As a parent, it’s not always easy to know if teens are telling the truth. Trust is an important part of any relationship, but when a parent sees a difference in a child’s mental health or starts noticing signs of withdrawal or abnormal behavior, it may be time to make sure drugs are not the cause.
Unfortunately, drugs are easy to hide. A teen may be using in their parents’ house without being caught as long as they stash the drugs in hiding places that are unlikely to be searched. Here are some of the most common places for teens to hide drugs.
Vents: A vent in any room of the house is a perfect place to store drugs. Rarely are vents checked, and removing and replacing the doors to them is simple. Teens may choose to utilize only vents within their room, or they may feel brave enough to stash drugs in vents throughout the house. Since there are generally no signs when vents have been disturbed, it’s necessary to check each one when searching for drugs.
Markers, Pens, and Highlighters: All students need school supplies, but parents may not know that their kids aren’t using them for their intended purposes. Dry erase markers and highlighters are easy to hollow out. Once they are empty, teens simply place drugs inside and put the tops back on them. Pens can be used the same way. In fact, it’s possible to hollow out a pen to store drugs and also use it to snort them. This hiding place is especially innovative because of how time-consuming it is for parents to search every writing utensil in the home on a regular basis.
Behind Posters: Teens want to decorate their room with items that express who they are, and posters have always been a popular way to do that. However, the space behind posters is also an excellent place to hide drugs. Stored in baggies, drugs can be attached to the wall and then the poster serves as a covering so they stay out of sight. If you notice your teen frequently re-taping posters to the wall or if the posters tend to sag, it’s best to look behind them and see if drugs are the reason.
Books: A parent may take pride in their child’s extensive book collection. Reading is wonderful, but teens know that books have the ability to hide drugs without showing any signs of doing so. Teens cut the center part of several pages out of a book and slide the drugs inside. Then they simply close the book, place it back on their shelf and pull it out anytime they need a hit. Like writing utensils, it’s not easy to open and close every book in the house on a regular basis, making this hiding place a logical choice for users.
Inside Personal Hygiene Products: Deodorant is necessary for all teens. In fact, parents encourage their kids to practice good hygiene and use it frequently. The plastic containers that hold deodorant are, unfortunately, perfect containers for drugs. Once the containers are empty they are hollow. Drugs can be placed inside, and teens may then put them back in their bathroom in plain sight without causing suspicion. The same is possible with empty powder compacts and empty lipstick tubes. Seeing teens with these items is so normal that teen drug abusers may carry them in plain sight without ever getting caught.
Being concerned about their children’s mental health is the job of every parent, and drugs affect the mental health of teens drastically. It’s important for any caretaker of teens to understand how easy it is to hide drugs. It may help them find a teen’s private stash before tragedy strikes.
Conrad Armer 
Daryl Green