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Although the results of Florida's 2009 Youth Substance Abuse Survey were largely positive, binge drinking, marijuana use and prescription drug use remain areas of concern. Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp announced this week that the survey showed long-term reductions in drug use among middle and high school students and attributes the reductions to the success of prevention efforts.

Kottkamp reinforced the importance of the survey as a tool to track a serious threat: "Drug use threatens the health and safety of our children and their families. Children are Florida's most vulnerable residents and protecting them from the dangers of substance abuse remains a high priority. The survey is a critical tool in the effort to prevent drug use."

Alcohol use has declined steadily since 2000, but the rate of alcohol use among Florida's students continues to exceed national figures.

Bruce Grant, Director of the Florida Office of Drug Control, commented: "The results of the survey show the success of our prevention efforts over time. Yet, we still have our work cut out for us to reduce youth use of inhalants, marijuana and prescription drugs. Overall, underage drinking remains the most significant challenge we face."

(Source: www.thegovmonitor.com)

Labels: marijuana, prescription drugs, binge drinking, drug-use

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Mephedrone, also known as meow meow, is legally sold on the Internet as plant fertilizer and is a highly dangerous hallucinogen.

Authorities warn that the drug, which is a chemical relative of Ecstasy, can result in severe hallucinations, nose bleeds, nose burns, blood circulation problems, rashes, anxiety and paranoia, seizures, and heart attack. Users have been known to severely mutilate themselves due to intense hallucinations, such as bugs crawling all over them.

One British police report stated: "A large number of contributors state how addictive mephedrone is and they are constantly popping up as one individual states that after using it for 18 hours his hallucinations led him to believe that centipedes were crawling over him and biting him. This individual then mutilated his body to the point that he required emergency hospital treatment.

Authorities also warn that the drug can become addictive, and when cut with alcohol or other drugs is likely to result in death. The substance is now banned in Sweden, Israel, Norway and Finland.

(Source: www.thesun.co.uk)

Labels: mephedrone, drug-use, hallucinogen

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Teens in the Reno, Nev., area report high levels of suicide, sexual activity and drug use, according to a recent youth risk behavior survey conducted by Washoe County School District officials. The district released the results of the survey this week and called for immediate action by the entire community.

According to the study, the number of students considering suicide is on the rise (from 8.6 percent in 2001 to 14.6 percent in 2009); more than half of the district's students have had sex; and almost one-quarter of students reported coming to class high.

District Board of Trustees President Barbara Clark said at a morning news conference: "Many of our children come to school each day facing challenges to be ready and willing to learn. We want to make sure our parents and community know what our children are facing so we can work on these issues together."

The survey was based on questions created by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and involved a sampling of 1,844 middle school students and 1,727 high school students.

(Source: www.rgj.com)

Labels: sex, drug-use, suicide

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According to the online student newspaper for Florida A&M University, The Famuan Online, a Florida teen was recently charged with nine felony counts of poisoning food and water after he baked marijuana into brownies and fed them to two teachers and seven fellow students without their knowledge.

Every person who ate the brownies experienced adverse effects, and one student was taken to the hospital. The teen did not think that the marijuana's effects would be significant when he served the brownies.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in the United States. The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, can cause allergic reactions, including rashes, breathing difficulty, fatigue and unusual mood swings.

According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, short-term effects associated with marijuana use can include loss of motor coordination, increased heart rate, dry mouth, anxiety, problems with memory and learning, and trouble with thinking and problem solving.

(Source: www.thefamuanonline.com)

Labels: marijuana, pot, drug-use

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A Colorado company is marketing a new way to for parents to find out if teens are using drugs. The company has developed a "wipe and spray" method. A parent takes a test strip and wipes it on something commonly touched by the teenager; then a spray solution is applied to the strip. Results are ready within seconds, and the test is supposed to be 99 percent accurate.

Although the company believes the product can be useful to parents, president Troy Sievers says the key to testing your children for drugs is having an open relationship with them. "The key to drug testing and drug awareness and all the things we have to offer is communication between parents and their children," he said. "Because, without a good base of communication, nobody's gonna get what they need." (Source: www.kjct8.com)

Labels: parents, drug-use, testing

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According to a recent story appearing in the Salt Lake Tribune, Summit County and Tooele County lead the state in the percentage of troubled teens. In Summit County, six out of 10 high school seniors are at risk for drug and alcohol abuse. These data come from the statewide Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) surveys that were conducted in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 in 2003, 2005, and 2007. The results have been posted to a website recently established by the University of Utah's Criminal Justice Center. (Source: www.sltrib.com)

Labels: drug-use, risks, teenagers

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