There’s few signs that can make you 100% sure of if someone is in the risk zone of a drug addiction. You should in general carefully look for signs before making the conclusions. The main signs is to analyse: time/locations, friendship with drug users, nervous behavior, attempts to hide typical signs and symptoms, possession of drug related items. The categories below may hopefully help you to be more aware of the signs.

Activities

Surveys among young people shows that the drug availability among is high. It’s nowadays not that hard for young people to buy drugs. All though police try try their best to stop the distribution the drugs seems to keep growing. The presence of the drug is particularly strong on locations such as:

• Clubs, bars and pubs (preferably toilets)
• Cars arranged (near the clubs, bars and pubs)
• On parties or festivals with strong links to drugs (rave parties, reggae festivals, ans so on)
• In and adjacent to known users homes
• At city squares in larger cities
• Parks (especially in summer)

Drug associated items

A clear sign of drug use is the possession of items typically connected with the drugs (intake and storage of drugs). Some of these items are more likely to be recognised, but some may be items used every day:

• Syringes for intravenous amphetamine, cocaine-and heroin
• Mirror and razor blade for cocaine (or other drugs in powder form)
• Bent spoons for mixing amphetamine or heroin
• Ascorbic acid and citric acid to make heroin base water
• Aluminum foil for smoking heroin or LSD
• Pipes of different types for hashish smoking
• Cigarette wrapping paper for smoking by including marijuana
• Matchboxes for hashish, ecstasy, and so on
• ”Amsterdam envelopes” (folded bill or piece of paper) for storage
• Film cans for storage of various drugs
• Balance for weighing small quantities of drugs.
• Clothing with drug symbols sewn on clothing or jewelry worn around the neck (smiley marks, marijuana leafs, and so on)

Drug-related crimes

Drug use usually requires large amounts money. The income and savings tends to drastically decrease. This can sometimes lead to other ways of getting money, like thefts, robbery, fraud and prostitution. Because the drug addiction sometimes generates aggressiveness which can cause violence, increased risk taking in traffic, impaired perception, and so on.

Learn more about drugs

• Cannabis – Marijuana, Hashish, Hash oil

• Central Depressive Drugs – Benzodiazepines, GHB

• Central Stimulants – Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Khat

• Hallucinogenic Drugs – LSD, Ecstasy, Phenethylamines, Magic Mushrooms, Peyote Cactus

• Inhaled Drugs – Butane Gas, Poppers

• Opiates – Opium, Morphine, Heroin, Methadone, Subutex, Suboxone, Fentanyl

• PCP and Ketamine – Fencyklidin, Ketamine