Is Your Teen Robotripping on Triple-C?

To be honest I could not decode this riddle without some help from my friend Google.

The phrase “robotripping on triple-c” refers to the recreational use of the drug dextromethorphan, which is the active ingredient found in many cough suppressant cold medicines.

Did you know that teens are getting high on over the counter cough syrup?

As a parent of a teenager, how do you know when your son or daughter is experimenting with drugs or alcohol? One important step is educating yourself on current drug slang. You can ask your kids, ask their friends, do some research on Google and read this handy blog post.

The more you know, the more you can keep your eyes and ears peeled for concerning signs. This can be hard to keep up on, but with a little effort you can stay on top of it.

One suggestion is to pay attention to your child’s language and make friendly inquiries into anything that does not make sense. If your son or daughter can’t answer simple questions (Why are you talking about kibbles and bits? AKA: Ritalin) or they seem to be stalling, you may have something to be concerned about.

Brush up on drug slang and test your knowledge.

Here are some helpful resources

1. Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base

Test your knowledge with this 10 question quiz.
http://www.adolescent-substance-abuse.com/test-knowledge.html

2. Teen Drug Slang: A Dictionary for Parents

Here’s what you need to know about teens and drugs today from the experts at WebMD.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/07/health/webmd/main3143669.shtml

3. Marijuana Slang Dictionary

An exhaustive chart of terminology about marijuana – one of the particularly common drugs of modern youth.
http://parentingteens.about.com/cs/marijuana/l/bldicmarijuana.htm

4. Communication Gap: Street terms for drugs

Words that sound innocent to your ears may have another meaning on the street.
http://www.lockyourmeds.org/communication-gap/

If you are concerned that your teenager might be at-risk for drug or alcohol abuse, please consult a professional and get proactive help. I am always happy to talk with parents, share resources and make recommendations.

Photo credit: Steve Snodgrass