Types Of Drugs Commonly Abused By Teenagers

Sadly there are many types of drugs that are commonly abused by teenagers and it is up to parents to educate themselves on the signs and symptoms of addiction in order to be in a position to know if a child has a drug problem and be able to help him or her. Many youngsters get caught up because of peer pressure from friends or they want others to see them as being cool. Others have various insecurities or emotional instability and the use of certain drugs helps them to feel better and more secure about themselves and the world around them.

Types of drugs commonly abused by teenagers include:

  • Cocaine – White powder usually snorted with a straw or dissolved in water and injected
  • Heroin – White or brown powder that can be injected, snorted or smoked – Highly addictive
  • Marijuana – Derived from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, usually smoked but can be mixed in food or brewed as a tea
  • Ecstasy – Usually swallowed as a pill
  • Magic Mushrooms – Taken with food or brewed as a tea
  • LSD – Commonly taken as a small tab of LSD soaked paper which gets placed under the tongue
  • Valium – Normally swallowed in tablet form
  • Methamphetamine – White crystalline powder usually smoked, injected or dissolved in alcohol or other drinks
  • Nicotine – The drug found in tobacco and mainly smoked
  • Anabolic Steroids – Taken as tablets or injected to increase strength and athletic ability

These drugs are all different, the signs that a teenager may be addicted will vary from one to another and have many varying side effects. Parents should keep a close eye on children that they suspect may be taking some kind of drugs and always check up on where they are, what they are doing and who they are with. Situations differ from one person to another but in all cases teenagers suspected of taking commonly abused drugs need to be dealt with gently and with sensitivity from parents.