Just found this site and thread. My 15-year-old son has taken a very similar path...smoking, dope, staying out, missing school, grades down the pan. Would not wish this on anyone else but it is heartening to know that it is not just us going through this.    I think we are now at the end of our tether. Been through different stages: denied it was his fault or he was doing anything wrong tried to control it...'only do it at weekends' Enabled it - 'OK, you can do it within certain parameters' Withdrawal - now we are going to have to just wait and see what happens as none of the above helped. School is nearly at point of kicking him out. We are a stable, professional family and our son has never wanted for anything (maybe that's the problem??). Over the past year, he has gone from a loving little boy to a monster. He is rude, disobedient and smoking dope whenever he can get his hands on it.  Refuses any counselling and he is not bad enough for police to force him into help. Yet.   Part of me just wants to throw him out of the house but other part of me wants to reassure him that, no matter what, he has a home with us.   Just wanted to say that the posts here are heartbreaking but also reassuring...someone tell me that this is just a phase!   ... View more