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Ryan DePuy, a 17-year-old from Washington State, overdosed on a toxic mix of prescription and over-the-counter medications. He ingested a narcotic pain killer, an antidepressant, and two over-the-counter medications (benadryl and cough syrup) - and the combination was fatal. He was a junior at a local high school.

Ryan was, by all accounts, bright, athletic, and well-liked. He had a supportive network of devoted family and good friends. His father coached his baseball team and went with him to soccer events. However, by the time he was 16 he was addicted to prescription drugs.

At that age, he was enrolled in an inpatient rehabilitation program, where he spent 35 days. When he returned, his parents believed that the program had worked. Gradually, however, Ryan started using again. His parents were deliberating about what to do on the day they received the tragic news that Ryan was dead.

Ryan's father, Scott, has been speaking at local schools trying to educate young people about the dangers of using prescription and over-the-counter medications for recreational purposes. Ryan's mom, Charlene, commented, "Part of a parent's worst fear is losing your child ... And the second worst fear is people forgetting your child."

(Sources: www.nwcn.com)

Labels: drug overdose, prescription-drug-abuse

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A Massachusetts teen drove into two police officers this week while high on marijuana and mushrooms. The teen, a former high school varsity wrestler, faces serious legal consequences for the incident. He has been charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence, attempted murder, two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, and two accounts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

The officers encountered the teen on a rural route at 2:30 a.m. while they were investigating a separate traffic accident. The officers saw the teen's car approach them; it stopped just a few feet away and then suddenly accelerated right toward them. One officer was thrown onto the hood and suffered serious injury to an arm. The officers tried to get the teen to stop the car but he wouldn't. The teen then apparently tried to run down the other officer, knocking him into the air. The second officer also suffered an injury.

The teen then left the scene of the crime, driving slowly but erratically. He was apprehended shortly thereafter and was determined to be intoxicated (to the point of stupor) with marijuana and mushrooms.

(Source: www.dailynewstribune.com)

Labels: teen-drug-abuse, teen-marijuana-abuse

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Xanax, a prescription tranquilizer used to treat anxiety, is being used as a recreational drug by an increasing number of teens. The drug is a Schedule IV illicit substance, according to the federal government, which means that it has high potential for addiction. Xanax is also known to cause at least 28 different adverse reactions, including headache, tremors, confusion, blurred vision, memory loss, and convulsions. Withdrawal from the drug is also difficult and even fatal, according to Mary Rieser, Executive Director of Narconon Drug Rehab of Georgia. Ms. Resier comments on increased xanax use by youth and the difficult process of withdrawal:

"Kids need to be educated on the risks involved, not only in taking xanax, but in suddenly discontinuing it without the help of a physician. It is one of the most difficult drugs to withdraw from, once addicted. Many cases require a medically-supervised detox from xanax addiction, as withdrawal symptoms can be deadly. Withdrawal symptoms can be severe and include agitation, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting and convulsions."

Surveys at Georgia high schools indicate that, in some cases, xanax use is more widespread than marijuana use.

(Source: transworldnews.com)

Labels: prescription-drug-abuse, teen-substance-abuse

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Virginia teen, Alicia Lannes, died this week from a heroin overdose. Her family says that she obtained the drug from a boyfriend. The hard-core drug is making a resurgence in suburban areas and experts say that most kids are being introduced to heroin by friends and family members.

In a survey of local Fairfax County Schools, more than one in every 100 8th through 12th grader admitted to using heroin, and about half of those reported using it within the last 30 days. Lannes' father commented, "This drug has invaded our community, which we thought would never be in our community."

White House drug czar John Walters gave a message to parents about heroin use: The first time parents find out about it is probably not the first time the teen has used it. "Remember that when you find your child and they want to lie to you up and down and sideways," said Walters. "'It's the first time I've ever done it.' No, no, no, no. That's the drugs talking."

(Sources: www.myfoxdc.com)

Labels: drug overdose, teen-substance-abuse

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According to state officials, methamphetamine has become the clear drug of choice among Utah females, ages 18-34. According to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune, Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., recently spoke on the issue to the Utah Methamphetamine Joint Task Force, which gathered Monday one last time on Capitol Hill before disbanding. The two-year Task Force was formed in 2006 for the purpose of identifying "ways to attack the raging addiction that ravaged families in every part of the state." Governor Huntsman described the state's pattern of meth abuse: "It's the supermom syndrome - the thinking that you've got to do it all." Although women between the ages of 18 and 34 are the most typical users of meth in Utah, the state is also struggling with significant meth use at the junior high and high school levels. (Sources: www.sltrib.com)

Labels: drug-abuse, meth, females

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Most Australian female youth have had their first full drink by age 15, which is eight years earlier than their mothers' generation. Researchers at Flinders University found that most women aged 60 or older reported having their first drink around age 23. However, women between the ages of 20 and 29 reported being introduced to alcohol by age 15. The study found that earlier usage increased drinkers' risk for dependence, mental health problems, and drug addiction. Researchers gathered information from 29,000 responses to the 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey.

(Source: www.smh.com.au)

Labels: teen-drinking

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On December 15, representatives in the New York State Assembly proposed a 25 cent per bottle tax on beer, wine, and liquor to create revenues to be used to help curtail teen drinking. The excise tax would be charged to distributors and noncommercial importers of all alcohol sold in New York State. The authors of the bill cited recent data which indicate that between 12 and 20 percent of the alcohol market in the United States is composed of underage drinkers. In addition, the bill's justification includes the fact that "research has shown that higher prices on alcohol can reduce teen alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems." Approximately 1.6 million adults and 160,000 youth in New York State suffer from drug or alcohol abuse problems. (Source: legislativegazette.com)

Labels: drug-abuse, underage-drinking, teen-drinking

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Law enforcement officials in Northwest Arizona report that the area is a growing hotspot for black tar heroin use. Officials are seeing high school-aged kids in the northwest and foothills areas of Arizona involved in the use of this powerful drug. The mother of a former heroin addict commented: "It is so bad and so infested in the foothills, the drug dealers actually come to the end of the street." According to the woman's son, "It's pretty much an epidemic. Kids don't want to admit it, but it's everywhere."

(Source: www.kvoa.com)

Labels: teen-substance-abuse, teen-drug-abuse

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Although fewer Canadian youth overall are drinking, binge drinking is on the rise. A story this week in the Winnepeg Sun explored a new report by the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. Ecstasy use has also increased slightly, though the report indicated a decrease in use of marijuana, mushrooms, and crystal meth. AFM's CEO John Borody commented that binge drinking may be a learned behavior:

"A lot of the drinking behaviors that we see in youths are mimicked from what they see their parents do."

(Sources: winnepegsun.com)

Labels: binge-drinking, teen-marijuana-abuse

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Binge drinking and cigarette smoking among Florida middle school and high school students have decreased since 2000, according to the 2008 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey. Between 2000 and 2008, cigarette smoking decreased by half; binge drinking is down 15 percent for the same time period. The news isn't all good, though. Prescription drug use is on the rise in Florida. This year's survey found that 4.5 percent of high school seniors abused prescription pain relievers in the past year, and 3.8 abused prescription depressants.

(Source: www.cbs4.com)

Labels: binge-drinking

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According to a story from Reuters this week, the number of teenage binge drinkers in Germany has decreased by 5 percent over the past year. According to the German government, however, the number is still "frightening."

Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more alcohol beverages in one sitting. A recent study released by the government indicated that 20 percent of teens, ages 12 to 17, binge drink at least once per month, in spite of the fact that Germany prohibits the sale of alcohol to anyone under the age of 16. This percentage is down from 25 percent in 2007, but the nation remains in the top 10 globally for alcohol consumption per capita. German authorities are calling for an increase in prevention programs to educate youth on the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption.

(Sources: Canada.com/vancouversun)

Labels: teen-drinking, binge-drinking

Posted By: jgarcia 0 Comments

A new study from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) indicates that nearly half of all full-time college students in the United States abuse drugs or binge on alcohol at least once a month.

An article published in the student newspaper of the College of Eastern Utah highlighted these and other disturbing statistics. A 2005 study conducted about Utah found that although teen drivers represent 7 percent of licensed drivers in the state, they were involved in 27 percent of all motor vehicle crashes and 18 percent of fatal motor vehicle crashes. Drug and alcohol abuse are implicated in many of these crashes. Studies have also found that teen drivers with teen passengers are at even higher risk of being involved in a serious motor vehicle accident.

(Source: eagle.ceu.edu)

Labels: college-drinking, teen-drug-abuse, teen-alcohol-abuse

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