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A substance abuse forum held this week in Benicia, Calif., by local school and police officials included strong warnings from a local psychiatric social worker about the dangers of methamphetamines.

The social worker, Jeremy Taubman, warned that methamphetamines can traumatically affect the life of the user. He even described "Christmas tree" or "holiday" meth -- a green version of the drug that is made using clog-remover Drano crystals (meth is typically white or yellowish in color).

Methamphetamines are a type of stimulant. Stimulants are a class of drugs that stimulates the body's central nervous system, causing euphoria and then a devastating crash which pushes users to constantly seek out more drugs. Meth can be injected, snorted, smoked or consumed orally. It can be "cooked" in a home kitchen using ingredients that are easily obtained at supermarkets; however, the process often results in explosions and toxic fumes and waste.

(Source: www.timesheraldonline.com )

Labels: meth, substance use

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A new study by Spanish researchers indicates that the use of addictive substances by young university students is related to the manifestation of cognitive and psychomotor impulsiveness.

According to data produced by the study, individuals who regularly consume alcohol and marijuana are more impulsive than non-users. However, researchers were not able to detect a difference between drinkers and marijuana users, suggesting that all substance use is equally related to impulsivity.

The study included 575 students -- 50.7 percent men and 49.3 percent women. Participants were assigned to one of three groups depending on their substance use habits. Researchers found that men are more likely to be regular consumers of both substances than women, and men consume higher amounts of both substances than women.

The researchers commented on the still-unclear role of impulsivity in the behaviors that were observed: "[I]t is undeniable that university students regularly consume addictive substances. On the other hand, it seems clear that there is a relationship between drug use and impulsive behaviour although we still have to clarify whether this attitude is a cause or a result of drug use."

(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Labels: substance use

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Since 2006, liquor law violations at Sacramento State University have decreased. Violations have also decreased throughout the California State University (CSU) system.

According to the fourth biennial report on CSU's Alcohol Policies and Prevention programs, the overall number of students abusing alcohol has declined since the University first initiated alcohol abuse prevention efforts in 2001.

CSU's alcohol policies and prevention programs require each campus in the CSU system to report the status and progress of alcohol education and prevention efforts every two years. The goal is to decrease and prevent alcohol-related incidents among students, including drunk driving, underage drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol-related injuries and fatalities.

Cyndra Krogen-Morton, professional staff and health educator of Sacramento State's Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Education Program, commented on the encouraging trend: "I am very excited about it. We have been working hard with the law enforcement and Alcoholic Beverage Control. I'm happy that the chancellor's efforts are paying off."

(Source: media.www.statehornet.com)

Labels: alcohol, binge drinking, underage-drinking, college-drinking, substance use

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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: substance use, k9, schools, michigan

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A new report, Growing Up with Dad: Fathers and their Impact on Substance Use, discusses the extent to which drugs are used by children and youth in Wales, and the impact of paternal relationships on substance use. The research was conducted by two Welsh organizations, Children in Wales and Catch22. Researchers collected data from approximately 18,000 young people. The young people completed a questionnaire which asked about their relationships with their father and whether this relationship has any effect on whether they drink, smoke or use marijuana.

Pat Dunmore, director of CtC in Wales for Catch22, comments: "We know the importance of good parenting in children's lives but for a long time that was seen as the mother's role. It's clear from this research that it's not enough for dads just to be around. What makes the difference is having a good relationship between dads and their children."

(Source: cypnow.co.uk)

Labels: substance use, dads

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In Connecticut, a group of parents is ready to try something different in order to protect their kids from the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse: homework. Not for the kids, but for the parents.

The as-yet-unnamed group includes 20 parents equipped with training and materials to lead intensive 12-hour workshops designed to teach skills such as how to communicate with your kids about touchy subjects and where to set boundaries. [Source: New Canaan (CT) Patch]

Robert Curry, the man spearheading the new group, says the goal is to more than talk about drugs and alcohol. Parents to lay a foundation that will help them in all areas of parenting. The program is based on a curriculum developed by the Georgia-based Active Parenting Publishers and the book How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid by Joseph Califano.

 

Labels: parental-involvement, substance use, prevention, awareness

Posted By: Teen Drug Help 0 Comments

Martha Hernandez was 17 when she died recently from a simultaneous alcohol and drug overdose. In the weeks leading up to her death, there were signs that something wasn’t right. Groups like Richmond Addiction Services (RAS) in Canada want parents to know that a child doesn’t have to be addicted to be in trouble.

Some teens are too young to have formed an addition. That doesn’t mean their drug and alcohol use isn’t dangerous, as has been underscored with the deaths of Hernandez and her friend, Kayla Lalonde, both of whom died within a few hours of each other after consuming fatal amounts of booze and drugs. [Source: Richmond News]

Neither girl would have been diagnosed an “addict,” but deadly consequences can result from the misuse of drugs or alcohol whether the person is addicted or not.

 

Labels: alcohol abuse, drug addiction, substance use, awareness

Posted By: Teen Drug Help 0 Comments

One in five high school students has abused prescription drugs, 37 percent have tried marijuana, and 75 percent have tried alcohol, according to a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The prescription drugs most frequently abused were OxyContin, Percocet, Xanax, and Ritalin. OxyContin is a powerful painkiller usually prescribed to cancer patients.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control said that the teenagers' drug and alcohol use was linked to the four main causes of death among that age group, which are car accidents, unintentional injury, homicide, and suicide.

In addition, a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that on an average day, more than half a million teenagers drink alcohol, more than half a million use marijuana, more than 640,000 use illegal drugs, and more than one million smoke cigarettes.

The agency estimates that about 85,000 people under age 18 are receiving treatment for a substance abuse problem.
 

Labels: alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs, teen drug abuse, substance use

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 0 Comments

People who suffer from severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are not likely to be violent unless they are also a substance abusers, according to a study from the University of North Carolina.

• Dr. Eric Elbogen and his colleagues went through the records of 34,653 people from a government health survey conducted in 2003.
• Three years later, the researchers checked whether these people had engaged in violence, including sexual assaults, attacks with guns or knives, arson, or physical fighting.
• Those who suffered from severe mental illnesses but did not abuse substances were not at higher risk to committing violence.
• However, the combination of substance abuse plus mental illness put a person at three times the risk for violence.

"The reality is you still have people with mental illness who do commit violent acts," said Dr. Elbogen. "There is a relationship [between mental illness and violence] but it's much weaker than most people think."

If you or someone you love is struggling with mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse (also known as dual diagnosis), know a range of treatment options are available to you.
 

Labels: violence, substance use, dual diagnosis, mental health

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A study of emergency room records from 2007 found that mental health and drug abuse issues (also know as co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis) are common in patients’ visits. Of the 95 million ER visits in 2007, about 12 million of the visitors had either mental health or substance abuse issues, or both.

“Of these visits, about two thirds involved patients with a mental disorder, one quarter was for patients with a substance abuse problem and the rest involved patients dealing with both a mental disorder and substance abuse.” [Source: Citizen-Times (Asheville, NC)]

About 23 percent of the patients had alcohol-related problems. The study also found that mental health and substance abuse issues dramatically increased the likelihood that a patient would be admitted to the hospital, rather than being treated and released.

Labels: substance use, dual diagnosis, mental health

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

Certain children with "anxious temperaments" are more likely to engage in teen substance abuse. Early detection and intervention of anxiety disorders among children may prevent later drug and alcohol use among adolescents and teenagers, according to a study from the University of Wisconsin.

"Children with anxious temperaments suffer from extreme shyness, persistent worry and increased bodily responses to stress," said Professor Ned Kalin, lead author.

"It has long been known that these children are at increased risk of developing anxiety, depression and associated substance abuse disorders," Kalin continued. "We believe that young children who have higher activity in (certain) brain regions are more likely to develop anxiety and depression as adolescents and adults, and are almost more likely to develop drug and alcohol problems in an attempt to treat their distress."

This study appears in the journal Nature.

Labels: substance use, anxiety, prevention

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Adolescent substance abuse is most common among Hispanic middle school students and least common among Asians, according to a new study from the RAND Corporation.

• Researchers studied 5,000 students in seventh and eighth grades in California, and found that Hispanics were more likely to drink, smoke cigarettes and use marijuana than other ethnic groups.
• Their substance abuse was related to their ability to say no and to their beliefs about the negative and positive effects of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.
• Asian students were not influenced by those two factors, and instead made decisions about substance use based on respect for their parents and role modeling by their older siblings.

The RAND study, which was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, appears in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Labels: research, substance use, students

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 2 Comments

In March 2010, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. Six months later, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced $100 million in grants made possible by the law’s Prevention and Public Health Fund.

“The grants will support a variety of critical public health programs in states and local communities; everything from tobacco quit lines to HIV testing to programs that help address and tackle substance abuse and mental health issues.” - Source: MediLexicon

A total of $26.6 million will be allocated to state and local substance abuse and mental health programs through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Proponents of the grants tout their focus not only on treatment of issues like substance abuse, but prevention as well.

 

Labels: substance use, treatment, mental health

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

Teenage students from Montana's Helena High School are working together in an effort to promote greater understanding about the effects of drug and alcohol use among their peers

According to the 2009 Monitoring the Future survey, nearly 44 percent of high school seniors reported consuming alcohol in the previous 30 days.

According to a report in the Independent Record newspaper, eight Helena High students are raising money to travel to teh National Youth Leadership Institute in Washington D.C.  The students' goal is to develop problem-solving skills that they can teach to fellow students.

“As I got into high school, I started seeing my friends and classmates making the same decisions [with alcohol],” sophomre Amy Heldt said in the Independent Record article. “So the reason dearest to my heart in going on this [trip] is to learn ways to prevent this from happening again.”


 

Labels: substance use, awareness

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