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Child Skips School; Might Be Using Drugs

Question:

My son has repeatedly skipped school this year. Twice this week we did not know where he was. We grounded him. As I write this, he still hasn’t come home today. We think he is using marijuana. We don't know what to do.

Answer:

 

Many parents struggle with this situation. If your son is grounded but he isn't currently in your home, then he's not really grounded—he’s on the run. Whenever a youth leaves without parental consent, he can be considered a runaway. We encourage you to call the police and report him.

The only way to know for sure if he's using drugs is to have him tested.  You can purchase an at-home drug testing kit. You can also check to ​see if his school offers any type of assistance with this. Or if you give us your location, we can see if there are any referrals for drug testing near you. 

Please don't hesitate to e-mail us back. You can also call our free hotline at 1-800-448-3000 if you need more immediate assistance.