Marijuana Field

Bongs

Introduction: Is my kid smoking pot?
Chances are, if you've found this website, you're already asking yourself, Is my kid smoking pot?  Rummaging through their personal belongings without anything more than parent's intuition will immediately alienate you from your teenager.  With a better understanding of the signs, paraphernalia, and activities of a typical pot-smoker, it may be easier to relate to your teenager about their use of marijuana and approach him or her for a discussion.  Our website incorporates the experiences of former teenage marijuana users in an attempt to provide parents with enough current information to be credible.  This website is dedicated to providing a realistic, up-to-date look at the signs, symptoms, and possible proof that may answer the question once and for all, is my kid smoking pot?

Obvious Signs
There are many signs that will inform parents if their kids are smoking pot.  Everything from the smell, red or swollen eyes, and their behavior.  In the next section we will attempt to describe some physical signs of marijuana use in your kid.

What's that smell?
Marijuana has a very distinct smell similar to a skunk's spray.  It may also be compared to the smell of burnt lawn clippings.  An easy way to simulate the smell, so you know what you're looking for, is to burn a dried leaf from a maple tree.  Although not exactly the same, the smell is very similar to that of burnt marijuana. 

Be highly suspect of a kid that’s spraying air freshener into their room or car until it reeks like a funeral home. They’re hiding something.  Smoke shops sell highly potent air sanitizing sprays that claim to eliminate smoke in the air. They usually come in smaller, more compact canisters, and are sold at a higher rate than the average air freshener.  If your kid has begun to come home wearing heavy cologne, perfume, or body spray you may want to investigate, especially if they usually wear a reasonable amount or none at all.  Some kids will also try to cover the smell by burning strongly scented incense or candles. They may even try to pass the smell off as incense or candles.  In some cases, a device is crafted to blow smoke through, dubbed a “toke blower”, in an attempt to disguise the smell.  Smokers typically open a window to air out a smoky area.  If the suspected pot smoker has an open window during winter or when the AC is on, chances are they are attempting to "air out" the area.  Clothing will also hold marijuana smoke.  The marijuana smell can be described as musty, musky, of earthy.  A marijuana smoker is aware that their clothing will hold the smell of smoke; therefore they may use excessive body spray of cologne in an attempt to cover it up. 

Pot smokers breathe will also hold the smell of marijuana for some time.  Uncharacteristic or excessive teeth brushing, gum chewing, breath mint popping, etc. is usually a good sign that the suspected person is trying to cover the smell of smoke on their breath.  Marijuana smoke also adheres itself to the smoker's hands, most significantly, the fingers.  The thumb and index finger are usually used in smoking a joint; therefore these two fingers will retain the smell long after the joint has been smoked.  Hand washing can usually eliminate the smell.  However, unless the pot smoker focuses on the fingers, the smell will remain long after hand washing.

It’s in the eyes...
A person under the influence of marijuana will most likely have red/swollen/bloodshot/irritated/glassy eyes.  The red eyes, also know to pot smokers as "chinese eyed", can be temporarily covered up with Visine (also know as "white eye").  Although the eye drops may relieve the smoker of irritated red eyes, it will do nothing to remove the glassy eyed, glazed over look in the eye.  Some smokers prefer to wear sunglasses to hide their eyes as well.  Wearing sunglasses indoors and/or at unlikely times should be viewed as a red flag.

Residue
When smoked, marijuana leaves a tar-like residue behind commonly known as "resin".  In some cases, the resin may leave fingers and or lips and teeth with a yellowish, brown tar-like stain.  If resin happens to make contact with clothing, it will not wash out.  Attempting to wipe off clothing will result in a smear.  Attempting to wash it may result in the transfer to other clothing in your machine.  The presence of resin is another sign that is difficult to conceal.

Money
Money or the lack of it is a common affliction for a teenager. However, if your kid is asking for more money than usual or has been spending quite a bit of their own with nothing to show for it, there may be a problem. The cost of marijuana is relatively inexpensive to a working adult. However, to a kid attending middle or high school, the cost of getting high is not cheap. The following is a breakdown of the quantities and estimated costs of purchasing marijuana.

5 grams (1 joint) aka a “five” or a “nik” = $5
1 gram (2 joints) aka a “dime” or “ten” = $10
1.5 grams (3 joints) aka a “fifteen” = $15
2 grams (4 joints) aka a “twenty” = $20
3.5 grams or 1/8 ounce (4-6 joints) aka an “1/8”, “eighter” or “small” = $25-30
7 grams or ¼ ounce aka a “quarter” = $45-60
14 grams or ½ ounce aka a “half” or “half an O” = $80-120
28 grams or an ounce aka an “ounce”, “O” or “whole” = $180-240

Obviously higher quantities can be purchased for much higher costs. Chances are, unless your child had access to large amounts of money, the above noted list will cover what they may be purchasing.

Munchies/Dry Mouth
The hungry feeling that usually accompanies getting high is referred to as “having the munchies”. If your kid starts eating large amounts of food at odd times you may want to check into it. Occasionally pot smokers will get strange cravings for food they rarely, if ever, eat when not under the influence.  Dry mouth is also common after smoking pot. Although it’s a small sign, a person who has just smoked almost always has a beverage nearby.

Phones/Friends
A kid who has started smoking pot needs a place to get it from. You may notice that your child is taking more phone calls, many in private. New friends may or may not appear. Friends and acquaintances may stop by for short periods of time and leave…just enough time for a drug deal. Your child may start taking more rides with friends, giving you brief, false explanations as to where they have been. Their time away from home becomes more and more unaccounted for. Also be wary if, when returning home, your child heads straight to their rooms without stopping to speak to anyone, and stay there (hiding) for a considerable amount of time.

Air Freshener

Eye Drops

Typical Bags of Pot