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The Signs of Drug Use in Teens

Drug use in teens is an increasing problem in the U.S. It’s important to recognize the signs of drug use in order to intervene and help teens struggling with addiction. Common signs of drug use in teens include changes in behavior, including mood swings, attitudes, and school performance. Additionally, physical signs can include red eyes, changes in sleep patterns, and changes in physical appearance. Finally, teens with drug addiction may show signs of financial or legal trouble, including stealing money or getting into trouble with the law.

If your child is using drugs, this recovery journey you’re about to embark on can not only help your teen, but it can also make your whole family grow closer. Getting teen treatment can set your child on the path to success. 

Signs, Symptoms, and Behaviors of Drug Use in Teens

If you know what to look for, you can discover if your teen is using drugs or drinking alcohol. Be on the lookout for these signs:

Changes in mood:

  • Irritable
  • Withdrawn
  • Unable to focus
  • Depressed or hyperactive

Changes in appearance:

  • Unkempt appearance
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Flushed cheeks

Changes in behavior:

  • Sneaking out
  • Secretive about their phone or their whereabouts
  • Missing school or work
  • Hanging out with a new crowd of friends

How to Spot Drug Use in Teens

If you have a hunch your kid is using drugs, but you want to be sure, there are some things you can do to get a better idea of the situation:

  • Have eye contact conversations, and see if their eyes are bloodshot.
  • Smell for smoke.
  • Pay attention to their emotional state, this may be out of the norm.
  • Go through their belongings: This can be a sensitive topic. Giving your children the privacy they deserve is important, but if you are concerned about your teen’s safety and well being due to possible drug use, you may want to consider this option.

Teen Drug Use Statistics

 According to the National Institute on Drug Use, since the start of COVID-19, reported drug use has decreased1. This is likely due to school closure and social distancing (i.e. less peer pressure). Luckily, the downward trend has continued through the last couple of years; however, substance use still poses a threat.

The Most Commonly Used Drugs Amongst Teens

The most commonly used drugs reported in 2022 were nicotine/vaping, cannabis/marijuana, and alcohol. (Keep in mind that these are only the reported statistics. More teens likely use these substances and just don’t report it.)

  • 20.5% of 10th graders vaped
  • 19.5% of 10th graders ingested cannabis
  • 15.2% – 31.3% of 10th graders drank alcohol

While this downward trend provides some hope, research findings show dramatic and rising death rates in youth between the ages of 14-18. 

Also, it’s important to know that fentanyl, amongst other dangerous players, has contaminated the U.S. and worldwide drug supply2. This substance is extremely potent, meaning even the tiniest drop can make the user overdose. Fentanyl could be found in drugs like cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), and heroin because it’s cheaper to cut these drugs with fentanyl than sell the pure substance.

Educating yourself on these dangers, and knowing how to help your child, is crucial for prevention, awareness, and recovery if/when needed.

Reasons Why Teens Use Drugs

Each teen has their reasons for using drugs. Here are some common factors that can push them to experiment.

  1. Peer Pressure: Being a teenager is hard, and they just want to fit in with their peers. If their best friend, or someone they admire, offers them drugs or alcohol, they’ll likely take it to feel accepted. 
  2. Media: TV shows, movies, and especially social media nowadays can show drug use as glamorous, normal, or fun. This can appeal to impressionable teens.
  3. Self-Medication: Mental health issues start to pop up around adolescence, and some teens may see the escape of drugs as a way to avoid these complex feelings.
  4. Experimentation: Teens are curious and ready to try new things, especially as they start to gain some freedom.
  5. To Feel Grown Up: Wanting to be a grownup and assert their independence can lead them to drinking or doing drugs.

Find Help for Teen Drug Use

So you’ve had the conversation with your teen about their drug or alcohol use. Now is the time to start gathering resources on how to help them.

  1. Gather Information: Begin by browsing programs for teens. Think through what you want to get out of this experience—for your child and your family. You may want to look for gender-specific care. These programs address hardships that boys and girls uniquely experience by giving them tools to face uncomfortable emotions and experiences. Gender-specific care also helps them focus on treatment without distractions. 
  1. Engage in Family Therapy: Family therapy will likely be an important part of the recovery process, for your teen and your whole family. Addiction education for loved ones is usually offered with this, as well. This gives clarity on your teen’s journey with substances and recovery. So when your child comes home after treatment, everyone will have the skills they need to maintain a healthy recovery environment.
  1. Be Supportive: Most importantly, be a rock for your child. They’re likely going through a confusing time, so having your support will make this process easier and improve their chances of success.
  1. Make Sure You Have Support: Give yourself grace through this journey. Helping your child through addiction recovery can be emotionally draining. You will have support from medical professionals, but other family members or friends can also provide support in this process. 

4A. Remember to prioritize your own self-care. Engage in activities that bring you joy and practice stress-reducing techniques.
As your kids grow older and start making their own decisions, you can act as a compassionate guide and lead by example. What you do from here on out is what matters most. A bright future awaits for your child with the right teen treatment.

find help for teen drug use
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Rehabs That Allow Smoking: Tobacco and Vaping Policies in Rehab

Are you getting ready to enter treatment, but not sure if you can pack cigarettes? Or are you anxious about the possibility you may not be able to smoke for the next few weeks? Many rehabs allow patients to smoke outside at their facility. But rehab also presents a great opportunity for you to quit smoking with the full support of a clinical team. And rehabs that have smoking cessation programs provide specialized treatment for people wanting to quit for good. 

Can You Smoke Cigarettes in Rehab?

Almost every single rehab in the U.S. has an indoor ban on smoking,1 but most rehabs allow smoking outdoors. That’s because most state laws require rehabs to ban indoor smoking. However, a few states also ban smoking anywhere on a rehab’s campus:2

Other countries have different smoking policies. Many countries ban indoor smoking,3 especially in healthcare facilities. However, if you’re interested in traveling abroad for addiction treatment, you can contact your rehab to ask about their tobacco policies.  

Most of these laws are specifically about cigarettes and cigars, because of how new e-cigarettes are. However, some states already have bans on indoor e-cigarette smoking,4 which includes treatment centers. And many rehabs’ smoking policies extend to e-cigarettes. 

Your rehab’s treatment philosophy can also influence their views on smoking. Some providers believe that restricting patients’ use of tobacco adds stress to treatment.5 In fact, smoking used to be encouraged during addiction treatment6 because providers saw it as a less harmful addiction. 

However, studies actually show that smoking cessation promotes abstinence7 from other substances and can even reduce risk of relapse. And the research shows that treatment is most effective when you address both tobacco and other addictions8 at the same time. 

Whether or not you can smoke in rehab depends on your specific treatment center’s policies. You can always call ahead to ask if they’re not in a state that mandates tobacco-free grounds. 

Why Do Rehabs Allow Smoking?

For some people, the prospect of treatment without the ability to smoke may prevent them from going to rehab. If that’s how you feel, then a rehab that allows you to smoke could ease your anxiety and transition into treatment. 

While almost all rehabs prohibit smoking indoors, about 65% of U.S. rehabs allow smoking9 in designated outdoor areas. For example, Landmark Recovery in Kentucky allows patients to smoke outside. But they also encourage patients to quit smoking and provide therapeutic support for those who wish to do so.  

landmark recovery sign
Landmark Recovery in Kentucky allows patients to smoke outside, but provides therapeutic support for those who want to quit.

Smoking Bans in Rehab Facilities

If you don’t smoke, or if you’re looking to quit smoking, then a smoke-free rehab is a good choice to avoid both secondhand smoke and social pressure to smoke. About 35% of U.S. rehabs have tobacco-free grounds.10 

One example is Paradise Valley Healing Center in British Columbia, Canada. Their Founder & Director, Nirmala Raniga, explains why tobacco is important to quit:

“Smoking is more than an addiction to nicotine. It is a physical and emotional release from stress and tension. It meets an inherent need that smokers might not have been able to address any other way.”

She also acknowledges the link between tobacco and other addictions to explain why they ban smoking: 

“Very often, those who stop drinking will turn for example, to smoking or even caffeine as a substitute for alcohol. Instead of substituting one substance for another as a way to address the pain arising, the recovering person must get to the root of the traumatic issues that led to the addiction in the first place. Only then, will this cycle be broken.”

If you decide to take the opportunity to stop smoking during rehab, many centers offer smoking cessation programs to help you quit.  

paradise valley facility
Paradise Valley Healing Center in British Columbia bans smoking to help their clients avoid substituting one addiction for another.

Smoking Cessation Programs in Addiction Rehab

Studies show that up to 87% of patients in addiction treatment smoke tobacco.11 And patients in treatment for substance abuse are more likely to die from their tobacco addiction12 than from their primary addiction, which is why many states have started to mandate smoking cessation programs.

About 25% of states require rehabs to provide smoking cessation programs.13 And studies show that these mandates have been successful. For example, when New Jersey began to require smoking cessation programs in all licensed rehabs, tobacco abstinence increased significantly,14 while dropout rates stayed constant. These programs help many quit smoking and don’t lead people to leave treatment early because they can’t smoke. 

Benefits to Quitting Smoking in Rehab

Quitting smoking builds your resilience15 and confidence in your ability to manage your addiction, which is helpful for preventing relapse. 

Plus, quitting smoking improves your mental health16 almost immediately. After withdrawal symptoms, most people experience a more positive mood and reduced depression, anxiety, and stress. This uptick in your mental state may make treatment both easier and more successful. 

Quitting tobacco is great for your physical health.17 Most people who quit find it easier to exercise and tend to develop more nourishing eating habits. Rehab is an opportunity to start a new life. Quitting smoking allows you to kick-start your new lifestyle in an even stronger way. 

Smoking Cessation Treatment Methods 

Smoking cessation programs in rehabs can be incorporated into the rest of your treatment program. And just like other addictions, there are several different therapy options for quitting smoking:18

Studies show that the most effective smoking cessation programs19 are a combination of counseling and medications. Your rehab will have its own program to help you quit smoking while you work on other addiction or mental health issues.

Quit Smoking in Rehab for Long-Term Success

If you’re worried about not being able to smoke in rehab and it’s holding you back from seeking treatment, plenty of rehabs allow smoking outdoors. However, research shows that this is actually an ideal time for you to quit smoking. You’ll be surrounded by professionals who can help you find new coping strategies in a healing and supportive setting. 


Explore rehabs with smoking cessation programs to learn more about pricing, insurance, treatment options, and more.