Pubdate: Oct 18, 1998
Source: Sunday Mail (Australia)
Contact:  Lou Robson

IS YOUR CHILD ON DRUGS?

Book reveals telltale signs

IS YOUR garden hose getting shorter? Does your child come home with glazed
or red eyes? Does their room smell like stale food or deodorant?

If the answer is yes then your child could be a drug user. According to the
author of a new book called Gone to Pot it's easy to tell if your child is
smoking marijuana or about to move to a harder drug.

Medical writer Raelene Allen says everything from what a child eats to how
long they spend on the phone can indicate whether or not they are using
drugs.

She says recognising the warning signs, which range from tiny marijuana
seeds in the carpet to a child refusing to take prescription medicine, can
mean the difference between life and death.

Garden hoses, plastic bottles, aluminium cans and foil can be used as
components for making a bong.

She says dope-smoking youngsters often eat fast food to overcome the
"munchies" and spray underarm deodorant around their room to mask the
distinctive smell of marijuana.

"A lot of people these days say 'Don't worry about it, it's only
marijuana'." Ms Allen said.

"But they don't realise what it can lead to."

During the two years it took to research her book Ms Allen says she
interviewed the parents of children who had committed suicide, become
schizophrenic, become heroin addicts, turned to crime or simply disowned
them after smoking marijuana.

The interviews, along with statistics that showed 50% of children under 18
had tried marijuana, with many going on to become habitual users, prompted
her to write the book.

A parent's guide to marijuana slang

WEED, MULL, DOPE, WACKY BACCY, GANJA: Marijuana SKUNK: Strong marijuana
LEAF: Weak marijuana BONG,BILLY: Smoking apparatus BUCKET: Large smoking
apparatus which uses a bucket instead of a bottle. DOUBLE OR TRIPLE CHAMBER:
Usually a homemade bong with two or three bottles linked with tubing.
PULLING A CONE: When an individual smokes a cone. SNOW CONE: A cone which
has cocaine or heroin on top. CREEPER: A cone that takes a few minutes to
have an effect. SPLIFF, SCOOB, DOOB, NUMBER: Joint or marijuana cigarette
MULL COOKIES: Biscuits or cake laced with marijuana. GREENING OUT: When
someone smokes too much marijuana and becomes sick. FOIL: About one gram or
$25 worth of marijuana. BAG:Usually a $50 bag of marijuana. OUNCE: Large
quantity (25g) of marijuana usually bought to split up and sell.

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Checked-by: Rolf Ernst