Teen Drug Help
Lack of Sleep Linked to Teen Drug Use
According to a new study by researchers at the University of San Diego and Harvard University, teens who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to use illegal drugs.
For the study, the researchers tracked the drug use and sleep patterns of more than 8,000 teens. They found that social networks significantly influenced both sleep patterns and drug use among study participants. For example, teens with a friend who sleeps less than seven hours per night are 11 percent more likely to sleep less than seven hours per night. In addition, teens with a friend who sleeps less than seven hours per night are 19 percent more likely to use marijuana.
Researchers found that teens with a friend who uses marijuana are almost twice as likely to use marijuana themselves. Study results also indicated that lack of sleep might be linked to increased alcohol use by teens.
The study authors commented: "Adolescents are embedded in complex social networks and are especially vulnerable to peer effects -- possibly not only with respect to drugs, but also with respect to sleep."
(Source: news.yahoo.com)
Labels: sleep, teen drug use
Project Shows Teens 'Your Face on Meth'
Mendocino County, Calif., is launching a new anti-meth project that uses image-altering software to show teens what their faces might look like after prolonged use of the drug.
The Face2Face project is being spearheaded by Sheriff Tom Allman. Using the software, Allman is able to show kids what they might look like three months, six months, a year and even three years into a methamphetamine habit.
Allman commented on the effectiveness of his method: "You're young. You're vibrant. You have great-looking skin. Your hair is there, your teeth are there. The software ... morphs it into causing the physiological effects that meth causes -- the open scabs, the droopy skin, the hair loss. It strikes at the vanity of teenagers. Some kids start crying when they see the devastating effect meth can do to their complexion. It was the way to crack the nut -- to say, 'This could happen to you.'"
The addiction rate after first-time use of methamphetamines is extremely high -- around 90 percent, Allman claims. Thus, Allman's goal is to prevent first-time use.
(Source: www.npr.org)
Labels: meth, teen drug use
Alabama Teens See Low Risk in Drug Use
According to the results of the Pride Survey on Student Behavior and Perception, teens believe that the risks associated with drug use are low.
Virginia Guy of the Drug Education Council in Mobile, Ala., says this trend has been developing over the past couple of years: "The last two or three years we've noticed that there has been an increased low perception of risk -- in other words kids aren't perceiving drugs as being very harmful or risky -- and we have some major concerns."
Guy attributes the trend to reduced funding for drug and alcohol education in public schools.
According to the Pride Survey, alcohol and tobacco use by Alabama teens decreased slightly this year over last year. However, use of alcohol and tobacco remains higher among Alabama teens than teens in other states. In addition, marijuana use by Alabama teens is on the rise. The study included survey responses from 280,000 students in grades six through 12 throughout Alabama.
(Source: www.wkrg.com)
Labels: marijuana, teen drinking, teen drug use
Wisconsin School District's New Prevention Effort Directed at Parents
The Kimberly Area School District in Wisconsin is launching a new teen drug use prevention effort aimed at reaching parents. Operation Recommit will consist of a series of films and workshops starting this month and running through the end of the school year. The program is designed to combat teen drug use by building community knowledge of and support for the district's efforts to keep teens away from drugs and alcohol.
Kathy Verstegen, a nurse at Kimberly High School, believes that parental support and knowledge is vital to helping students make healthy decisions regarding the use of alcohol or drugs. She believes that some parents lose sight of how much they're needed as their children grow.
"Anyone can change a diaper," she said. "It really takes a dedicated parent to sit down and talk about these really big issues with their kids."
(Source: www.postcrescent.com)
Labels: alcohol, drug prevention, teen drug use
Parental Monitoring Linked to Reduced Marijuana Use
A review of recent studies suggests that parental monitoring may be key in reducing teen use of marijuana. Psychologists Andrew Lac and William Crano from Claremont Graduate University reviewed 17 studies containing data on over 35,000 teens to examine the connection between parental monitoring and adolescent marijuana use. In all studies, parental monitoring was evaluated according to adolescent self-reporting, not parents' reports.
Lac and Crano found that there is a strong, consistent link between parental monitoring and decreased marijuana use in adolescents. The strongest results appeared in female-only studies, suggesting that girls in particular may benefit from parental monitoring. In their report, the authors wrote: "Our review suggests that parents are far from irrelevant, even when it comes to an illegal and often secretive behavior on the part of their children."
Chronic use of marijuana is associated with a number of negative outcomes, including depression, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.
(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)
Labels: marijuana, teen drug use
California Survey Reports Increasing Rates of Teen Drinking, Drug Use
According to the results of the 2009 annual California Healthy Kids Survey, released earlier this week, teen use of and involvement with alcohol and marijuana has been increasing among California youth.
The survey found that 27 percent of ninth graders have been driven in a car by someone who has been drinking, or driven under the influence themselves. This represents an increase of 5 percent since 2005.
The number of high school freshmen who reported being very drunk or getting sick from drinking alcohol increased by 7 percent to 36 since 2005. In addition, 16 percent of seventh graders reported binge drinking, an increase of 6 percent since 2005.
Teens also reported that marijuana use is fairly common. Approximately half of high school juniors reported using marijuana at some time in their lives.
(Source: www.santacruzsentinel.com)
Labels: marijuana, teen drinking, teen drug use
Hearing About Parent Experiences with Drug, Alcohol Use Benefits Teens
Teens may benefit from hearing about their parents' own experiences with alcohol and drugs, according to a recent study.
The study, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of the Hazelden Foundation, found that most teens go to their parents first for advice about alcohol and drug use. About two-thirds of teens (63 percent) said that hearing about their parents' experiences with drugs or alcohol made them more responsible about their own substance use. Hearing about how drugs or alcohol negatively impacted a parent's life helps to dispel the idea that drinking or using drugs "doesn't hurt anyone."
About 67 percent of teenagers who participated in the survey reported that their parents had told them about their past experiences with alcohol and drugs, and 95 percent of participants appreciated that openness. About one-third of teens reported that their parents had not shared any information about their own experiences with substance use, and a majority of those teens said that they would like to talk openly with their parents about it.
(Sources: abcnews.go.com, www.startribune.com)
Labels: alcohol, parental drinking, teen drug use
Teen Abuse of Painkillers Still a Concern, Despite Overall Decline in Teen Drug Use
Despite an overall decline in teen drug use of about 2 percent over the past six years, teen use of painkillers for nonmedical purposes is still a trouble trend.
The findings of a recent study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) show an overall softening in attitudes toward drug use, including a decrease in the number of teens who view weekly marijuana use as a "great risk."
"The survey findings are important because they often point to emerging patterns of substance abuse," said Director of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske. "Although we see some success in the reduction of overall illicit drug use, methamphetamine and prescription drug abuse among teens, there are indications that progress in other areas may be at a standstill, or even slipping back."
(Source: www.firstcoastnews.com)
Labels: painkillers, teen drug use
Drug Use on the Rise Among Teens in Hong Kong
Reports of teens using drugs in Hong Kong have increased by 25 percent over the past year. According to Professor Daniel Shek, chairman of the Action Committee Against Narcotics, 8,916 drug users were reported in the first six months of 2009, 1.7 percent more than the same period last year.
The number of drug users under 21 years old rose from 2,106 to 2,175 (a 3.2 percent increase). The number of drug users aged 12 to 15 grew by 25 percent, from 204 to 256. In addition, the number of newly reported female abusers under 21 increased by 19.3 percent, from 409 to 488.
Shek attributes the increase in young drug users to the falling price of the popular drug Ketamine. In addition, a more active anti-drug campaign has motivated more drug users to self-report and turn themselves in to authorities.
(Source: www.news.gov.hk)
Labels: Hong Kong, teen drug use
As Kids Head Back to School, Moms Worry about Exposure to Drugs
A recent online survey by the Partnership for a Drug Free America, in collaboration with Vocalpoint.com, found that the top concern of moms with kids returning to school is that their kids "might be exposed to kids who drink or use drugs." Approximately 29 percent of the 2,500 moms surveyed picked this as their top concern.
A 2007 study by the Partnership for a Drug Free America found that the number one reason teens use drugs is to cope with school stress. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), kids are most vulnerable to start drinking or using drugs during highly stressful transition periods, such as entering high school or going off to college.
Sandi Delack, RN, President of the National Association of School Nurses, gives encouragement to parents: "The beginning of the school year is an especially vulnerable time for most kids, especially for teens making the move from middle school to high school, or any child who is starting a new school. ... The good news is that there's a lot of support available for parents to help their kids make a smoother, safer transition. One significant resource for parents is the school nurse, who has experience working with children and adolescents and an understanding of the stress students experience in school."
(Source: PRNewswire)
Labels: parents concerns, partnership for a drug free america, teen drug use
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 Meth Use Declines by 63 Percent in Montana
According to data recently released by the Montana Office of Public Instruction, meth use among Montana teenagers has significantly decreased. The data comes from Montana's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which found that since the Montana Meth Project was first launched in 2005, meth use among teens in the state has dropped by 63%. The YRBS is conducted every two years by the Montana Office of Public Instruction, in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The study also found that between 2005 and 2007, the incidence of workers testing positive for meth decreased by 72%. Between 2005 and 2008, meth-related crime was reduced by 62%, and meth-related admissions for substance abuse treatment declined by 34%. In addition, the number of children placed in foster care because of meth-related incidents decreased by 11%.
Montana Meth Project chairman Mike Gulledge commented on the findings: "The 63% decrease in teen meth use reported by the state and the CDC continues a trend we have seen since the launch of the Montana Meth Project in 2005. ... Four years ago, we realized that if Montana was going to eradicate its meth problem we needed to launch a research-based prevention effort that would capture the attention of our young people and stop them from ever trying the drug. The result was the Montana Meth Project, which has had demonstrated success in educating Montana's young people about the dangers of meth use. The program has exceeded all expectations and I commend the people of the state of Montana for making it possible."
(Source: www.marketwatch.com)
Labels: meth, montana, 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
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
Teen Drug Education May Curb Risky Sexual Behavior
A new RAND corporation study indicates that school-based drug education programs for adolescents can have long-term positive influence with regard to substance abuse as well as sexual behaviors. Researchers found that teens who received drug abuse prevention programs were less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, even five to seven years later. The study, which is published online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, provides strong evidence that drug abuse prevention programs can also decrease risky sexual behaviors among young people. Phyllis Ellickson, the lead author of the study and a researcher at RAND, a nonprofit research organization, commented: "The lessons these young people learned about how to avoid drug and alcohol abuse appears to have had a positive impact on their sexual behavior as well."
(Sources: www. Sciencedaily.com)
Labels: education, sex, teen drug use
Ohio Pharmacists Battle Teen Drug Abuse
A partnership between Ohio State University College of Pharmacology and Ohio pharmacists is working to educate Ohio residents about prescription drug abuse, particularly among young people. The partnership will be promoting local programs that use pharmacists to provide community education on the dangers of abusing drugs that are often found in the home.
A recent report by the Ohio Department of Health showed that in 2006 and 2007 drug overdoses surpassed auto accidents as the leading cause of accidental deaths in the state. The department attributes the increase in fatalities to growing use of prescription drugs. Kenneth Hale, the pharmacy college's assistant dean for professional and external affairs, commented: "The drug problem is moving from the streets to the medicine cabinet."
Ohio is also planning to share a database with Kentucky that will allow physicians to check patient prescription histories. The database will help prevent drug abusers from crossing state lines to obtain painkillers and other prescription drugs.
(Sources: www.thenews-messenger.com)
Labels: ohio, teen drug abuse, teen drug use
