Teen Drug Help
Negative Parental Expectations Encourage Misbehavior in Teens
A new study indicates that teens are more likely to conform to negative stereotypes when their parents expect them to do so.
The study, conducted by professor of psychology Christy Buchanan of Wake Forest University and co-authored by Johna Hughes of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, included more than 250 adolescents and their mothers. The adolescents were surveyed in sixth or seventh grade and then again a year later.
Buchanan commented on the implications of the study: "Parents who believe they are simply being realistic might actually contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy. Negative expectations on the part of both parents and children predict more negative behaviors later on. Higher expectations for risk-taking and rebelliousness predict higher levels of problem behavior, even controlling for many other predictors of such behavior."
Buchanan believes that parents who expect their children to become rebellious when they become teenagers may be making a significant mistake. Parents' assumptions that their kids will act a certain way may communicate to their children that something is wrong if the children don't act that way:
"Sometimes parents expect more negative behavior from their own adolescents than they should, based on the adolescent's history of behavior. By thinking risk-taking or rebelliousness is normal for teenagers and conveying that to their children, parents might add to other messages from society that make teenagers feel abnormal if they are not willing to take risks or break laws. This can mean, for example, that when parents expect teens to drink before they turn 21 or to engage in other risky behaviors, kids are less likely to resist societal pressures to do so."
(Source: sciencedaily.com)
Labels: behaviors, parents, teen risk taking
Parents May Influence Teen Tobacco Use
A new study in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics reports evidence that parents can negatively or positively influence whether their children become smokers. In particular, parents may play a large role in determining whether their adolescent children progress from experimenting with cigarettes in the eighth grade to daily smoking by the 12th grade.
The study included 270 adolescents who had begun smoking by the eighth grade but who were not yet daily smokers at that time. Of the participants, 156 (58 percent) became daily smokers by the 12th grade.
Min Jung Kim, a research scientist with the University of Washington's Social Development Research Group and lead author of the study, commented on the findings: "If parents smoke, teens have more access to cigarettes than teens who have non-smoking parents. A second preventive measure for smoking parents is to quit smoking themselves ... If parents really don't want their children to smoke they need to communicate that by establishing clear guidelines in their families about not smoking and discuss them with their school-age children."
(Source: insciences.org)
Labels: parents, smoking, teen smoking
Study Links Teen Drug Use to "Problem Parents"
According to a report by Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), parents who fail to monitor their school-age children's activities and leave prescription medications in accessible locations around the house play a significant role in teen drug abuse.
These findings come from CASA's 13th annual back-to-school survey of teens and parents. According to the survey, about half of 12- to 17-year-olds regularly left their homes to hang out with friends on schools nights, but only 14 percent of parents said their kids did this. In addition, about one-third of teens with friends who abuse prescription medications said the friends got the drugs from their home medicine cabinets; another third reported that they could easily get prescription drugs from friends or classmates.
The survey also found that one in four teens reported knowing of a parent of a classmate or friend who smokes marijuana, and one in 10 said that this parent smokes with teenagers. For the first time ever, more teens responding to the survey reported that it was easier for them to get prescription drugs than to buy beer. The percentage of teens who consider prescription drugs the easiest to get increased by 46 percent in one year.
(Source: www.webmd.com)
Labels: parents, teen drug use
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
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
Missouri Mom Accused of Giving Alcohol to Teens
Karen Downs of Kansas City, Missouri, was arrested in March for providing vodka for several young teenagers at her daughter's birthday party. She reportedly offered $10 to whoever could drink a glass of vodka the fastest.
"Police responded to a complaint of a loud party at a home in northern Kansas City... One girl who was unconscious was taken to a hospital, where her blood content was later determined to be .218, more than twice the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle."
A second girl, who was believed to be suffering from alcohol poisoning, was also taken to the hospital. Police officers said they found between 60 and 70 empty beer bottles and several empty liquor bottles in the home's basement. They are hoping the incident will serve as a lesson to parents and teens alike about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking. Source: Associated Press
Labels: consent, liability, parents
Letters Deliver Sobering Message for Parents who Host Underage Drinking Parties
Parents and students from the Birmingham-Bloomfield, Michigan school district will gather together on Wednesday, March 25, to stuff and mail more than 4,000 letters. The letters are signed by local police chiefs and address the issues and consequences parents will face if they host underage drinking parties.
"The Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition is sponsoring the letter-writing campaign. This is the sixth year the coalition has participated with other Oakland County coalitions in sending this message to parents in their respective communities."
The letters will be addressed to parents of high school students that attend public and private schools in the district. They will also be mailed in police department envelopes, will remind parents of the legal ramifications for hosting underage parties, and will give parents tips for keeping their teens safe. Source: Birmingham (MI) Observer-Eccentric
Labels: liability, parents, party
Five Drugs Teens Most Likely to Steal from Parents
According to a survey conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, five drugs stand out as the substances that teens are most likely to steal from their parents. These include stimulants (such as Ritalin), narcotic pain relievers, sedatives/tranquilizers, sleep aids, and cough medicines. In the survey, 61 percent of teens reported that prescription drugs were easier to obtain than illegal drugs, up from 56 percent in 2005. About 41 percent of teens reported the erroneous belief that abuse of prescription substances is less dangerous than abuse of illegal street drugs.
Experts recommend responsible disposing of medications when they are no longer needed. Many communities have began sponsoring prescription return programs. They encourage parents, "Talk to your children. Let them know that, just because they're prescribed by a doctor, (doesn't mean they couldn't be) deadly. We all know, as parents, you want to try to get ahead of this ball. So before it happens let them know."
(Source: www.cbsnews.com)
Labels: drugs, parents, stealing
Kids With Married Parents at Lower Risk for Sex, Drugs
Children whose parents live together but aren't married are more likely to engage in risky behaviors compared to children of married parents, according to a Canadian study.
Researchers at the Institute of Marriage and Family used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, checking on them at ages 6 to 11 and then again at ages 14 to 19. The ones who lived with unmarried parents were more likely to smoke, deal drugs, be sexually active, and have poor relationships with their parents. Almost half (49 percent) of the children ages 6 to 9 years old whose parents were unmarried lived with only one biological parent.
Married couples tended to be better educated, older, and more likely to be religious.
Labels: behaviors, parents, risks
Good Relationship with Parents Prevents Teen Drinking
A new study suggests that teenagers who have a strong relationship with their parents tend to start drinking at a later age, which decreases their risk of developing alcohol problems. The findings of the study are appearing in the May issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Past research has shown that the age at which kids start drinking can significantly influence whether they develop problem drinking behaviors.
The study's lead author, Dr. Emmanuel Kuntsche of the Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems in Lausanne, Switzerland, explains the significance of the new findings: "Our work shows that the 'preventive effect' of a later drinking age is likely to be a side effect of a good parent-child relationship. ... In other words, the circumstances in which that first drinks occurs -- and how parents deal with it -- is important."
(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)
Labels: parents, teen drinking
Ohio County Targets Parents who Host Underage Parties
The Champaign County Drug-Free Youth Coalition is partnering with the state of Ohio's Drug-Free Action Alliance to launch a campaign that targets parents who host underage drinking parties. The "Parents Who Host Lose the Most: Don't be a party to teenage drinking" public awareness campaign is designed to provide parents with information about the health risks of underage drinking and the legal consequences of providing alcohol to youth. The program is funded in part by the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services. The campaign is timed to reach parents before prom and graduation parties.
Abby Cohn, director of the Champaign County Child and Family First Council, comments: "This time of year presents numerous opportunities for underage drinking. ... We want to make sure that members of our community make good choices in determining how to celebrate." (Sources: www.urbancitizen.com)
Labels: parents, pharm parties, underage-drinking
Colorado Company Reveals New Way to Test Teens for Drugs
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: drug-use, parents, testing
Florida Community Wants to "Be the Wall" Between Kids and Alcohol
A new campaign is being launched this month is Nassau County, Florida, to promote the efforts of support parents, retailers, and community members to keep teens from drinking. The campaign is being initiated by the Nassau Alcohol, Crime and Drug Abatement Coalition, in partnership with Nassau County Public Schools, the Nassau County Sheriff's Office, the Fernandina Beach Police Department, Sutton Place Behavioral Health, the Nassau County Health Department, and others. The campaign operates from the idea that underage drinking is the single most preventable at-risk behavior among teens.
Susan Woodford, chairman of the coalition, comments on the new campaign: "Underage drinking is about access. … If our teens cannot get their hands on it, they cannot use it. We are asking all community members to help us limit access to alcohol once and for all."
According to the 2008 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, 35 percent of the high school students who responded reported drinking within the past month and of that number, 22 percent called themselves binge drinkers.
(Source: www.jacksonville.com)
Labels: parents, teen-drinking
Small California Town Provides Parent Education Course
Beginning this week, Temecula, California, will be hosting a weekly parenting class. The class will last a total of 11 weeks. The class is a collaboration of the Safe Alternative for Everyone (SAFE) program, the Temecula Police Department, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, and the Youth Accountability Team (YAT). The class is designed to address a variety of issues to help parents learn to understand their teens. A primary goal is to help parents learn to communicate effectively with their teens and to help their teens avoid negative behaviors, including drug use.
June Earley, Family Care Coordinator for SAFE, explains the course's goal: "We want to show parents how to be supportive. Each course will focus on a certain subject and use a basis of trust to create a lasting relationship with your teen. Trust works both ways. The program will focus on teaching your teens the long-term consequences of gangs, alcohol and drug abuse as a way to curb that kind of behavior."
(Sources: myvalleynews.com)
Labels: parents
"Pharming Parties" – A Warning for Parents
Kim Obert lost her son in 2003 to a fatal overdose of the prescription painkiller OxyContin. Now, the Arizona mom has become a spokesperson, warning parents about the dangers of a new national teen trend: "pharming parties." At these parties, middle and high school children raid their parents' medicine cabinets and then pool their findings. The youth then take random handfuls of these potent, often highly addictive and dangerous, pills.
Amazingly, many teens believe that because these drugs are prescribed by doctors, they are safer for recreational use than typical street drugs like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamines. What teens don't know, however, is that many prescription drugs, especially painkillers, are close chemical relatives of potent drugs like heroin and are just as addictive and dangerous.
(Sources: www.azcentral.com)
Labels: parents, prescription-drug-abuse
Malibu Parents and Officials Strive to Combat Teen Drug Abuse
According to a story published this week in the Malibu Times, Malibu parents and officials are exploring new ways to combat teen drug abuse in the area. Many cite the lack of activities for youth as a contributing factor to increasing rates of drug teen drug abuse.
Some Malibu residents are calling drug use among area high school students an epidemic. Two students, interviewed anonymously by the Malibu Times, reported easily obtaining drugs on campus and doing the drugs while at school. One of the students said that drugs were "easy to supply, easy to get, and easy to do" at school. The two students reported knowing of at least five drug dealers at the high school.
(Source: www.malibutimes.com)
Labels: parents, teen-drug-abuse
Warning Signs of Teen Prescription Drug Abuse
The Philadelphia affiliate of Fox news ran a story this week warning parents about the dangers and warning signs of teen prescription drug abuse. Two local teenagers have died in the past six months from overdoses of prescription medications. Ronnie Powell, a star running back on his high school football team, died last October from popping prescription painkillers. Two weeks ago, another teen named Pete Angstadt died at the age of 17 from a similar overdose.
The most astonishing fact is that many teens believe that prescription drugs are a "safer" way to get high. Teens and college students typically subvert the time-release structures of these pills by smashing them and snorting them. In powder form, the pills release their high all at once, resulting in frequent overdoses.
One of the most popular prescription drugs among teenagers is OxyContin, an equally potent cousin of heroin. One local teen, Kyle Houck, became addicted to OxyContin, and when he could no longer afford to buy the expensive pills, decided to try heroin. He died of a heroin overdose the first time he tried the drug.
Kyle's mother warns other parents that the most typical warning signs of prescription drug abuse are "grades slipping, sleeping too long, and moodiness."
(Source: www.myfoxphilly.com)
Labels: parents, prescription-drug-abuse
New Kit Allows Parents to Drug Test Kids
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: drug-testing, parents
Inhalant Use in Pre-Teens
Inhalant abuse is defined as “the deliberate inhalation or sniffing of common products found in homes and communities with the purpose of ‘getting high.’” Though there are many illegal drugs that are inhaled, the term “inhalant” refers to products that, in and of themselves, are not illegal, but can be used to produce similar effects. Products used as inhalants include spray paint, nail polish remover, rubber cement, hair spray, and paint thinner.
The three most common ways of using inhalants are called sniffing, huffing, and bagging. Sniffing is the most common and easiest method, and refers to inhaling product fumes directly from the product; i.e. a bottle of rubber cement. Huffing is done by soaking a rag or other piece of cloth with a product and holding the rag to the face or stuffing it in the mouth. Substances are bagged when they’re sprayed or placed inside a paper or plastic bag and the fumes are inhaled from the bag.
Regardless of the method, inhalants are dangerous. They can cause blackouts, lung damage, and even seizures if someone has an adverse reaction to the chemical.
Inhalants are especially dangerous for young children, as the products used are often found right in the home. Studies have found that kids as young as 5 have tried inhalants and that 3 percent of kids will have tried it at least once by the time they reach the fourth grade.
Studies have also found that nearly as many eighth-graders use inhalants as use marijuana, yet parents are 50 percent less likely to talk with their kids about the dangers of inhalants.
One of the gravest dangers associated with inhalant abuse is called Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS). SSDS occurs when an inhalant causes the heart to beat erratically and quickly at the same time that the fumes inhibit the body’s ability to produce enough oxygen. The user suffocates.
There’s no formula for determining when someone might be at risk of Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome. It could happen the 50th time inhalants are abused, or it could happen the first time. Even if death doesn’t occur, inhalants can cause brain damage, nausea, headaches, and fatigue. They can also damage the central nervous system.
Kids who abuse inhalants may appear to be disoriented, dizzy, or uncoordinated. They may also have slurred speech, a red or runny nose, unusual breath, or sores around the mouth.
If you suspect your child or another young person is abusing inhalants, get them help. Sit down and have a long talk about the dangers and consequences of their behavior. Make sure he or she takes the conversation seriously. Not only are inhalants used by very young kids, but they often become a gateway to abuse of illicit drugs and/or alcohol.
Labels: parents, teen-inhalant-abuse
Boston Parents Renew Efforts Against Drunk Driving
More than 100 concerned parents congregated this week at a high school in the suburbs of Boston to discuss new measures against teen drunk driving. According to the story published in The Boston Globe, Newton South High School called the meeting in response to three car accidents that occurred in one weekend last month. All three accidents involved students from the school, and all three involved drunken driving. Principal Brian Salzer said to parents:
"I don't want you to feel like you are being lectured. …This [meeting] is to answer the question, 'What are we doing?' What are the school, police and district attorney's office doing to help kids around drinking and driving?' "
At the meeting, parents received information from police officials, former students, school officials, and a prosecutor. Parent reported that this information was helpful.
Area police reportedly asked parents to inform the police of house parties, which they called “a real serious problem and a hard one to manage.” The police said they were more interested in keeping intoxicated party-goers off the road than anything else.
(Sources: Boston.com)
Labels: parents, teen-drinking
Parents Open to Alcohol Screening at Pediatrician’s
According to a recent study by the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research (CeASAR) at Children's Hospital Boston, parents are open to being screened for alcohol use during their child's pediatric visit. The study also found that parents are inclined to discuss their drinking habits with a pediatrician.
Over 90% of parents who completed the anonymous survey indicated openness to alcohol screening. Surprisingly, over 75% of those who screened positive for alcohol use also indicated openness to screening during a pediatric visit.
According to research cited in the story, “children of alcoholics are at increased risk for behavioral, cognitive and mental health problems. They are more likely to witness domestic violence, and have a greater chance of becoming victims of all forms of child maltreatment including neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Furthermore, children of alcoholics are 3 to 4 times more likely to have their own alcohol problems later in life.”
Experts at children’s hospital feel that pediatricians could provide a valuable service to families who are struggling with alcohol abuse. “When a potential drinking problem arises, the pediatrician could provide educational materials about alcoholism, and refer the parents for evaluation or treatment.” (Source: Newswise.com)
Labels: parents
Many Parents Feel Helpless to Prevent Teen Drug Use
According to a study recently released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 51% of parents with kids in the 6th to 8th grades say they lack the tools and information to prevent drug and alcohol abuse. The Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey (PATS) found that parents of middle school students were the most likely (46%) to encounter reluctance from their children to discuss drug and alcohol use, and more than one-third (37%) reported feeling helpless over their children’s decisions to use drugs or alcohol. Only 1 in 4 parents reported feeling extremely prepared to handle the discussion of drug and alcohol dangers.
The good news for parents is that these perceptions may be unnecessarily pessimistic. The Partnership’s research continues to show that children who learn more at home about the dangers of drugs and alcohol are less likely to use. (Source: DrugFree.org)
Labels: parents
