Site Promotion – Yahoo

Webmasters may well choose only to use The Open Directory Project (ODP) due to it be a free listing directory, but if you do want to ensure a wide audience and listing then there are few better options than Yahoo! It has grown rapidly in recent years and its recent association with a possible Microsoft buy out has only increased its renown. It is the undisputed market leader in the directory market and prices have risen reflecting its superiority; it is also becoming harder to submit to it.

However, obviously, more expensive than the ODP and more difficult to achieve submission to, Yahoo has undoubted benefits. A listing on the directory will lead targeted traffic to the website, increase link popularity and the website’s Google PageRank. It is thus vital that you understand what Yahoo is and how it can aid your website promotion.

Yahoo is a directory. It uses a directory format to categorize the sites listed within and is run by a group of employed editors who will review any submission requests, listing problems and maintenance issues. Though predominantly American it has subsidiary country specific and region specific sister sites – it thus not only has global reach but also local specialization.

It is no wonder why so many website managers wish to be listed on Yahoo!, and here is how you can do it:

There are effectively two ways. The first one is free, but it is not available to all sites and has other disadvantages. The second way can be used by nearly all submitters but is not cheap.

Free submission:

The free submission option offered by Yahoo has some disadvantages. It is not available for the commercial directory which consists mostly of the “Business and Economy” category and its subcategories, which are where most commercial sites should be found. This is not a blanket approach though as some international Yahoos (UK & Ireland and New Zealand & Australia) – they still allow free submissions to the categories under “Business and Economy”. Thus, if you have a commercial site that is aimed at a broadly non-US audience, submitting to the appropriate international Yahoo might be a cost-effective solution.

The second drawback is that the free submission option is reserved for non-commercial sites. So, if you do have a commercial site that belongs outside the “Business and Economy” classification, the only way to get the website listed is through Yahoo Express.

It is worth noting at this point how Yahoo differentiates between commercial and non-commercial sites. Basically, if you’re selling a product or service, it is commercial. If your site provides a lot of high quality free content and with no banner ads and affiliate programs, it will be classified as non-commercial. These two positions are widely divergent and there is an awful lot of room for disputation

It is here that the editors come into their own – a site with an awful lot of free content with affiliate links may or may not get through depending on how the Editor is feeling as much as any definitive policy.

The trick here is to design your website to make it clear that its main aim is to distribute free information – but if it is done tacky or in such a way as to intimate that the webmaster is only doing it for the money – you will most likely lose out on a free listing. In fact you can be selling nothing but be so drenched in affiliate links and banner ads that the site will not be accepted.

Yahoo’s free submission is a very slow and unreliable way to get into the directory. Unless you are lucky it will take several attempts to get listed and can take weeks, if not months, to get listed. But the rewards are worth the hassle.

The only other route is the Yahoo Express for which there is (in the US) a $300 fee and a yearly retainer of the same amount. The price is double that for adult content sites. Each Yahoo has slightly differing submission procedures so it is advisable to investigate these sites direct. The simple fact is though: if you can afford to get listed on the Yahoo directory it is well worth the expense.

Getting Ahead With an Internet Marketing Expert

Although the internet is now widely known, internet marketing is still a mystery to a large portion of business internet users. This is because some are just outright confused as to how internet marketing works while some are cautious because they see it as a foreign area of the web, populated with silly get-rich-quick schemes and unsavory characters ready to rip off the innocent and uninformed consumer at the click of a mouse.

Getting started in internet marketing is pretty much normally overwhelming to e-business newcomers, even if they are seasoned business pros or marketing and advertising authorities. Marketing is actually original and pretty distinct from regular marketing and advertising. The complexions are compounded for individuals who don’t have vast knowledge in operating, advertising and marketing a company. Whatever the situation, quite a few novice internet entrepreneurs are thinking of hiring a marketing expert to get their internet-based company up and running and generating income.

Marketing experts offer various services and they can be hired for a specific job or for the whole package depending on a company’s advertising needs. You can also hire a marketing expert to teach you the ins and outs of the business so that by the time that you will be confident enough, you will be the one to do the marketing for you company yourself. Marketing experts can either be free lance or affiliated with an advertising company. Experts offers a hand in preparing your marketing plans and marketing materials, act as marketing consultants, manage campaigns and full-service marketing from planning to execution, maintenance and follow up.

Internet is very important for you business to succeed in the internet world. Your business might have a very nice website but it is not generating any revenue because it does not have any visitors. This is where marketing comes in. It will and can usher in visitors that will patronize your business there by generating income. Not all websites needed a marketing campaign but if you want your website to generate income, then by all means, hire a competent marketing expert. The marketing expert will make sure that your website is laid out for internet visibility and promoted with the best marketing campaign.

The advantage of hiring a marketing expert is that you can have access to expertise in internet marketing while not having to worry about the inner workings of it. The only downside is the cost of hiring a marketing expert but given the huge impact of having an income-generating website with the aid of marketing, you be the judge if it worth it. As more business recognizes the edge of marketing, it will gradually earn more respect and be a recognized profession with flexible hours. Hiring internet marketing is the key to business internet recognition, opens doors to endless possibilities and fast return of investment.

Choosing a Real Home Based Business

There are so many home-based business opportunities out there today.  How do you know what is real and what isn’t?  You always hear about the scams, but very seldom do you hear about what is actually allowing people to accomplish their dreams of having their own business.  When looking for a real home based business, there are certain things you should do or think about before you make a decision.

What do you want to do? – You have to know what type of business you want to get involved with.  If it’s not something you enjoy, feel great about sharing, or something you can be positive about, you aren’t going to succeed regardless of what the business has to offer.

Why do you want to start a business? – You have to have a “Why am I doing this” that will pull you through difficult times.  What is going to drive you to set goals and accomplish what you’ve set in front of you to do even when you don’t want to do it? 

Research – Research the information you are being presented with.  Who is it coming from, what are they offering, how much is it going to cost you?  There should be information available to you that will help you make an informed decision.  If it seems like information is being hidden, it probably is along with many other things about the so-called opportunity.

Money – Are you being asked to pay a large sum of money upfront and you don’t know what you’re getting?  This is not likely a legitimate opportunity.  A small application fee is not a deal breaker, but you should not pay out money before you know what you’re getting.

Talk to Someone – Is there someone calling to introduce themselves or ask if you have any questions?  If the answer is yes, chances are you’ve got a real opportunity with people who are willing to help you get started and succeed.

Are You Ready? – You have to ask yourself if you’re really ready to take on starting a business.  It’s not a hobby, and you can’t treat it like a hobby.  Are you willing to put forth the work it may take to start a business?  Are you ready for the results you are going to get as well?  You have to prepare yourself to succeed and get your mindset on that same path.
Choosing a real home based business is something that takes thought and research.  If you are truly interested in starting a business and not a hobby, you have to have the mindset of someone who is going to succeed at what they have started.  Do research and more research before you make a decision.  Does the information look legitimate?

How Big Can You Build a Home Based Business?

How big can you build your home based business?In this age of technology where each and everyone of us is connected, wherever we are, this question should be given a thought.Each and everyone of us is connected through various networks. These networks include buying-selling, family-friends etc.The basis of any home based business is this network that we are in and producing something out of the network. The communication channel within this network has changed with ages!The changes in earlier times were slow. They were slow in terms of giving time to the people to adapt. Earlier the changes were so slow, that it could give time to entire generation to adapt and then move towards the next change.Earlier, it was the newspapers that were used to address the people and get them into the client network. The personal recommendations added fuel and the companies grew the client base.Then came the radio and then the TV.Now? We have Facebook, YouTube and such other social networking sites. It is very important to note the medium of communication change and the way the home-based businesses change.Entrepreneurship in this age has been understood well by masses. This is being given importance today and has been applied by a larger mass of people. The reason? It is now very easy to address people and get clients joined in the network and expand them. There are a number of options available for communication.The result? It is very easy to start your own home-based business. Along with that, the possibility of growing your business at a faster rate is also greater. we can say that the prospects of getting a bigger business sitting home rather than a traditional one are much much more. One can grow this thing to give a turnover in cores!Yes, I am not joking. People have done that. Not one, not two, but hundreds!More and more people are joining the winning wagon. There is nothing to loose. Most of the home based businesses can be started with the traditional job or profession or business. This is a blessing in the form of opportunity for house wifes, provided you have chosen the right manufacturer and the right education system.In today’s world, any home-based business has larger prospects. Therefore, it is very important to get the right information about the business you are going to start and succeed at it!

Twitter and Home Based Business Success – Does it Really Help?

Twitter is thought as the best way of reaching prospective customers for your home based business. Many consider it as the most cost effective tool of reaching your customers and updating them about your products, services, news and many more. In a way, it is the most happening social networking site that lets your home based business to reach your customers in an unconventional way.Now, you must be thinking – What on Earth is TWITTER?It is the most happening social networking website over the internet. Many regard this site as a micro-blogging service. A person or home based business entrepreneur can write short text messages and post in Twitter. These messages are of 140 characters and you can update your friends and networks through this unique and free media. You can also receive their messages, updates, concerns and many more. Thus, you can connect with your customers through this unique micro-blogging tool.Why is it so IMPORTANT for Home based Business Owners?If you are a home business entrepreneur then Twitter can be the best way to market you products and services. This is the most cost effective and at the same time effective marketing tool. It can be accessed by anyone at free of cost. After creating an account you can start making friends of your niche. Then start networking with them. It is the most unconventional way to reach your consumers and offer them service. Not only this, you can make your offered service and product better by getting real time feedbnack from your networks. Through Twitter, you can also reach and connect with experts of marketing, analyze the works of your competitors and expand business by networking with other companies.Is it possible to enhance online presence of your home based business?The easiest and most effective form of marketing tool over the internet is Social Media. Some of the most happening social media sites (both Book-Marking as well as Networking) are Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Delicious and many more. Now, as a marketer it is desirable for you to connect all your accounts in the social media sites with each other so that exchange of thoughts take place in a more concerted and effective manner.A short guide for home businesses to expand businesses through TwitterFirst of all, what type of home business do you have? Do you have a restaurant or ticket agency or PR expert or online business? If that is so then let me help you in expanding your business through Twitter. Here are some of the things that you can do:
1. If you have your own restaurant in your home then you can update your friends by tweeting about the daily specials of your restaurant.
2. If you have a ticket agency then it will be meaningful for you to tweet about those tickets that are on their way to expiry.
3. If you are a PR expert then tweeting about your publicity opportunities can help you earn more money.
4. If you have an online home based business then it will be prudent for you to update your networks on the latest product and service offered by you.Thus, choose your business from the wide array of home based business ideas available in the market. Make good use of it and market yourself effectively through Twitter.

Advertising Strategies For Your Home Based Businesses That Can Increase Your Sales Dramatically

Do you have a successful home based business and want to increase your client base? Are you tired of paying high costs for advertising that never end up paying off? Well, here are the best four advertising strategies for your home based businesses that can increase your sales online dramatically!The first advertising strategy you should use when you are looking to advertise your home based business is to look for your target audience. If you are an interior decorator, determine who wants to change up the look of your house. If you have a home based financial firm, see who needs assistance with their finances most often. These target audiences, also called demographics are going to be very important when you go to purchase advertising. The more demographics that your business targets, the more likely you will be able to pay lower advertising costs and see increase in sales.The second advertising strategy you should use when you are looking to advertise your home based business is to determine that type of advertising you can afford. Not many home businesses can afford a billboard next to a major highway. You may want to start off by advertising your business in a local newspaper, or online. Online advertising for home businesses has skyrocketed recently. Due to the ability to target to select demographics, as well as being able to drill down to a local audience, you can make your conversion rates jump right through the roof!The third advertising strategy you can use is to join the home based business opportunity that has created strong business foundation and survived online for number of years. You will likely learn the advertising ways that are workable and proven to be effective. This will save you from spending your budget on advertising that has been proven to not be effective. Sometimes, you may even be able to barter with another home business owner to help you market your own business!The fourth advertising strategy you should use when you are looking to advertise your home based business is to widen you demographics. Sometimes business owners go in too narrow in their targeting of their advertising. It is possible that someone on the fringes of your demographic may be interested in your business. Try changing the targeting of your demographic and see if you are able to increase your sales. You just might be amazed!Whether you use all of these strategies or only some of them, you should see a dramatic increase in the sales. Make sure that you know your target audience, if you do not, you stand to lose out on a large amount of new clients for your home based business. Keeping your business in the black is important, but you need to always put your customer first to ensure that your business will last!

Small Business Development Centres – A Backbone for Your Dream

When one sets out to establish a Business, the entire path looks like a mist. You never know which turn it might take, though every new entrant hopes to get nothing but the best. But what if someone could pave this path? What if there was no risk at all of any failure in your venture? And even if there was, what if this failure could not damage much which it otherwise would have? It is better to have a backbone beforehand that can support you throughout, and save you from much losses.

Small Business Development Centres (SBDCs) are a new emerging trend in your own local areas. These are generally the tie-ups between the Government and colleges or universities, and their main motive is to give educational services and guidance to local Small Business Administrations (SBAs). Those who aspire to become entrepreneurs have been drawing much benefit from the SBDCs that are springing up. These conduct seminars and conferences, and ensure that the small business and aspiring entrepreneurs who have subscribed are up-to-date with the dynamism of the Business World.

There is a very basic line that a regular Small Business Development Centre works on. It assists its subscribed small business in attaining the following-

Customer-oriented quality
Ambitious leadership
Constant betterment through mutual exchange of knowledge and information
Member participation and hand-in-hand growth
Well-timed response
Noticeable performance
Fact-based management
Successful affiliations and partnerships
Reliable communication network
Variety-Unity-Expertise
Jubilation of excellence
There are, in all, 63 SBDCs in the United States that lead organizational aligned programs which are offered to the member small scale businesses. They require a wide-spread network of mercantile establishments and separate satellites for each state. Besides, each of these centres has a Director who is in the charge of all the functions performed in the respective Small Business Development Centre. Additionally, a sufficient number of staff members, volunteers and part-tome personnel are appointed for the smooth functioning of these centres.

The services provided by a regular Small Business Development Centre revolve around giving a financial aid to the small scale businesses, so that there is no dearth of funds at the later stages. Marketing one’s firm, producing superior quality of goods or services, the basic infrastructure, engineered aspects, technical support and measuring whether or not the concerned business idea is feasible are some of the basic aids that these centres provide. Besides, all the services that are provided at Small Business Development Centres are free of charges, and confidential, so that the privacy of the concerned party is kept intact. Anyone who is willing to learn the business basics, to open up a new business house, or to improve an existing one is eligible to draw their services.

Natural Supplements to Grow Taller Review – Herbal Facts and Marketer’s Claims Review

Why do many consumers take dietary supplements to grow taller? The reasons are varied-many times medically valid, sometimes not. In low or appropriate dosages, some supplements offer health benefits under some circumstances. Some people use supplements with good intention: perhaps in search of protection from or a remedy for health problems such as depression, aging skin, cancer, or arthritis. Still others seek added benefits: perhaps better athletic performance or sexual prowess. Too often, supplement use is based on scientifically unfounded marketing promises. But, some people still claim to undeniable scientific proofs.

It would be great, but boosting your nutrient intake won’t cause your cells to produce extra energy or more brain power. Only three nutrients carbohydrates, fats, and proteins supply energy or calories to grow taller. Vitamins don’t. Although B vitamins do help body cells produce energy from the three energy nutrients, they don’t produce energy themselves. Many powerful drugs and toxic chemicals are plant-based. Varieties of mushrooms can be classified as “culinary delicious” or “deadly dangerous.” In the same vein, herbal supplements should be used with caution! Any healthy natural supplements to grow taller, without proper doctor acknowledgement and governement authority approbation sounds really fishy to me.

Athletes and other physically active people need about the same amount of nutrients as others do to grow taller just more energy, or calories, for the increased demands of exercise. The extra amount of food that active people eat supplies the very small amount of extra vitamins needed to grow taller and have more energy production, too.

Although protein needs are somewhat higher for some athletes, especially for those in strength-training sports, food can easily provide the extra. On another note, physical activity, not extra amino acids (protein), builds muscle. For more on nutrition for athletes and ergogenic aids.

Dietary supplements to grow taller won’t protect you from the harmful effects of smoking or alcohol abuse. Here’s the real scoop: Smoking does increase the body’s need for vitamin C; drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages can interfere with the body’s use of most nutrients. If soil can grow crops, the food produced is nutritious. When soil lacks minerals, plants don’t grow properly and may not produce their potential yield. Growing area does affect a food’s iodine and selenium contents.

Supplements won’t give you instant grow taller results, it would take at least a 2-3 months training for instance. For vitamins and minerals to do their work, they need several hours or several days to interact and do their work in your body. For any benefits from other dietary supplements to grow taller, you likely need to take them even longer. Supplements to grow taller are easy to spot. By law, they must be labeled “dietary supplements.” About eighty thousand dietary supplements are marketed in the United States with multivitamin/mineral supplements being the biggest product category-and with an average of 500 new products launched each year. They’re sold in many forms-for example, tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, powders, and bars.

Do you consume a varied, balanced diet to grow taller? With some exceptions, supplements usually aren’t necessary. If you’re healthy and if you’re able and willing to eat a balanced, varied diet. You probably can get the vitamins and minerals you need from smart food choices. According to national studies, most Americans have enough healthful foods available to do that, yet they may not. Under some circumstances, vitamin/mineral supplements offer benefits and are advised; like those for growing taller.

A woman with heavy menstrual bleeding? You may need an iron supplement to replace iron from blood loss. To enhance absorption, take iron supplements with water or juice on an empty stomach. If nausea or constipation are problems, take iron supplements with food. Absorption may be decreased by as much as 50 percent when taken with a meal or a snack. A woman who’s pregnant or breast-feeding? You need more of some nutrients, especially folate and iron-and perhaps calcium if you don’t consume enough calcium-rich foods. Check the label’s Supplement Facts to make sure you get enough for a healthy pregnancy. Ask about a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement.

Someone unable or unwilling to regularly consume a healthful diet to grow taller? You likely need a dietary supplement to fill in the nutrient gaps. However, eating smarter would be better if you don’t have food-related health problems! Take a supplement with the advice of a doctor or a registered dietitian. For example, pre-menopausal women who don’t consume enough calcium to grow taller and stronger bones from food likely need a calcium supplement-unless they’re willing to improve their diet. Some babies after age six months, children, and teens may need a fluoride supplement to grow taller and perhaps iron or vitamin D.

If you are not able to meet your calcium and vitamin D recommendations with foods to grow taller, you may need calcium or vitamin D supplements to grow taller. Ask a dietitian or your doctor about the right dosage and type. And enhance their absorption by taking them with food. Only food can provide the mixture of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and other substances for a health quality that can’t be duplicated with dietary supplements to grow taller alone. Fortunately for most Americans growing taller, there’s plenty of quality, quantity, and variety in the food marketplace.

Enjoy plenty of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods. They provide more for bone health calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and overall health than supplements do. And a varied, well-balanced eating plan offers other nutrients that appear to promote bone density, including magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K

Supplements to grow taller carry labeling, showing the amounts of vitamins and minerals in a single dosage. If you already eat a healthful diet, you probably don’t need any more than a low-dose supplement. Taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement, with no more than 100 percent of the Daily Values (DVs) as a safety net, is generally considered safe. Most nutrient supplements are produced in low dosages.

Supplements with water-soluble vitamins or minerals can be risky if taken in excess, over time. For example, taking extra vitamin B6 has been suggested to help relieve premenstrual tension. Yet there’s limited evidence to support large vitamin B6 doses for relief of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Many women have viewed large vitamin B6 doses as harmless, since they are water-soluble. Instead, they may cause irreversible nerve damage when taken in very large doses above the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): 500 to 5,000 mg vitamin B6 per day.

That said, can you overdose on vitamins or minerals naturally as you grow taller with food? That’s highly unlikely. As we mentioned, taking very high doses of dietary supplements or taking too many, too often can be dangerous. The vitamin and mineral content of food is much more balanced fortunately. In amounts normally consumed, even if you enjoy extra helpings, you won’t consume toxic levels of nutrients. So eat a variety of foods-and enjoy! Note: Nutrient amounts to grow taller can add up if you consume a lot of highly fortified foods.

You may take dietary supplements to grow taller for potential health benefits. It’s not uncommon for people diagnosed with cancer, AIDS, or other life-threatening health problems, who are desperate for a cure, to put their hopes and healthcare dollars in alternative treatments, including dietary supplements. However, supplements may offer a false sense of security-and a serious problem if you neglect well-proven approaches to health or delay medical attention.

Drink plenty of fluids with calcium supplements to avoid constipation. The lactose and vitamin D in the milk help to enhance calcium absorption. If you don’t drink milk and want an alternative to calcium pills, consider calcium-fortified juice or soy beverage. One cup of calcium-fortified juice or soy beverage can contain about 300 milligrams of calcium, the same amount as in a cup of milk, and provides vitamin C, folate, and other nutrients. Still, you need a vitamin D source to aid absorption; some calcium-fortified juices and soy beverages are also fortified with vitamin D.

Calcium supplements help to protect against osteoporosis (brittle-bone disease) It can’t make up for your lifestyle choices or poor health habits. Regular weight-bearing physical activity is important to grow taller and obtain healthy bones. For healthy bones, avoid smoking, too.

Vitamin nasal sprays or patches are effective to grow taller? No research evidence says so, even though they’re promoted for faster, more efficient absorption. In fact, they may not be absorbed at all. Here’s the reality check: Fat-soluble vitamins need fat from food to aid absorption. Vitamin C in your intestine aids iron absorption-a problem if vitamin C comes from a spray. Vitamin B12 binds with intrinsic factor made in the stomach during digestion. That cannot happen with a spray or a patch! So that means all the place that try to claim that you could grow taller with that are just scam.

Indeed, herbals and other botanicals have known medicinal qualities helping us grow taller; 30 percent of today’s drugs come from plants. Yet, herbals and other botanical supplements also are sold as dietary supplements rather than regulated as drugs. Like many plant-derived pharmaceuticals, these supplements can offer both positive health benefits and harmful side effects.

On the up side, enough scientific evidence has been collected on a handful of botanical supplements to support their limited use. For example, under a doctor’s guidance, gingko biloba may be used to help treat the symptoms of age-related memory loss and dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease); green tea extract may help reduce cancer risk. A growing body of research evidence is being gathered about their safety and effectiveness, as well as their limitations and dangers.

On the down side, like other supplements to grow taller, herbal and other botanical supplements are regulated differently from pharmaceuticals, which are meant to cure or prevent disease. You aren’t as protected from misleading claims as you might think. When you think about the quality and effectiveness of these grow taller methods; you can see that the marketer’s are absolutely in control of the quality…

According to current law and regulations, herbal and botanical remedies to grow taller and other dietary supplements to grow taller can enter the marketplace without FDA approval. The burden is on the FDA to remove a dangerous dietary supplements to grow taller from the marketplace. Currently dosages of herbal remedies aren’t standardized, so dosages vary among products. Some are even copies of the actual real-product that is made by legitimate herbal company; they put the same product name change what is inside and put the same label. Be very careful, you can look up grow taller 4 smarts free scam alerts to be ahead of scammers.

Although packaging claims can’t say that a supplement to grow taller cures or prevents disease, it may carry claims for its purported health role. Many claims have only limited scientific evidence. Are herbal supplements or botanicals are safe during pregnancy and nursing? There’s not enough scientific evidence yet to recommend safe levels for herbal supplements for pregnant or nursing moms. However, some are known to be harmful to a baby.

How to Detect Drug Abusing Teenagers

The effects of substance abuse in teens are not only individual; they can also be seen on the society. They may face problems at school or college and may involve in criminal activities. It is therefore very important to detect drug abusing teenagers. Drug testing should be conducted on a regular basis at schools and homes to identify and save them from harmful drugs of abuse.

Signs of drug abuse
Identifying certain signs helps you to detect if the kid is addicted to the drugs. Some of the common physical and emotional signs are:

• Change in sleep patterns
• Poor motor coordination
• Poor hygiene and illness including nausea and excessive sweating
• Irregular heartbeat
• Impaired thinking
• Mood swings
• Hyperactivity or overtired
• Depression

Drug abusing teens lose their interest in family activities, often abuse verbally and physically at home or school, and disrespect the family or school. In addition, abrupt decrease in grades, memory and attention loss, and lack of interest and concentration on studies are some of the signs at school. The moment you observe any of the above mentioned signs, you need to immediately check if the kid is abusing drugs. Drug testing is one of the safest and easiest ways to detect the drug abuse among teens.

Types of drug tests
There are different types of methods to detect the teens who are using drugs. Some of the common ones are urine, saliva, hair, and blood tests.

Urine drug test
Of all the types, urine testing is used most commonly as it is inexpensive method used to detect a drug user. You can use urine test kits at home or school to check if the child is addicted to illegal drugs. Quick and accurate results are obtained by these test kits.

Saliva drug test
It is more advantageous as it is relatively non-intrusive. Saliva from the mouth is taken through a swab and is checked for the presence of drugs. Most recent drug abuse can be detected by saliva tests. Conducting saliva test is very easy and also provides accurate and immediate results.

Hair drug test
This method is also non-intrusive. A hair sample of 1.5 inches in length is enough for conducting the test. Drug or its metabolites deposited at the hair shaft are detected by hair tests. You can get very reliable and accurate results by this method.

Blood drug test
You can also use a blood sample of the teen to detect illegal drug usage. It is however expensive and you need to approach laboratory as you cannot conduct it at your home.

Detection periods
The detection period depends on the method of test conducted. These detection periods vary from the type, dosage, and frequency of drug used.

Urine drug test can detect drug or its metabolites for 30 days in frequent users and for 2-3 days in occasional users. The test detects Cocaine for 4-5 days, Heroin for 2-4 days, Methamphetamine for 3-5 days, PCP for 3-7 days, and Codeine for 2-4 days.

A saliva test is mostly used to detect recent drug usage. However, it can also detect drugs consumed 3 days back. Of all the methods, hair drug test has a longer detection period. It detects illegal drug consumption for about 90 days.

What if results are positive?
Once the kid is tested positive by drug test kit, talk to him/her about the result. You can get a confirmatory result through laboratory tests. Communicate with him regularly regarding the effects of drug abuse. Ask him to leave companions or friends who are habituated to drugs. If necessary, send him/her to substance abuse treatment program.

Importance of intervention
Detection and intervention of drug abuse at primitive stages can prevent further damage. Drug intervention is an attempt made by family members or school authorities to help the teen get out of drug abuse or addiction. The main objective of intervention is to make the teen understand the physical and mental destruction caused by drug abuse. If you are not able to speak to the kid on this, you can take help of your friends or relatives. You can also consult specialists who counsel drug abusers and help them get back to their normal life.

Parents and school authorities should always keep an eye on the behavior and activities of the teens. Necessary measures have to be taken in order to prevent them from taking drugs.

Prevent Teen Drug Abuse Using Drug Testing Kits at Home

Teen drug abuse became a serious health problem in United States. It is hurting the healthcare system, burdening the economy, and causing millions of deaths every year. Of the many causes that promote drug abuse among teens, lack of parental supervision is a major one. Teens should be guarded properly by their parents as they are still immature.

Since, early intervention leads to effective prevention of this unhealthy habit, parents should identify drug abusing habits in teens and take preventive measures. Parents can take help of home drug testing kits which are effective and easy to use.

In this article, we will discuss about teens and their vulnerability to drug abuse; how to identify teen drug abuse and how important are drug testing programs at home to prevent teen drug abuse.

Teens – vulnerable to drugs abuse: Many scientific studies have already proved that teenagers are more prone to risk taking and are vulnerable to drug abuse when compared to adults. This typical behavior of teens during adolescence is because of the major changes in parts of the brain that are responsible for functions such as self-control, judgment, planning, organization, and emotions. Since teen brains are not yet fully developed, they cannot take proper decisions and fall victims to unhealthy habits like drug and alcohol abuse.

Signs and symptoms of drug abuse: The primary step towards prevention of drug abuse in teens is to identify their unhealthy habits. Prominent changes, both in their behavior and in physical appearance can be noticed even at the early stages of abuse. Following are the warning signs:

Physical and emotional changes:
• Red eyes
• Finding difficulty to speak
• Sudden fall or rise in weight
• Lack of hygiene and showing less interest in personal grooming
• Aggression and arrogance
• Depression and irritation

Social and behavioral changes:
• Dissociation from old friends and acquiring new social group
• Sudden anger or depression
• Poor attendance and academics at school
• Spending time lonely
• Abnormal odor in breath or clothing
• Pipes, needles and other suspicious substances in their room

Importance of home drug test kits: The moment you see the signs that indicate drug abuse in your teen, it is the time to confirm drug abusing habits using reliable methods. They are useful devices for the parents to confirm these unhealthy habits in teens. They are simple, easy to use, provide instant and accurate results, cost-effective and above all ensure privacy. Some multi-panel drug testing kits can detect multiple drugs of abuse at a shot.

Best drug test methods to implement: When it comes to home drug testing, urine and saliva tests are considered to be the best methods. There are two other methods – blood and hair tests also, but they need special devices and expert supervision, hence are not recommended for home testing.

Urine test can detect the drugs in your teen’s system up to three days after use. If you believe that your teen has taken drugs during the last few days, then this method is effective in offering accurate results. However, it is necessary to check that your teen is not providing fake urine sample which can lead to false results.

Saliva drug testing is an ideal drug test if you suspect that your teen abused drugs on that particular day. These kits can detect drug use up to 48 hours.

Need for random drug testing: If you are conducting drug tests on your teens at regular intervals, following a regular pattern, your teen may notice the pattern and either try to manipulate the sample before the test or stop abusing drugs few days before the test. Hence, practicing random drug tests is always an ideal way to identify the drug use which effectively helps in detecting the drug abuse among your teens. Random testing makes teens say ‘NO’ to drugs as they know that you can conduct drug testing any time at home.

Home drug testing kits can be considered as effective solutions in controlling and preventing drug abuse in your teens. So, make sure that you have some of them at home to test your teen to help him stay away from drugs.