Teen Drug Help
Australian Study Links Teen Pot Use, Psychosis
Teenagers who use marijuana are twice as likely to develop a psychosis such as schizophrenia, according to a new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
- Dr. John McGrath , and his colleagues at the Queensland Brain Institute in Australia studied 3,800 young adults born between 1981 and 1984 .
- Among the 1,272 young people in this study who never used marijuana, only 2 percent were diagnosed with psychosis.
- Among those who used marijuana for six or more years, 3.7 percent were diagnosed with this illness.
- Even those who used marijuana for fewer than three years were at an increased risk for mental problems.
"The nature of the relationship between psychosis and marijuana use is by no means simple and more research is needed to examine the mechanisms at work," Dr. McGrath wrote in his report.
The study comes at a time when many state legislatures are considering legalizing marijuana. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported an increase in marijuana use among young people, many of who believe the drug is harmless.
Labels: health problems, marijuana
Meth Lab Busts on Rise in Tennessee
In Tennessee, meth lab seizures rose by a shocking 76 percent in 2009. The state's Director for the Meth Task Force, Tommy Farmer, believes the sharp rise in seizures is due to improved investigative methods.
In a March 3 ad on the website of Tennessee newspaper The Tomahawk, freelance Paula Walter reported on other causes -- and likely effects -- of the increase in meth-related arrests:
While many methamphetamine labs are often set up in out-of-the-way, clandestine areas, new ways of producing meth have arisen. The most common is known as "shake and bake." This method has increased in popularity not only in Tennessee, but across the nation.
This methodology is faster than the traditional methods. However, it is extremely dangerous as the chemicals needed for this process are highly volatile, resulting in explosions. “Our burn units are bursting at the seams, “ said Farmer. At this time, “60 to 70 percent of lab seizures are shake and bake,” Farmer added.
Methamphetamine causes devastating effects upon users, their families and communities. Methamphetamine use destroys families and individuals. Communities with meth users often see an increase in burglaries and thefts as users look for ways to obtain money. Children of methamphetamine users often are abused and neglected.
Labels: law, meth
Prescription Drug Abuse Increasing Among South Dakota Teens
Approximately one in five teens has used a prescription medication for recreational purposes. According to a local treatment provider in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, area teens are following this trend.
Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem in Sioux Falls, according to treatment expert Ben Granville. Granville said local high school students regularly use such prescription medications as hydrocodone, Ritalin, Xanax, and Oxycontin.
Granville said that many teens obtain the drugs from their parents' or relatives' medicine cabinets. In addition, students who have prescriptions for drugs such as Ritalin have been known to sell the drugs at school for as much as $30 to $40 per pill.
Technology also aids access to prescription drugs. Tens text one another when drugs are available at school. Granville and other treatment providers urge parents to be aware that prescription drugs are easily accessible to their children.
(Source: ksfy.com)
Labels: prescription-drug-abuse
Alcohol Linked to Rise in Fatal Car Crashes Involving Young Women
New research indicates that alcohol is becoming an increasingly important factor in the number of fatal car crashes involving young women drivers in the United States. In 2007 alone, alcohol-related crashes accounted for almost one-third of all fatal car crashes in the United States.
The new research, which was recently published in the journal Injury Prevention, included an analysis of data from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on fatal road traffic collisions for the years 1995 to 2007. The study shows that the increase in the proportion of young female drivers with a positive blood alcohol test involved in a fatal collision was greater (3.1%) than it was for young male drivers (1.2%).
In addition, the increase in the proportion of young drivers involved in fatal crashes with positive blood alcohol tests at all times of the week was greater among young women than it was among young men. The rate increased by 3.5% on weekdays and 2.2% on weekends among young women. By contrast, it rose by 1.5% on weekdays and 0.4% on weekends among young men.
(Source: sciencedaily.com)
Labels: alcohol, car accidents
Lack of Sleep Linked to Teen Drug Use
According to a new study by researchers at the University of San Diego and Harvard University, teens who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to use illegal drugs.
For the study, the researchers tracked the drug use and sleep patterns of more than 8,000 teens. They found that social networks significantly influenced both sleep patterns and drug use among study participants. For example, teens with a friend who sleeps less than seven hours per night are 11 percent more likely to sleep less than seven hours per night. In addition, teens with a friend who sleeps less than seven hours per night are 19 percent more likely to use marijuana.
Researchers found that teens with a friend who uses marijuana are almost twice as likely to use marijuana themselves. Study results also indicated that lack of sleep might be linked to increased alcohol use by teens.
The study authors commented: "Adolescents are embedded in complex social networks and are especially vulnerable to peer effects -- possibly not only with respect to drugs, but also with respect to sleep."
(Source: news.yahoo.com)
Labels: sleep, teen drug use
