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According to the Sheriff of Franklin County, Illinois, the state ranks fourth in the nation in terms of methamphetamine (meth)-related arrests, and almost three-quarters of those receiving treatment for meth use began using the drug at age 17 or younger. Illinois currently spends approximately $2 billion annually combating meth use.

In a recent story published by the Franklin County local newspaper, the Benton Evening News, Sheriff Bill Wilson is touting the recent expansion of Illinois' large-scale meth prevention program, the Illinois Meth Project. Sheriff Wilson commented on meth use in Illinois, especially among young people:

"There has never been a drug as powerful, addictive, and quick to destroy lives and communities as methamphetamine. & Meth is the top drug of choice and is the number one drug problem in central and southern Illinois. The financial and social consequences of meth abuse are devastating and meth is increasingly gaining popularity among Illinois' most vulnerable  teens and young adults."

The expanded prevention program will include increased anti-meth advertising, marketing, outreach, and education efforts in the southeastern counties of Clark, Crawford, Edwards, Jasper, Lawrence, Richards, Wabash, Wayne, and White.

(Source: www.dailyamericannews.com)

Labels: meth

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This week, Nassau County, New York signed into law a bill designed to combat the swiftly growing problem of heroin abuse among area teens. The law requires law enforcement personnel to notify school officials when an arrest is made for heroin possession or sale. Legislators feel that the law will address increasing heroin use by suburban teens by improving communication between law enforcement and educational agencies.

Heroin arrests in Nassau County have risen by 50 percent since 2002. In addition, hospital admissions for opiate overdose are on the rise throughout Long Island. The increase in heroin use is attributed largely to the fact that heroin has become cheaper than ever before (nearly half the price it was in 2006).

New York State legislator Dave Mejias, a democrat from Farmingdale, proposed the bill, which was passed unanimously into law in December 2008. He comments on the motivation for the new legislation:

"Parents and schools need a head's up on heroin use before it's too late. ... The initial signs of heroin use are not easily detectable. This law gives everyone a fighting chance to combat this insidious epidemic. Schools notify parents when a child in their district has head lice; the county should notify schools about possible heroin use and sales in their districts."

(Source: www.antonnews.com)

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

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According to a blurb posted this week on the U.S. News and World Report website, teens who use the networking site MySpace are utilizing it to discuss some important issues including substance abuse. A new study being published this month in the journal Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine indicates that approximately 54 percent of young people who spend time on MySpace frequently discuss such issues as sexual behavior, violence, or substance abuse.

One of the studies, conducted by researchers at Seattle Children's Research Institute, reviewed 500 randomly selected MySpace profiles of 18-year-olds. According to the results of the study, 41 percent referred to substance abuse issues, 24 percent mentioned sexual activity, and 14 percent mentioned teen violence. The study also found that references to sexual behavior were more common among teenagers who reported sexual orientations other than "straight" and that males were more likely to refer to violence.

(Source: health.usnews.com)

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Nebraska is currently one of 14 states that do not mandate pulling a teen's driver's license if he or she is caught with drugs or alcohol. However, Nebraska lawmakers are considering implementing such a law. "Use-and-lose" laws first gained popularity in the mid 1980s. They are based on the idea that most teens view the privilege of driving as extremely important, and that the prospect of losing that privilege is an effective deterrent to drug and/or alcohol abuse.

Jim Fell, senior program director for the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, a nonprofit public health organization in Calverton, Maryland, commented on "use-and-lose" legislation, saying, "There has been an evaluation of these laws ... and they are considered effective."

The other 36 states in the union, as well as the District of Columbia, will revoke a teen's driver's license for possession of drugs or alcohol, even if the teen was not driving at the time the drugs were discovered in his possession.

(Source: www.columbustelegram.com)

Labels: teen-drug-abuse

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Over the past few years, the town of Revere, Mass., has seen a significant reduction in teen use and abuse of alcohol. Between 2001 and 2007, binge drinking by high school students was cut in half, dropping from 14 percent to 7 percent. (Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks in a row on six or more occasions in the past month.)

In 1997, a study reported that 59 percent of local middle school students had experimented with alcohol, and 54 percent had smoked cigarettes. In 2007, the number of students who reported drinking decreased to 42 percent and the number who smoked went down to 28 percent.

Local experts largely attribute these encouraging trends to CARES, a program that was instituted in Revere in 1997. CARES (Community Awareness, Resources, and Education to Prevent Substance Abuse) is a coalition of local agencies and individuals. CARES employs diverse strategies to raise awareness about the prevalence and dangers of teen substance abuse, and strives to change community acceptance of teen drinking.

Under the CARES program, sanctions for teen drinking were increased in severity, and adults in the community learned the dangers of considering teen drinking just a "rite of passage." The success of this program is especially encouraging for Revere, where adult drug and alcohol abuse rates have historically been higher than the statewide average.

(Sources: www.boston.com)

Labels: teen-drinking, binge-drinking

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The Fort Myers local affiliate of MSNBC ran a story this week indicating that drug use is on the rise among middle school students in the area. In preparation for the winter break, Drug Free Collier, a local organization that works to stop and prevent drug abuse, has been going to local middle schools to speak about the dangers of drug use.

As part of this endeavor, one young recovered drug addict, only 18 years old, has been speaking to students about his experiences. Lawrence Whalen was a serious drug addict; he started abusing drugs at the age of 13 and by the age of 17 was using pot, cocaine, methamphetamines, painkillers, and more. Now recovered, Lawrence tries to communicate to kids how dangerous these drugs can be.

According to the MSNBC story, a recent local survey of Collier middle schools indicates that use of at least one drug  inhalants  has doubled over the last few years, from 12 percent to 21 percent.

(Source: msnbc.msn.com)

Labels: teen-drug-abuse, teen-drug-help

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A recent study published by researchers at Harvard suggests that the protective effects of Ritalin subside as children reach early adulthood. The study challenges other recent research that supports the usefulness of Ritalin to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) well into adolescence. However, Harvard researchers were unable to find a link between Ritalin usage in childhood and substance abuse problems in later life. This is good news for parents who may be concerned about the consequences of treating children with stimulant drugs.

Brian Doyle, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center and fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists, was asked by U.S. News and World Report to comment on the study's findings and the current controversy over prescribing Ritalin to children. Mr. Doyle responded:

"Many parents are concerned that their children will end up abusing their ADHD medicationwhat's called a medically induced addiction. The good news is there's very little rational basis that this will happen. The vast majority of children and adults with ADHD are not using these drugs to get high but rather to feel normal. And if they're not chasing that high, they're unlikely to get addicted."

(Sources: health.usnews.com)

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Authorities in Colorado Springs reported this week that at least 25 area teens are involved in a local heroin drug ring that caters specifically to students at one local high school. The black-tar heroin was provided by former Cheyenne Mountain High School students and Mexican nationals. The teen users either smoked or injected the heroin, according to local law enforcement authorities. Black-tar heroin is a black, sticky substance that resembles road tar. According to local DEA officials, it is typically grown and refined in Mexico. Authorities found out about the heroin drug use during a routine sweep of the high school in October. A student who was found to have Xanax in his locker (by a drug-sniffing dog) told authorities that heroin use was common among classmates.

(Source: www.gazette.com)

Labels: teen-drug-abuse

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A 2007 study conducted in Mesa County, Colorado, shows that female teens are smoking marijuana and driving drunk in greater numbers than male teens. The survey was conducted at all five area high schools. Other findings from the study included the fact that girls are more likely to use prescription drugs than boys (30 percent versus 25 percent), and that boys are more likely to drink alcohol (48 percent versus 46 percent) and smoke cigarettes (18 percent versus 15 percent). However, equal percentages of boys and girls participated in binge-drinking behavior (32 percent).

(Sources: www.gjfreepress.com)

Labels: teen-drinking, teen-drug-abuse

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Teens in Havana, Illinois are using cough syrup and other cold medicines to get high in increasing numbers. According to a story in a local online newspaper, several families in the small town have teens who are dangerously addicted to over-the-counter medicines. The trend presents an unusual problem for law enforcement, since over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are not illegal.

One mother reports that her 15-year-old daughter overdosed on cough syrup and ended up in the hospital. After returning from the hospital several days later, the first thing her daughter did was to drink another whole bottle of cough syrup. The girl now has frontal lobe brain damage.

Another family reports that their son can no longer even close his mouth due to extensive brain damage from abusing cold medicines.

Authorities say that teens are abusing all kinds of over-the-counter medications, but most of the medications have a common ingredient  DXM, or dextromethorphan, which causes euphoria and dizziness. This drug is often referred to by the names Dex, Robo, or Skittles.

(Source: www.pjstar.com)

Labels: teen-addiction

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Last week, The New York Post reported on a home drug test that is being introduced by a San Diego-based company called Confirm Biosciences. The kit, which sells for $89.99, helps parents collect a hair sample from their children; the sample is then sent to a lab for analysis in a pre-paid overnight FedEx envelope. The test can reveal any type of drug use within the past 90 days, including prescription pills and liquids. Parents receive reports that rate their kids as "non-users," "recreational users," "daily/weekend users," or "constant users." (Source: www.nypost.com)

Labels: parents, drug-testing

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The Wall Street Journal published a piece this week written by John Walters, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. In his essay, Mr. Walters proclaims success for U.S. drug policy, saying:

"Whatever challenges await him, President-elect Barack Obama will not have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to keeping a lid on the use of illegal drugs. Our policy has been a success - although that success is one of Washington's best kept secrets."

Mr. Walters cited statistics that show drug use declining among eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders for the past six years. Mr. Walters also emphasized that teen use of cocaine, marijuana, and inhalants has decreased substantially, and that consumption of methamphetamine and hallucinogens like LSD and ecstasy has "all but collapsed."

However, recent data from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicates that Mr. Walters' statement may be a little ambitious. According to SAMHSA, from 1995 to 2005, the percentage of substance abuse treatment admissions for primary abuse of methamphetamine/amphetamine more than doubled from 4% to 9%. SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicated that approximately 510,000 youth aged 12 to 17 (2%) used stimulants (including methamphetamines) non-medically in 2006.

(Source: wsj.com; samhsa.gov)

Labels: drugs

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