According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in 2012 overall drug abuse among young persons ages 12-19 was rising; this was largely due to an increase in marijuana use. Prescription drug abuse has also risen, primarily in the 18-25 year old population. After marijuana and hashish the most abused drugs by high school seniors are synthetic marijuana, Adderall and Vicodin.

People of all races, ages, educational levels and economic statuses use drugs. So how do you know if someone you love—child or adult—is abusing drugs? The most significant indicator is change: change in physical appearance, personality or behavior. Here are some of the specific signs of drug abuse:

The specific symptoms associated with the commonly abused drugs above, marijuana and synthetic marijuana, are very different. According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, signs of synthetic marijuana use include inability to speak, aggression, agitation and excessive sweating. Common signs of non-synthetic marijuana use involve sleepiness, a lack of concentration and coordination, forgetfulness in conversation and increased appetite, especially a craving for sweets.

Every type of drug has different signs and symptoms of its use, and some of these symptoms can look like illnesses such as clinical depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety disorder: it can be difficult to differentiate between drug use and mental illness. If you’d like to find out more information about drug use and drug testing, please contact us.

According to the a new report from the Trust for America’s Health, the number of people in America who died from taking prescription pain killers doubled in 29 states between 1999 and 2010, and prescription drugs are the most commonly abused substance–after marijuana and alcohol–for Americans ages 14 and older. The same report noted that fatalities from overdose of painkillers outnumber deaths from heroin and cocaine combined.

Prescription drug abuse has been called an “epidemic” in America, with opioid pain killers (Vicodin, Oxycontin) being the most often abused. Other drugs frequently abused are stimulants prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) including Adderall, Concerta and Ritalin; and central nervous system depressants such as Valium and Xanax.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines four ways in which these drugs are abused:

When taken as prescribed for a specific mental or physical condition prescription drugs are safe and effective. When they are taken in larger quantities, in a different manner or when no illness or symptoms are present, they affect the brain in the same way that illicit drugs do and cause cravings in the same way that heroin does.

When these prescription drugs are abused, they trigger dangerous physical consequences: Opioids can cause severe constipation and depress breathing; mixing them with alcohol amplifies this effect and can lead to death. Stimulants raise the body’s temperature and cause seizures and heart failure. And CNS depressants slow both the heart rate and respiration, also leading to death when taken in quantities larger than prescribed.

Most deaths caused by prescription drug abuse are due to unintentional overdoses. Over time, a person taking a drug to “get high” will require a larger quantity to achieve the same effect and may not realize they have a dangerously high level of the drug in their system.

If you’re concerned that someone you love is abusing drugs, please contact us. We can answer questions you may have and also provide drug testing kits and supplies.