Hi mother of Todd.
I know that pot can stay in your system up to 6 months.It all depends on how much is inhale and how often smoked. Ectasy stays in your system for 3 days. The home kits are excellent especially for the convenience. It would be nice if he could watch a documentary on what drugs does to people lives and their bodies.

I am ashamed to admit I would have been slippery Mic. I knew how to cover up smells and pull myself together until my mom never knew what I was on. We would wash our hands because the joint would leave its smell on our fingers. Smell his coat and fingers but he will soon figure that out. I was in a drug free work place training today and how long drugs stay in you system is dependent on the individual. Pot last the longest. I can only tell you I was an unhappy 30 year old when I stopped using drugs. I am also a tired 46 year old finally finishing college. I wish someone would have beat some sense in me the day after I started. He will be beyond reason because the drugs are ruling him. Get professional help keep testing. He may hate you now but later he will apreiciate it. Don't enable him and trust is unpredictable. The drugs could become the greatest love in his live. Be strong.

Does anyone know what is involved in an assessment for drugs? I friend of mine is a local drug counselor in another school system and she suggested that my son get one. She explained that the assessment is a very long questionaire. I didn't think to ask her if he tests that he is addicted and it comes out that he is doing other drugs, what the next step is. I know I can find out myself when I make the call later, but I am wondering if anyone has any experience with having their teen tested. Thanks.

i know pot stays in the system along time. i dont think the rest has a residual effect.teens run ya raggid!!lol

Just had my 15 YO son tested for pot, ecstasy, etc. WE did urine and hair at a private lab. $65 for hair. We were shocked that he passed. So were some of his friends. One told me he does smoke tobacco and another told me he smoked pot with him. When the friends are worried, I am terrified. But he passsed. He is extremely thin. My hubby says it is the body fat and that any test can be passed. he also rejects church....

So I'm a teenager, around Todd's age
I have no idea if your son is using other drugs without anyone knowing, but I'd like to tell you right now:
DO NOT TRUST OTHER PARENTS
I have no idea what your sons image is, but if he dresses punk, emo, goth, skater, etc, he will be judged. Trust me on that.
I'm not saying don't trust all parents. I'm saying keep your eyes open and remember that some are gonna judge and base their decisions on looks or a reputation...if your son did not have beer on his breath but the other kids mom said he supplied the beer, who should you believe? I don't know this mom, but she could be judging his looks or rep.

As for your son doing these drugs, I'd like to say that there should be consequences for this, but don't go completely behind his back
Something is wrong if he is doing this
Let him know he can talk to you, and if you think he's too uncomfortable, get an adult you think he is very comfortable with
And if nothing works at all, maybe therapy would...just try talking to him

good luck

i feel for you - we are damned if we know and damned if we don't. I think it is very important to call around some local testing sites for back-up to the home tests. Most will try everything to beat whatever - wherever the test is. Keep testing though. Maybe at some point, he will understand he is going to be held responsible for his actions (isn't this what we are all waiting for our teens to get?)

Yes, your teen can be doing drugs and you are none the wiser until testing.

Consider asking him where the beer come from; another parent, an older contact, soliciting out in front of a store? If it is from an older friend, you might let him know that if you chose to you could press charges for supplying alcohol to a minor.... no kid wants to put their "friend" on the hook. Also, the friend may think that alcohol is not a big deal......but in this case - with the other drugs it is.

Yes pot stays in the system for a while. I don't believe that acid shows up in drug screening -- could be wrong. Ecstasy for just a short time. The kids really like the sensory of ecstasy experience but the new brain research shows that ecstasy has some long term effects on the brain; these are showing up as significant memory deficits at middle age.....you might share this fact with him. Further, this research is from the aging literature and not the anti-drug and so your son might consider the source a little more valid.....

My kids got sick of me saying that I did everything for healthy brain development during pregnancy and was going to see it through their teen years since the brain is still developing (they can actually see time lapsed imaging of the teen brain pruning synapses...very cool stuff!)

The questionnaires should only be given by people licensed to give, interpret and share the result. Also, tests are a dime a dozen, so be sure that it is the most appropriate diagnostic tool. Be sure to understand what the test can and CANNOT do. Consider asking your counselor/doctor/psychiatrist about any recommendations.

Finally, it is interesting to me that he is using drugs that have a lot of sensory attributes.....is this filling a neurological need, or social (boredom, fitting in and using the drug de jour) or escaping because of personal stress/depression????? He may not know and once again, here's hoping you find a good counselor.

This is a tough time - hang in there!

This is such an unsettling time for you and your family and my prayers go out to you. Do you (or Todd's father) have a decent relationship with him? Do you talk? Is he involved in sports? Cars/bikes? Do you know his friends by first name? How about his comings and goings? Are you aware of where he is and who he is with? I ask you this because this will help you both with this situation.
The tell-tale signs of the drugs vary with drug type and volume of use. Pot stays in your system the longest but can be flushed enough (with water and frequent urination) in order to pass the drug test. Other signs of pot use is the obvious; the smell, blood-shot eyes, sluggishness, increased appetite (the munchies), apathy. Have you noticed any changes in his behavior- sleeping more or less, different choice of music, different group of friends, loss of interest in usual activities, secretiveness. Most hallucinegenic drugs such as acid and ecstacy will give way to visual changes; fixation on lights and spinning objects. His pupils will most likely be large and dilated. These drugs are very sensory oriented- sight, sound, and touch are heightened. Acid and ex are very dangerous (all of them are for that matter) as most of these are synthetic and are therefor a mixture that can be lethal. You never know what you are taking or how your body will respond- it's like playing russian roulette. I do know that your personal psychological state at the time directly impacts the "high". I knew someone in high school who was very stressed and he "dropped" some acid and had a bad "trip"- he has never been the same- it permanently affected his psyche- in otherwords, he went out of his mind! Teens these days are also into prescription drugs (percocet, vicodin, oxycontin, ritalin, adderal, etc.) They will also use inhalants (aerosol spray cans).
If you feel in your gut that there is a problem, seek help. I haven't checked out the support groups on this web site but there are groups in the community that can help. It's tough because of the teenage denial thing. At this point it's a matter of life and death!
My thoughts and prayers go out to you.

Thanks for all your support. I can't believe it's August and we are still at the tip of the iceberg with this drug thing. My husband and I have had Todd tested both in and outside a lab and some were negative and some positive. We still didn't have a handle on it (still working on it) but an incident at the local park in June(left his backpack with name in it with drug paraphernalia)caused him to be charged with possession. We needed all the help we could get to move forward with this because our son was spinning out of control.
Yes....his music & friends changed, yes--his behavior changed, yes...he's been very secretive...all adding up. Had our court date last night for two different incidents... He ALMOST delayed the drug possession and there might have been a chance that he could have gotten off. I was sweating...big time! We convinced him to plead guilty. Because he did we were able to get a court order drug test...hair sample! My son says that he would have had a clean test with the urine sample but not the hair sample. He said he stopped once he was caught and hasn't had any drugs since. I find that hard to believe. He may not have had drugs but I know he's drinking quite regularly. I can't wait until the assessment. This whole thing is taking way too long. Thankfully, he was caught because he HAD to cooperate with the testing. We have an appt. (my husband and I) with a drug counselor today. **Part of the reason my son is where he's at is because we were so focused on our other son who was fighting depression. We struggled with him and my youngest watched our every move. Another reason is that my husband and I were not on the same page. My husband overrode me a lot. I told him time and time again that he can't do that but he didn't listen. He is now! I'm so proud of him. And myself for getting it through to him.

Hey! Please don't panic. Pot, acid and XTC are bad but I've known tons of doctors and lawyers and other professionals who were major "heads" in college and cleaned themselves up just fine. I, myself, have taken more acid in my past than I should probably admit, and I'm fine -- no so-called flashbacks or psychosis or anything like that. Not to belittle the situation, of course, but the "hippie drug" phase usually burns out (no pun intended). I'd be much more alarmed if I found evidence of coke or heroin usage.

Here's a great link:

www.passyourdrugtest.com

All kinds of very explicit info on how to hide drug use. If you know how they hide it, you'll know how to find it!

Here's another good link:

http://www.drugs-plaza.com/index.htm

Very "drug friendly," but there's LOTS of info for a concerned parent. Study up on the drug culture yourself so you can spot the signs of it in your kids.

Also, again not to belittle the seriousness of drug use, but there's also a lot of very scary & inaccurate anti-drug propaganda out there that can only inflame your reactions and muddy your instincts. If you tell a kid who's smoked pot that it will make him crazy and turn him into a raving addict, he will dismiss you as uninformed cause chances are his experience has shown him otherwise. Just a thought.

Good luck!!

First of all I have a 15 yr old son and a 17 year old son. I am not the perfect mother in any way. I talk freely to my boys and make sure they can do the same with me. I have this rule with them. Crazy but it works. IF they come to me and tell me something bad or good I can't get mad at them. I can talk to them about it but I can't punish them. I can lecture them and give them the 3d degree. Kids want to be open and they want guidance and they have a lot of pressure on them they need someone to talk to so let it be you.
I have recently found out my 17 year old smokes cigarettes, he told us. I smoke and so does my husband. I have told him how bad they are, how addicting they are and how they will affect him playing sports. He has decided to quit right now not saying he won't start again. He has not done drugs. A lot of his friends have. Once they are on drugs its not easy for them to get off alone. Have you considered a rehab and counciling for you son. Denial at this point is not an option, he was tested and he failed. Passed some but that just means he didn't do that one drug. But he failed some and that means he is doing those drugs. Find out why, ask him why? Is it just to fit in or is it something else? DO whatever you have to to help him. Even if it means changing schools so he can get a fresh start. Nothing is to extreme to help him. Don't assume he will stop on his own, chances are he won't and just go on to worse drugs. Get him help and don't wait. God bless you and your family and I will be praying for him.