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Secret Stash: Where Do Teens Hide Their Drugs?
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The typical teen’s room… the bed is disheveled, the mattress is exposed, a leather belt is thrown on a heaping pile of clothes, food and candy wrappers lie on top of a book that has never been opened, an empty soda can sits on a desk scattered with highlighters, pens and crumpled paper, and on the dresser is a stick of deodorant next to lip balm and a bottle of hairspray. If you have a teen, this bedroom description may sound overly familiar. The only thing that makes this bedroom different from those of many other teens is that many of the items in this room serve to hide a secret stash of drugs.
Teens are notorious for being innovative…-Raychelle Lohmann
It’s no surprise that teens can be very clever about where to hide their secret possessions. Teens are notorious for being innovative, and hiding their drugs is no exception. Not only do teens hide drugs in their room, they also hide them in their car and bathroom. Their hiding spaces are limitless, but just in case teens need some help, they only need to go as far as their phone to check out drug concealment options online. For parents, it’s important to stay in the know of what your teen is doing in his or her spare time. While paranoia is never a good thing, neither is denial.
Top 10 Most Common Places Teens Hide Drugs
- Writing Utensils
You may think that that highlighter is used to highlight important information, but it actually may be concealing pills, pot, or powdered substances. Just pop off the back and instantaneously that highlighter converts into a pipe for marijuana. And if a teen needs to learn how to transform his marker or highlighter into a pipe, the internet has tons of videos that show how to do it in less than three minutes flat. Not only are wide barreled highlighters and markers open game, but so are standard pens. That BIC can serve a double purpose, first to conceal small drugs and also as a straw to snort cocaine.
- Cans and Wrappers
Empty soda cans are great diversion safes and they can be homemade or purchased. Just unscrew the top of the can and store the stash of drugs, money and paraphernalia. If you see a soda can or food wrapper that rarely moves, or is constantly present, you may want to investigate the scene.
- Personal Hygiene Items and Makeup
From lipstick tubes to lip balm, from deodorant sticks to hair product bottles, teens will empty and hollow out any item that helps them to hide their stuff. Watch out for those hygiene bottles – they are an especially easy place to store alcohol. Mirrored compacts are popular for drugs and the mirror can be used to make a line of cocaine for the teen to then snort through the pen barrel. - Vehicles
Cars are one of the most common places for teens to hide drugs. Teens often conceal marijuana in tea bags and tape them behind the dashboard, under the seats, and/or under the hood. If you suspect your teen is smoking pot, you may want to conduct random car checks. - Bathroom Toilets and Vents
Under the toilet tank lid is a popular place to hide drugs, as well as bathroom vents. Vents are easy to remove and replace, making them an ideal spot to store items that weren’t meant to be discovered. When is the last time you took your vent out of the bathroom to look in the duct? Exactly. You have to get one step ahead of your teen. - Candy Containers and Wrappers
Those Altoid tins and Lifesaver containers may pack more of a punch than just a powerful mint. Candy containers are great concealment devices, and easily accessible. Keep an eye on these containers – especially if your teen constantly has one in his or her possession. - Belt Buckles
Belts aren’t meant to just hold up pants anymore. Some clever kid found a way to change the buckle into a secret compartment to hide drugs and paraphernalia. If you suspect your teen’s buckle could be serving a dual purpose, flip it over and make sure the back doesn’t slide off. - Posters and Wall Hangings
Pictures are worth a thousand words, but not if they’re a disguise for drugs. Don’t let that picture fool you, as it may be a façade used to hide a drug stash. Teens will flatten drugs and tape them behind posters and picture frames. If you notice the frame of a picture is constantly hanging crooked or the tape on the corner of a poster is pealing, it may be worth a peek just to make sure nothing is hiding behind the scene. - Books
They say don’t judge a book by its cover and that’s especially true if your teen has cut out the pages and created a drug safe. Don’t let that book fool you; there may be more on the inside than a fictional ride. - Mattresses and Toys
Teens can cut holes into stuffed animals or mattresses to create a secret compartment that hides their drugs. So while you think that stuffed animal holds fond childhood memories, it may actually be holding one wild trip that no teen needs to experience. Pay particular attention if your teen insists on taking that stuffed animal to sleepovers.
From light switches to outlet plates, don’t be left in the dark with where your teen could be hiding drugs. It’s important to pay close attention to the signs of drug use. If you suspect your teen is using drugs please seek professional help. If your gut is telling you that your teen is hiding something, take a closer look at those seemingly innocent items lying around the house. Ignorance is never bliss when it comes to protecting your child from drug abuse and addiction.
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