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Experts weigh in on drug awareness, teen use

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — As children get older they want less supervision and more freedom, but too much freedom may expose them to situations where their peers may be using drugs.

Sean Robinson with Grand Rapids Counseling Services tells FOX 17 it's important to be preventative when it comes to drug use, adding that there are signs that parents can use as a guide to whether their children might be using drugs. Those signs include, but are not limited to: change in sleep patterns, mood swings and weight gain. All these might indicate that your child is using or around drugs.

In addition, Robinson said it's important to trust your senses and to make sure to listen for signs that your child wants to talk. You should be talking with your child about drug use at an early age, Robinson said.

If you're having trouble getting your child to open up, Ryan Bekins with ARCpoint Labs Franchise says there are dozens of ways to test for drug use, using various specimens such as hair, nails, urine and blood.

Bekins has the ability to determine if your child is using drugs and can detect what he or she is using as well. ARCpoint Labs can test iPads, cell phones, laptops and hair to see if they've been around an environment with drugs too.

For drug and alcohol testing you can contact ARCpoint Labs of Grand Rapids by calling (616) 365-5809 and to help get your kid to open up about drugs or learn more signs that your kid is using drugs call Grand Rapids Counseling Services at (616) 988-3433.