Updated and Fact-Checked August 2024 by: Mike Carter, LCDC
Update list:
- Added new places
- Added signs of drug abuse for teens.
- Added insights to look for help.
Ingenious Hiding Spots for Drugs
As unnerving as it may be to admit, teens have proven to be resourceful when it comes to hiding drugs, similar to how addicts hide their substances.
Teens use a wide range of ingenious methods for concealing drugs, from everyday items to secret spaces in vehicles.
Everyday Items with Hidden Compartments
Teens have gotten creative on where to hide drugs. They have found spots around the home, vehicles if they have one, and are especially creative with hiding spots around the room. Below we will explore some creative, yet common hiding spots teens may hide substances.
Items Around the House
The most common, yet overlooked, items can serve as excellent hiding spots. Highlighters, makeup containers, jewelry boxes and pens, items that seem harmless, can be modified to store drugs.
It can be difficult to spot some of these. For example you may not notice an empty highlighter or a pen repurposed for substance ingestion can be challenging.
Secret compartments can even be incorporated into calculators – an essential school supply, making them an ideal hideout.
Secret Spaces in Vehicles
Illicit drugs can be hidden in a multitude of spots within vehicles. Some common locations where teens hide drugs include:
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Under the seats
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In glove compartments
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Within door panels
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In the vehicle’s wheel or tire
These small spaces, although seemingly obvious, often go unnoticed due to their everyday use.
In Plain Sight: Disguising Drugs as Ordinary Objects
Concealing drugs in plain sight is arguably the most cunning method to conceal drugs. By disguising drugs as everyday items, teens may hide drugs in candy wrappers, snack bags, gum packages, cough medicine bottles, or shaving cream bottles.
Cans and Containers Made to Store Drugs
The sole purpose of stash cans and containers is drug concealment. These containers are often designed to look like around the house items such as soda cans, shaving cream, or canned foods. They have false bottoms to stash drugs and usually conceal the smell of drugs such as marijuana.
Teens can easily access these stash cans as they are readily available from local smoke shops, retailers or online distributors.
Clothing and Accessories with Secret Pockets
Teens may also hide drugs in clothing and accessories. This could be in their drawers or clothing. Some examples include clothing with hidden pockets in the sleeves, underwear or accessories like belt buckles that have been modified to conceal drugs.
Drug concealment is taken a step further with drug paraphernalia that one may not think is paraphernalia. These items are designed to resemble everyday items so that they are harder to detect. Some examples include:
- Straws, hollow pens, rolled-up paper, or bills for snorting cocaine
- Small mirrors, credit cards, or razor blades for cutting cocaine
- Weed pipes that look like lipstick or pencils
Bedroom and Bathroom
Drugs can be stashed in numerous locations within room decor and furniture.In bedrooms teens may hide drugs behind posters, picture frames or in DVD cases. Furniture with secret drawers or false bottoms provide additional hiding spots.
One place often overlooked is the bathroom. This can be a potential hiding spot for drugs such as inside the toilet, underneath the back of the bowl or inside air vents.
Outdoor Hideouts
This may include spots outside of the house such as the garage, shed, treehouses. It can also include discreet places in your neighborhood or even abandoned lots or buildings.
How to Recognize and Address Drug Use Among Teens
An important step in prevention and intervention is the recognition of drug use among teens.
From identifying warning signs of drug use to understanding the importance of communication and support to seeking professional help, there are several ways to address this issue.
Warning Signs of Teen Drug Use
Being mindful and staying observant is the starting point for identifying signs of drug use among teens. Some potential signs of substance abuse include:
- Abrupt shifts in social circles
- Heightened defiance or disrespect
- Withdrawal from family engagements
- A decline in academic performance
- A sudden increase in the use of mouthwash, breath sprays, or mints
These signs should be taken seriously and further investigation may be necessary.
Supporting Your Teen with A Drug Problem
When dealing with teen drug abuse, open communication and support are of paramount importance. Making sure your home is a safe space to talk about drugs is key. Here are some ways parents can offer assistance:
- Maintain awareness of your teenager’s frequent whereabouts
- Understand their commute to school
- Familiarize themselves with the peers they associate with
- Be mindful of the kind of content they consume
Seeking Professional Help
If you identify warning signs of a substance abuse problem in your teen, it’s important to reach out for professional support to help find the best plan of treatment.
At Clearfork Academy our team of compassionate, licensed therapists understands the complex nature of substance abuse disorder in teens. Reach out to our Admissions team to learn more.
Originally from the Saginaw, Eagle Mountain area, Austin Davis earned a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral Ministry from Lee University in Cleveland, TN and a Master of Arts in Counseling from The Church of God Theological Seminary. He then went on to become a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor in the State of Texas.
Austin’s professional history includes both local church ministry and clinical counseling. At a young age, he began serving youth at the local church in various capacities which led to clinical training and education. Austin gained a vast knowledge of mental health disorders while working in state and public mental health hospitals. This is where he was exposed to almost every type of diagnosis and carries this experience into the daily treatment.
Austin’s longtime passion is Clearfork Academy, a christ-centered residential facility focused on mental health and substance abuse. He finds joy and fulfillment working with “difficult” clients that challenge his heart and clinical skill set. It is his hope and desire that each resident that passes through Clearfork Academy will be one step closer to their created design.
Austin’s greatest pleasures in life are being a husband to his wife, and a father to his growing children. He serves at his local church by playing guitar, speaking and helping with tech arts. Austin also enjoys being physically active, reading, woodworking, and music.