Top Ten Ways To Tell...

If Your Friends Have Stopped Using Drugs.

1. Better Grades and Work Performance.

Often times when people stop using drugs they become obsessed with things like grades and achievements. This is because, suddenly lacking the simple pleasure of “being” they now have to resort to the complicated pleasure of “doing” in order to feel good about themselves. So watch for sudden improvements in grades or work performance. This is probably the number one red flag.

2. Changes In Attitude.

Look for changes in your friend’s usual attitude. Where they once were easy going and chill, now they may look all bummed out and serious. Where they were once up for any random act of destruction, now they may bring up things like “legal consequences”. They may take a sudden interest in your life outside of partying and having fun. They may suddenly seem more “polite” and “considerate”. They may suddenly feel the need to clean their entire apartment and reorganize everything in it. A newspaper left on the kitchen table with items in the “Help Wanted” section circled is another red flag.

3. New Friends.

Watch who they hang out with. If they’re suddenly palling around with people they used to refer to as “total dorks”, your friends might have stopped taking drugs. If you see them whispering with their new friends in the corner of a party while pointing at you…that’s another red flag.

4. Old Hobbies.

The sudden return to lame hobbies and interests long abandoned is another sign that your friend is no longer using. Dusting off a stamp collection, badminton set or piece of exercise equipment is a dead giveaway.

5. Less Moody.

Watch for a lack of moodiness. No highs means no lows and makes Jack a dull boy who really should fire one up now and then.

6. Paying Off Debts.

When a guy’s going around paying off debts and hasn’t asked you to borrow rent money in a few months, it’s often a sign he’s laying off the good stuff.

7. No Shades.

You’re looking at your friend and you notice something different…oh yeah, he’s not wearing sunglasses. You can actually see his eyes. In fact he might feel the need to maintain eye contact with you for uncomfortably long periods of time, usually with a very earnest look in his eyes, which by the way will not be bloodshot at all.

8. Better Smell.

You might notice a lack of certain smells, like over-applied perfumes or colognes, patchouli oil, gum and other masking agents. Simple rule, if they smell great, they’re going straight.

9. Lack Of Partying.

A person who doesn’t do drugs may stay home a lot more than when they were using. If you call your friend from a party or club at 1am and he or she “doesn’t feel like” joining you because they were “sleeping”…they might be on the wagon.

10. Smug Superiority.

If you’re friend is not doing drugs, he will feel the need to reject his previous drug use because deep down he fears he’ll never make it and needs to bolster his feelings of being in control, at least for the moment, of his own desire to tie one on. Often this will take the form of rejecting of you and your drug use, no matter how casual it may be. If you notice an upswing in smug superiority, with its attendant “in your face” brand of self-esteem, your friend may have crossed over to the “light side”.

11. Bonus tip: They're dead.

The main thing is not to panic. Many people experiment with not using drugs and in time get over it. Tell them you’re concerned and if they want to talk, you’re there for them. Often that’s enough. They might not take you up on it right away, but soon enough, they’ll be back.