My 16 years old son is on drugs. At first it was weed but now it is ecstasy and I don't know what else. Before, he would say it is just for fun but now, he has left my home and lives with a friend and is looking for money from my friends for drugs. I am single mother and have no help at all. It is so hard to wait for him to change and I know until he does not want the change nothing can change. I don't know what I can do to make it easier for myself and to what extent this could go on.

Attend meetings yourself and see about getting him to go.. do not support the habit all you can do he has to want to do it!

At 16 he can not just Move out, if you want to force him to get help, talk to your local children and family services and/or your local juv probatoin officers.

It is possible you can force him into treatment, perhaps a boot camp or other activity that may help change him.

Abe,

At 16, the people he is living with are harboring a runaway. They could get into big trouble for this, unless of course you gave your approval for him to live there temporarily.

It does sound as though he needs treatment before the addiction gets too bad.

Everyone else said it, and I'm going to say it too, he's classified as a runaway, unless you gave him permission to stay there. If you didn't give him permission, and you really want to take action, call th police, have them go to the house and bring him home. After he is home, seek treatment for him or possibly both of you.

I agree I would call the police, unless you have given someone temporary custody, he's a runaway, they can help you get the help you need, by retreiving him and they may even be able to suggest programs in your area. This is something you need to look into as soon as possible, look up a crisis center in your area, or like what's been suggested by Fr_Chuck call local churches in your area that may have suggestions for youth services. The time to act is immediately before he get's into trouble, eventually he'll run out of money and places to go and start doing things that will cause you both legal problems, since you are still legally responsible.

I did not allow him to go there. He did not run away also. He told me he does not want to live with me and just left. I did not give them temporary custody also. Here in Canada, when kids become 16, they can do as they want and I cannot do anything. CAS does not do anything also. It is horrible.

I didn't realize, I'm so sorry about that situation, to me a child of 16 is just that a child. He they can't vote, or buy cigs, or beer or join the service, for instance, because they are children... Then, If I were you, would try and attend meeting or counseling for families with members on drugs. Like Narcotics Anon, or something similar. I hope things work out for you.

Actually, I attended an Al-Anon meeting in my City. They were just great support. Thank you.

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Originally Posted by Abe36

I did not allow him to go there. He did not run away also. He told me he does not want to live with me and just left. I did not give them temporary custody also. Here in Canada, when kids become 16, they can do as they want and I cannot do anything. CAS does not do anything also. It is horrible.

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In that case make sure that the authorities can not hold you responsible for anything he does.
I have seen where laws say one thing but then leave the other laws lose to interpretation to where you could be responsible even though they say you have no control over him.

That is ashame how they are slowly taking parents rights away by lowering the age on things and saying a child has rights, a parent can't say or do this or that. Then they say it is the parents fault. They in essence are saying the kid will have to learn the hard way because you have no say in what happens if your kid will not listen and they handed them the power to not listen.