Teen Drug Help
Teen Drug Abuse Cut in Half by Early Prevention Programs
A new study, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), suggests that school-based prevention programs at the elementary level can significantly reduce problem behaviors in students. The study found that fifth graders who previously participated in a comprehensive interactive prevention program for one to fours year were half as likely to abuse substances, behave violently, or be sexually active as those who did not. The study will appear in the August 2008 print issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
NIDA director Dr. Nora Volkow commented on the study's findings: "This study provides compelling evidence that intervening with young children is a promising approach to preventing drug use and other problem behaviors. ... The fact that an intervention beginning in the first grade produced a significant effect on children's behavior in the fifth grade strengthens the case for initiating prevention programs in elementary school, before most children have begun to engage in problem behaviors."
The study included students from 20 schools in Hawaii. Participating schools had diverse student populations and below-average standardized test scores, and approximately 55 percent of students received free or reduced lunch.
(Source: www.opposingviews.com)
Labels: prevention program, teen drug abuse
Teen Drug and Alcohol Use Linked to Paternal Drinking
A new study indicates that teen alcohol and drug use may be linked to the drinking habits of fathers. The study, conducted by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 20 percent of youth whose fathers did not drink in the past year consumed alcoholic beverages, compared to one in three youth whose dads drank in moderation. In addition, the study showed that four out of 10 youth whose fathers abused alcohol had drinks within the past year, and about one in four of those teens also reported using a drug in the past year. The study also showed a correlation between increased paternal alcohol use and higher rates of binge drinking, alcohol abuse, and drug use among youth. The national survey included data collected on 11,056 fathers and 9,537 father-child pairs between 2002 and 2007.
(Source: www.redorbit.com)
Labels: alcohol, parents, paternal drinking, teen drug use
School Officials Concerned about Caffeine Abuse
School officials in North Carolina are concerned about the excessive caffeine consumption by many students. A recent survey of Charlotte-Mecklenburg students indicated that caffeine-laden energy drinks are extremely popular with teens - a fact that has some local drug abuse prevention officials worried.
To collect baseline data on teen use of energy drinks, Charlotte's Substance Abuse Prevention Services included questions about energy drinks in its annual student survey. According to this year's survey, one-third of participating students reported consuming energy drinks. A recent study published by the Journal of American College Health has also spurred concern over energy drinks; the study linked consumption of energy drinks to troubling behaviors among teens.
Although the U.S. has not issued official recommended caffeine limits for teens, the Canadian government recommends that youth ages 10 to 12 consume no more than 85 milligrams of caffeine per day. Many energy drinks contain about twice the recommended amount of caffeine - as much as 160 milligrams, the equivalent of four cans of Coke. Experts warn that excessive caffeine consumption can cause insomnia, irritability, and headaches.
(Source: www.charlotteobserver.com)
Labels: abuse, caffeine, high school kids, kids
Hawaii Teens Unaware of Meth's Dangers
According to a recent state-sponsored survey, teens in Hawaii are largely unaware of the dangers of using methamphetamines. The survey, which was administered during March and April 2009, shows that one in 10 teens and one in five young adults in Hawaii have close friends who use meth. In addition, the survey indicates that one in three teens believe that trying meth carries no risk. The survey also found that 41 percent of Hawaii teens would not give friends a "hard time" if they used meth and almost the same number have not tried to dissuade friends from using it.
Dr. Kevin Kunz, president of the American Board of Addiction Medicine, commented on the study's findings: "This survey clearly demonstrates [that] our young people are dangerously unaware of the risks posed by meth use." In response to the survey findings, Hawaii is launching 30-second television spots that target the belief that trying meth is "safe." The ads show young people experiencing negative outcomes after using the drug one time.
(Source: www.star-bulletin.com)
Labels: hawaii
Heroin Use on Long Island at a High
Residents of Long Island, New York are seeing a spike in teen heroin use. Recent deaths of local teenagers have shaken parents, who didn’t realize that heroin was even an option for local youth. Linda Diorio, whose son, Erik, died of an overdose in 2008, commented on how the drug is taking parents by surprise: "You worry about them smoking pot. You worry about them driving recklessly. You worry about them not using their seat belt. You worry about that phone call in the middle of the night. ... You don't worry about heroin. Because it didn't exist in my mindset."
Erik’s death came only weeks after the death of another teen, Natalie Ciappa. Ciappa was a college-bound honors student who sang in her church choir. She overdosed on heroin in June 2008. Her death caused an outpouring of concern and bewilderment from the community.
In an effort to combat soaring drug use, parents have been gathering at community events designed to educate families about the dangers of heroin. In addition, both Suffolk and Nassau counties have passed laws requiring law enforcement to inform schools about nearby heroin-related arrests.
Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice commented on the trend: "You could almost use the word 'epidemic.' ... What we've seen over the past three years, almost immediately after my administration came in, is a big increase in fatal heroin overdoses."
(Source: www.newday.com)
Labels: heroin, long island, teen drug use
Former OxyContin Dealer Warns of Drug's Addictive Hold
John Tegano, a 24-year-old Alaska resident and former OxyContin dealer and addict, spoke to a local newspaper this week about the destructive effect the drug has had on his life. Tegano just finished serving a two-year sentence for drug-related misconduct. Tegano stressed that although OxyContin use starts out as recreational, it isn't long before use becomes necessary just to make it through the day.
Tegano commented, "I'm trying to get people to realize what can happen - what you lose, what happens to you. ... I will tell you first-hand that this has ruined my life so far. No good comes out of it. ... The negatives outweigh the positives by far. ... You get high for 30 minutes, maybe. After that it is not about getting high - you have to do this just to get through your day."
Tegano comes from a large, close-knit family, where drug problems were unknown. In high school, he and his younger brother briefly experimented with a couple drugs, but never did anything regularly. Tegano first began using OxyContin when he was 19, as a freshman at the University of Nevada at Reno. After one month of using the drug, he knew he couldn't stop. What followed were three years that he barely remembers. "I don't know how it happened, really. ... Before I knew it I was in deep, I was already gone."
For a while he was able to maintain an appearance of normal functioning, which led him to believe that he didn't really have a problem. He devoted most of his energies to making sure he had Oxy on hand at all times. He tried to quit a couple of times, but severe withdrawal symptoms, including cold sweats and vomiting, deterred him. It wasn't until his arrest and court-ordered treatment two years ago that he finally began to recover from his addiction.
OxyContin, which is a chemical cousin of heroin, is often more potent and addictive than its street relative. Tegano commented on what he learned about OxyContin while in treatment: "It's like a super-drug, really, that's what it is. ... The way it was explained to me is that heroin hits your nerve endings and just brushes over them, but OxyContin is scientifically made to go right to those receptors and cover them."
(Source: www.juneauempire.com)
Labels: addiction, drug dealing, oxycontin
Michigan Schools Employ K-9 Units to Fight Substance Abuse
Schools in the Lakes area of Michigan are employing K-9 units to help fight teen substance abuse. The K-9 units, from the Oakland County (Michigan) sheriff's department, assist in random drugs sweeps; however, these sweeps are expensive and may soon be reduced due to budget cuts. Currently, schools don't always request sweeps every year, but an incident can spur a request any time.
Sgt. Joseph Lambourn, acting coordinator of the K-9 units, describes the process of conducting a K-9 drug sweep at a school: "I'll bring in all the dogs for a full-scale search. ... Depending on the school's request, we search cars, lockers, and/or backpacks. There are two K-9 officers ... one works midnights and the other works the day shift but he is a circle car patrol officer and assigned to travel throughout the county."
(Source: www.spinalcolumnonline.com)
Labels: k9, michigan, schools, substance use
Ohio State Law Prohibits Parents from Serving Alcohol to Minors
Most people are aware that alcohol consumption by youth under the age of 21 is prohibited - in public places. But many do not know that it is also illegal for any adult to serve alcohol to a minor (other than his or her own child), even in the adult's own home, even with the minor parent's consent. At least it's illegal according to Ohio state law, and most other states have similar legislation.
Many adults operate under the incorrect assumption that what they do in the privacy of their own homes is their own business. This is a dangerous assumption for all involved. In a recent national survey of parents and teens by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, one in three teens reported being at a party where teens were drinking, smoking pot, or using cocaine, ecstasy, or prescription drugs while a parent was present. Adults who knowingly give alcohol or illegal substances or participate in a party where they know alcohol and/or drugs are being consumed can be criminally prosecuted and also sued if something happens to a minor at the party.
(Source: www.blog.cleveland.com)
Labels: alcohol, law, minors, parents
Protecting Children from Prescription Drug Abuse
Approximately 1 in 5 teens have abused a prescription drug, but there are steps that parents can take to help prevent prescription drug abuse. Three easy measures can help keep prescription medications out of the hands of teenage recreational users.
First, parents should carefully monitor medication. This includes keeping track of all prescriptions for family members, including the frequency of refills. If pills start to disappear at a faster rate than the prescription dictates, this is a sign of a possible problem. In addition, ask friends and relatives to do the same, and inform them about the high risks associated with prescription drug abuse.
Second, parents should make sure that prescription medications are secure. In a recent government study, over two-thirds of teens who reported abusing prescription substances said they got the substances from a friend or relative (without their knowledge). Prescription medications should be safely hidden or kept under lock and key to prevent dangerous misuse. Don't leave them unattended in the medicine cabinet.
Third, parents should safely dispose of medications that are no longer in use. Many pharmacies will accept unfinished prescriptions for disposal - a much safer alternative to simply throwing half-full bottles in the household trash.
(Source: www.examiner.com)
Labels: abuse, kids, prescription drugs
Teen Drinking and Parent Acceptance Under Scrutiny in California
After the death in May of a 16-year-old at a party where alcohol was being consumed, teen alcohol consumption in the small northern California communities of Orinda, Lafayette, and Moraga has come under scrutiny. Area experts say that teen drinking, and parental acceptance of it, is fairly commonplace in these small towns. Experts believe that societal acceptance of drinking makes teens believe that it's okay for them to drink as well.
Ralph Cantor, coordinator of drug, alcohol, and violence prevention for the Alameda County Office of Education, commented about alcohol use in American society: "It's integrated into the culture, and so it's totally accepted by the parent/adult community, and so the kids just pick it up."
Ellen Peterson, who worked as a peer counselor at a local high school until 1995 and now heads an alcohol task force for Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda, believes that some parents condone underage drinking and even host parties for youth where alcohol is consumed and drink with their kids. “I think a lot of parents think it's part of being friends with their kids, and they're worried that their kids won't like them if they're not sort of peers."
Local parent, Roni Melmed, also observed this behavior when her kids were growing up. "(Parents) think it's a rite of passage. ... That it's going to happen, we can't be naive to it, and as long as they don't drink and drive, they're kind of OK with that."
(Source: 254)
Labels: ca, teen drinking
Teen Drinking Starting Earlier in South Dakota
According to a local survey, students in Mitchell, South Dakota, are starting to drink at younger ages. The survey, given to local middle school and high school students, indicates that kids as young as 12 and 14 are using alcohol. Karen Allen, a prevention specialist from the Mitchell School District, commented on the findings: "In the Mitchell community, we definitely need to look at the alcohol use of our students. ... It's high - 34 percent of our ninth-graders reported using alcohol in the last 30 days." Among seventh graders, the rate of alcohol use was approximately 20 percent.
The study also found that alcohol use leads to other risky behaviors for some youth. In the past 12 months, 35 percent of students reported riding with a driver who had been drinking; 41 percent of ninth graders reported being at a party within the past year where kids their age were drinking. The survey was developed and administered by the Search Institute of Minneapolis, and was funded through an anti-tobacco grant from the South Dakota State Department of Health.
(Sources: www.mitchellrepublic.com)
Labels: south dakota, teen drinking
British Teen Faces 50-Year Sentence for Drug Smuggling
A 19-year-old British teenager will be tried in Bolivia on charges of smuggling 49 grams of cocaine, worth about 80 U.S. dollars. If she is found guilty, she could be sentenced to one year in prison per gram. The teen had told colleagues that she was taking time off work at a hair salon to visit her father in Spain; however, she was arrested in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. A spokesman for Prisons Abroad, Matthew Pinches, commented on the danger faced by the young woman if she is detained in a South American prison: "People inside these prisons are very vulnerable. They are lawless and a dangerous place to be because guards have very little to do with the inside. They stay on the exterior to stop prisoners absconding."
(Source: www.dailystar.co.uk)
Labels: drug smuggling, prison
