-filled baggies taped to the backside.
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Shoes: Footwear is a common hiding spot by pushing drug-filled baggies or containers to the toe area where they can’t be seen.
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Just like with alarm clocks, a small amount of drugs can be hidden inside of the battery compartment. |
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Stuffed animals or figurines: Stuffed animals can be used to hold drugs inside of their seams. Drugs can also be placed in the hidden compartments of trinkets of figurines. |
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Air vents: Baggies or thin containers can be taped to the inside of heating and air vents.
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Soda cans, shaving cream cans, personal hygiene products, cleaning supplies, apparel, hair bows, candies and wrappers, game consoles, make-up, highlighters, USB drives, toilet tanks and many other types of objects and containers. Parents need to be aware and up-to-date with the latest items that could be a place to stash drugs. |
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Cars are one of the most common places for teens to hide drugs. Teens often conceal marijuana in tea bags and tape them behind the dashboard, under the seats, and/or under the hood.
If you suspect your teen is smoking pot, you may want to conduct random car checks.
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Clues Of Drug Use May Be Hidden In Plain Sight In Everyday Objects
Videos
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If you know or suspect your child or teen may be misusing substances, have addictive behavior or may be having mental health issues,
please reach out to:
Saving Lives Five Towns
Drug & Alcohol Coalition
We are here to ensure you have the
information and support you need.
To Join Our Community Coalition
please contact:
Susan Blauner, Director Substance Abuse Prevention,
Awareness and Education
516.569.6733
"bringing about community awareness to address youth mental health and addiction issues and to reduce youth drug and alcohol misuse through education, media advocacy, increased enforcement and changes in policies."
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