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Q: I watched a recent television show about “ecstasy”. They said that many kids who use “ecstasy” also use a pacifier to prevent their teeth from grinding. In my 15-year old son’s room, I found a pacifier and a small ziplock bag with 4 cotton swabs and a piece of chewing gum. I don’t get the cotton swabs and gum. Can you give me some idea about this combination of paraphernalia before we approach our son? Will a home drug test show this drug in his urine? Where else can I find some information about this?

A: For right now, let’s not worry about the cotton swab and chewing gum. You have enough evidence for a serious discussion around the presence of a pacifier in your 15-year old’s room! You’ve already learned something about club drugs and the places they are used. Find out more by going to www.clubdrugs.org. Then have that serious conversation with your son and pay very close attention to where he is going with his friends. If it turns out that he is using the pacifier to look “cool”, then you need to impress upon him that it’s not “cool” to look like you are breaking the law.

Many home drug-testing kits do not test for the presence of “ecstasy”. Before you buy one, check to see what drugs are listed. Check with your child’s physician about getting drug test through the physician’s office. You should probably be checking for several drugs. Good luck.