tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37291900499016753402024-03-07T20:21:24.662-08:00GeorgetownCARESPam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-54314968789127607282014-09-24T16:50:00.000-07:002014-09-24T16:50:17.609-07:00Thank you for your support, DFC Grant not received, but youth substance abuse prevention work will continue :) Dear GeorgetownCARES Sector Members,
On behalf of the GeorgetownCARES community coalition, I would like to thank you all for agreeing to participate as an active coalition member in a Drug Free Community (DFC) Sector capacity.
DFC Grants are awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services. The 2014 awards have been announced, and sadly, GeorgetownCARES was NOT among the (only) three community coalitions across the country offered a grant.
Thanks to the caring support of so many in Georgetown, however, the work of the GeorgetownCARES coalition will continue in a similar manner as before, with the twin goals of building protective factors for youth and reducing the risk factors that lead to risky behavior choices.
The stated purpose of the grant was to increase community readiness to address youth substance use problems. In fact I want to recognize that already many groups and individuals in our small, caring, family-friendly town step up every day to support our youth in making healthy choices and decisions.
We are particularly appreciative of the Georgetown School District for agreeing to administer, analyze, and develop a responsive prevention plan to the 2014 Search Institute’s Attitudes & Behavior Survey for GMHS students this fall. Also, our highly trained and professional Police & Fire Departments do an incredible job keeping our community safe in their responses to the substance-abuse related situations our youth find themselves in. We also thank the Georgetown Record for their practice of printing educational prevention articles for parents.
GeorgetownCARES would like to continue partnering with you all to provide parents with information and support on how to keep teens safe from alcohol and other drugs. We will also keep working hand in hand with the Georgetown Wellness Committee, to provide a safe and supportive school environment for all of our youth.
If any of you have ideas about how GeorgetownCARES could help promote or be a part of any educational youth activities involving substance abuse prevention, please do contact us.
Again, thank you very much for your willingness to participate in this SAMSHA program, and wishing you all success in your endeavors to support Georgetown youth.
Very Best Regards, Pam Lundquist, GeorgetownCARES
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/drug-free-communities-support-program
http://beta.samhsa.gov/grants
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-77147981157366635092014-04-04T15:11:00.002-07:002014-04-04T15:13:56.699-07:00Website Updateshttps://sites.google.com/site/georgetowncaresma/home
Please feel free to check out our new website pages! Information Fact Sheets now include:
The Plan: GeorgetownCARES,
Substance Abuse Prevention Awareness Websites,
Substance Abuse Prevention Strategies for Communities (2 pages,
The 40 Developmental Assets Approach,
Seven Myths About Teens, Alcohol & Other Drugs,
Social Host Liability: Get the Facts,
High School Student Drug Recognition: Get the Facts,
Check Yourself: On the path to addiction?,
Pathways to Help: Treatment,
Alcohol and Underage Drinking: Get the Facts,
Bath Salts: Get the Facts,
Club Drugs GHB, Ketamine & Rohypnol: Get the Facts,
Ecstasy: Get the Facts,
Hallucinogens: Get the Facts,
Heroin: Get the Facts,
K2 & Synthetic Marijuana: Get the Facts,
Marijuana: Get the Facts,
Prescription Drug Abuse: Get the Facts,
Steroids: Get the Facts,
Youth and Tobacco Use: Get the Facts,
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-74909223075411339152014-04-04T15:09:00.002-07:002014-04-04T15:09:31.745-07:00Georgetown Health & Wellness Fair 4/5/14 8-11am at Penn Brook SchoolHope to see everyone at the Penn Brook School for the Georgetown Health & Wellness Fair – Come discover new ways to be healthy & well – exciting activities & interactive stations – perfect for all ages! 8am-11am, FREE, sponsored by the Georgetown Health & Wellness Committee. Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-4177754371403488052014-03-24T14:52:00.002-07:002014-03-24T14:52:20.879-07:00Thank you, Chris Herren & GHS SADD!March 24, 2014 - GeorgetownCARES would like to thank Chris Herren, former Celtics player and a recovering addict, for speaking with all of our Georgetown High School students today, courtesy of our GHS Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter.
As Chris delivered his message of both the hope in recovery and his cautionary tale, the audience was riveted in silent awe. Chris’s story is that of a young basketball superstar out of Fall River, MA. For many years, Chris basked in the ever-growing approval of the crowds, the colleges who recruited him, the NBA, his friends and family. That is, until cocaine, opiates and heroin threw him off track from his career and family dreams, like he never imagined. Like he never planned on, when as a high school students, he started at parties with his friends to drink and smoke. Are drinking, cigarettes, pot gateway substances for teens? Never mind the statistics, Herren said. Toward the end of his drugging, he knew many a heroin addict, not one of whom didn’t begin as a teen that way. That’s why Herren likes to talk more about the first days than the last days. Because if he had said no to underage drinking and smoking as a teen, the last days most likely would not have happened. One student asked, what should you do if you have a friend who has done hard drugs before, but promises not to do it again? Herren didn’t hesitate: If you know you friend has tried drugs or alcohol? You tell an adult. That’s what a friend does. That’s what I wish I had done for my friends. 7 out of the 15 kids on my high school basketball team ended up as heroin addicts. If I had told, maybe that wouldn’t have happened. And I wish someone had told an adult on me. Ask yourself, why do you need substances? If you can feel good about being you 24/7, there’d be no need for substances. Again, we thank you, Chris Herren, for telling your story. If only one young student here can make a better choice from hearing you speak, it’s all worth it. Find out more about Chris at:
http://www.theherrenproject.org
http://www.ahoopdream.com/profile/chris-herren/
http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/chris-herren-five-year-anniversary-of-sobriety-080113
Find Chris’s 2012 memoir, Basketball Junkie, and his DVD, Unguarded, at www.amazon.com
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-9717753096825436582013-10-21T06:50:00.001-07:002013-10-21T06:50:48.057-07:0040 Developmental Assets We Can Give Our ChildrenA Summary: The 40 Developmental Assets Framework
From GeorgetownCARES
The 40 Developmental Assets are positive experiences, relationships, opportunities, and personal qualities that young people need to grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. The Framework is grounded in research on child and adolescent development, risk prevention, and resiliency.
Assets are easy to build! Asset building is about relationships—anyone can do it. You can make a difference and help a young person succeed! Research shows that the more assets young people have, the less likely they are to engage in risky behaviors. Assets 1) promote academic success, 2) divert youth from risky behaviors and increase civic engagement, 3) give young people the strengths they need to make positive choices in life.
Across the United States, in big cities and in small towns, most young people now experience fewer than half of the 40 Developmental Assets. Those youth have an 18-38% chance of illicit drug use. Youth with more than 20 assets have a 1-6% chance of illicit drug use. Assets make a difference!
The 40 Developmental Assets for Grades 6-12
EXTERNAL
Support: family support, positive family communication, other adult relationships, caring neighborhood, caring school climate, parent involvement in schooling.
Empowerment: community values youth, youth have useful roles, service to others, feels safe.
Boundaries & Expectations: family boundaries, school boundaries, neighborhood boundaries, adult role models, positive peer influence, high expectations.
Constructive Use of Time: creative activities, youth programs, religious community, time at home.
INTERNAL
Commitment to learning: Achievement motivation, school engagement (active learning), homework (reports doing at least 1 hour per day), bonding to school (cares about school), reading for pleasure.
Positive Values: Caring, equality and social justice, integrity (acts on convictions, stands up for beliefs), honesty, responsibility (takes personal), restraint (believes in avoiding risky behavior).
Social Competencies: planning and decision making, interpersonal competence (empathy, sensitivity), cultural competence (comfortable with differences), resistance skills (to peer pressure and dangerous situations), peaceful conflict resolution.
Positive Identity: personal power, self-esteem, sense of purpose, positive view of personal future.
America’s Promise-The Alliance for Youth has identified and promoted these Five Promises we need to make to our children:
1) Caring Adults,
2) Safe Places and Constructive Use of Time,
3) A Healthy Start and Healthy Development,
4) Effective Education for Marketable Skills and Lifelong Learning,
5) Opportunities to Make a Difference through Helping Others.
The Five Action Strategies for Transforming Communities and Society
Creating a World Where All Young People Are Valued and Thrive
1. Engage Adults – To develop sustained, strength-building relationship with youth.
2. Mobilize Young People – To use their power as asset builders and change-makers.
3. Activate Sectors – To create an asset-building culture, contributing to youth development.
4. Invigorate Programs– Expand/enhance programs to become asset rich & accessible to youth.
5. Influence Civic Decisions–Leverage financial, media, and policy resources to support youth.
The Search Institute at www.search-institute.org
Our Mission: To provide leadership, knowledge and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. 615 First Ave. NE, Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413 800-888-7828
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-42723051100014043392013-09-10T13:40:00.003-07:002013-09-10T13:40:39.234-07:00Ecstasy: Get the FactsEcstasy: Get the Facts
Knowledge is Power: The #1 deterrent of substance abuse in teens is PARENTS!
From GeorgetownCARES – www.georgetowncares.blogspot.com
What is Ecstasy? Ecstasy, chemically known as MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), is a (psychoactive) stimulant hallucinogenic drug. It is usually sold in pill form ($40/per pill), but is also available in powder form. Because Ecstasy is illegal and, therefore, unregulated, it is impossible for the average user to know what is contained in a “dose.” Pills may contain varying levels of stimulants such as MDA (an amphetamine-speed) or caffeine, or anesthetics such as Ketamine or dextromethorphan. Ecstasy is produced synthetically in (mostly European) labs and smuggled to the US. There is no recognized medical use; it is a federally classified Schedule I drug.
What does Ecstasy look like? Tablets resemble to Smarties candies, coming in many colors, most imprinted with logos/headstamps of crowns, stars, birds, blue dolphins, dragons. Butterflies & Tinkerbells are international symbols for Ecstasy. Users wear T-shirts with the symbol onE, meaning “on Ecstasy.” Ecstasy also sometimes comes in geltabs.
Short term effects: The effects of Ecstasy are felt within 30-45 minutes, peaking after 60-90, and lasting 4-6 hours. The drug produces a massive serotonin (and dopamine) release, resulting in strong feelings of well-being, connectedness to others, and mild dreamy hallucinations. Increased heart rate and blood pressure can lead to seizures. The stimulant effects of the drug enable users to dance for extended periods, which often leads to severely dehydration. Users can experience hyperthermia or dramatic increases in body temperature. This further leads to muscle breakdown and kidney, liver and cardiovascular failure (death). Cardiovascular failure has been reported in some of the Ecstasy-related fatalities. After/hangover effects include sleep-problems, depression, anxiety, dullness and lethargy lasting 2 or more days. Tolerance builds after 10 uses; users “chase the magic.” Because repeat doses have stimulant but no mood effects, addictiveness level is relatively low. This is because serotonin levels take time to rebuild before they can be released again. Overdose signs include panic, vomiting, loss of consciousness, extreme overheating (can result in death), kidney failure, hyponatremia, intravascular coagulation (DIC).
Signs of use: Ecstasy users’ pupils dilate, often making them very sensitive to light. Jaw-clenching and tooth-grinding are also observable effects; users may chew gum or bite on something. Senses are heightened, and Ecstasy users often want to intensify the feeling by dancing, talking, and touching. Users often display overt signs of affection, which explains its nickname, the “hug drug.”.
Long term effects: - Repeated use of Ecstasy ultimately may damage the nerve cells that produce serotonin, which has an important role in the regulation of mood, appetite, pain, learning and memory. There already is research suggesting Ecstasy use can disrupt or interfere with memory and long-term cognitive capabilities. Driving accidents are 58% greater than non-drug users.
SLANG – “Club Drug” - Because Ecstasy is popular at Rave parties and dance clubs, enabling users to dance for long periods of time, it is called a “club drug.” Other names for Ecstasy include E, X, XTC, Adam, rolls, candy, enhancements, love drug, hug drug, vitamin E.
Rates of Use - Ecstasy is most popular among 18 to 25 year olds (used by 5% of that US population). High school/middle school data from Monitoring the Future 2009 National Survey re: Ecstasy use are as follows: 12th grade 10th grade 8th grade
% who used in last month 4.2 3.8 1.4
% seeing “great risk” in using once or twice 53 39 25
5 disapproving of using once or twice 86 76 61
% saying “fairly” or “very” easy to get 35 26 14
Sources: www.monitoringthefuture.org, www.beyondzerotolerance.org, www.drugfree.org,
www.justthinktwice.org
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-75059781278585080332013-07-02T07:47:00.002-07:002013-09-10T13:38:56.583-07:00Marijuana: Get the FactsMarijuana: Get the Facts
Knowledge is Power: The #1 deterrent of substance abuse in teens is PARENTS!
See www.georgetowncares.blogspot.com and https//sites.google.com/site/georgetowncaresma/
From GeorgetownCARES – Marijuana is the illicit drug of choice among teens.
2007 US National YRBS High School Use: 20% of students one or more times in the past 30 days.
2011 US National YRBS High School Use: 23% of students one or more times in the past 30 days.
2007 Mass. YRBS High School Use: 25% of students one or more times in the past 30 days.
2011 Mass. YRBS High School Use: 28% of students one or more times in the past 30 days.
Main active ingredient: THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) from the plant, cannabis sativa. THC is a hallucinogen, with analgesic/pain-relieving properties. THC depresses brain activity, producing a dreamy state in which ideas seem disconnected and uncontrollable. In the sixties, the THC content of marijuana was about 3%. Now it ranges from 7-20%. Depending on the source, the marijuana may have added chemicals in it such as pesticides, other drugs or fungus. Hashish is a preparation of cannabis composed of the compressed stalked resin glands called trichomes, same effects.
Short term effects: Causes hazy euphoria; alters time, depth, color and sound perception. May relieve tension and provide a sense of well-being. Can cause anxiety, paranoia, distrust, panic, fatigue and depression. Communicative and motor abilities decrease during use. Impairs memory, problem-solving ability, increases distractibility. Stimulates appetite, can reduce nausea. Also causes increased heart rate, restlessness, bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, irritability, sleep disturbance. Marijuana increases heart rate by 20–100 percent shortly after smoking; this effect can last up to 3 hours. In one study, it was estimated that marijuana users have a 4-8 fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first hour after smoking the drug.7(NIDA)
Long term effects:
- Increased risk of lung cancer; regular users face a 70% increase in testicular cancer (NECN).
- Decreased immunity to colds, flu, bronchitis (lung infections), emphysema.
- Respiratory problems may develop, including a persistent cough. Triggers bronchial asthma.
- Amotivational syndrome is common among regular marijuana smokers, produced by deteriorating neural connectivity. Symptoms include: increased levels of apathy, depression, difficulty in starting new tasks, not accomplishing or not setting goals, decreased concentration, a tendency toward introversion, suicidal feelings.
- In June 2009, a University of Leicester (England) study found carcinogens in marijuana smoke in amounts 50% greater than in cigarette smoke. It was also noted that smoking 3 to 4 joints (marijuana cigarettes) a day is associated with the same degree of damage to bronchial mucus membrane as smoking 20 cigarettes a day.
- In a 2008 study at University of Melbourne, the part of the brain believed to regulate emotion and memory, known as the hippocampus, was on average 12 per cent smaller in marijuana users compared to non-marijuana users. The amygdala, which regulates fear and aggression, was on average just more than 7 per cent smaller.
- Marijuana-induced Psychosis – Large quantities may produce a toxic psychosis, in which users do not know who they are, where they are, or what time it is.
- Increased likelihood of developing schizophrenia associated with related psychosis.
- Addiction to Marijuana occurs in 10% of all users; 17% of adolescent users, or 1 out of 6 teen users. Addiction requires specific treatment; long-term recovery eludes many addicts.
Adolescent Mental Health (from www.theantidrug.com) Weekly or more frequent use of marijuana doubles a teen’s risk of depression and anxiety. Depressed teens are more than twice as likely as their peers to abuse or become dependent on marijuana. Several studies have documented marijuana’s link with symptoms of schizophrenia and report that cannabis is an independent risk factor for schizophrenia; heavy users of marijuana at age 18 increased their risk of schizophrenia later in life by six times; the risk is greater for youth with a family history of schizophrenia.
Gateway effect: Prevention’s 2008 Youth Risk Behavior Survey of 11,000 9th through 12th graders indicated that, among teens aged 12 to 17 with no other problem behaviors, those who used marijuana at least once in the past 30 days are 13 times likelier than those teens who have not used marijuana in the past 30 days (33.5 percent vs. 4.4 percent) to use another drug like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, LSD or Ecstasy, and almost 26 times likelier than those teens who have never used marijuana (33.5 percent vs. 1.3 percent) to use another drug like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, LSD or Ecstasy. (from www.casacolumbia.org )
Addictive Nature: Can be addictive; users may become dependent upon it to feel good, deal with life, or handle stress. Frequent users develop tolerance, needing to smoke more to achieve the same effect. 20% of Drug Treatment admissions are for marijuana addiction. Long-term marijuana abusers trying to quit report irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving, all of which make it difficult to quit. These withdrawal symptoms begin within about 1 day following abstinence, peak at 2–3 days, and subside within 1 or 2 weeks following drug cessation.5 http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html)
Physical signs of use: red or bloodshot eyes, pupil dilation, droopy eye lids, tremor in eyelids or hands, slow speech, smell, dry mouth, excessive giggling, hunger (muchies) or thirst, impaired reaction time.
Paraphernalia: pipes (mostly homemade now, such as with soda cans), rolling papers, room deodorizers (and Febreze), Visine/eyedrops.
Marijuana and Driving: Drivers who consume cannabis within three hours of driving are nearly twice as likely to cause a vehicle collision as those who are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, claims a paper published recently on the British Medical Journal website (2012). Previous studiess have also found that there is also a substantially higher chance of collision if the driver is aged 35 or younger.
Medical Marijuana: The medical effects that are considered potentially valuable are appetite stimulation, nausea reduction and pain relief for cancer patients. Also, both evidence from laboratory studies and anecdotal reports suggest that cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound of cannabis, could potentially be helpful in controlling epilepsy seizures. The FDA, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Office of National Drug Control Policy all do not support the use of smoked marijuana for medical reasons. There are currently 2 oral forms of cannabis (cannabinoids) available by prescription in the United States for nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy: dronabinol (Marinol) and nabilone (Cesamet). Dronabinol is also approved for the treatment of anorexia associated with AIDS.
Where does it come from? Of those who bought marijuana in the past year (2007, SAMHSA), 78% say they bought it from a friend, 16% from someone they just met, 3% from relatives, 3% unspecified source. Most marijuana comes from Mexico, Canada, and the US. The NDTA (National Drug Threat Assessment) reports a sharp increase in indoor cultivation in the U.S.56 The top seven states for marijuana cultivation are California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia.
Sources:
• The Merck Manual of Medical Information.
• www.theantidrug.com www.nida.nih.gov
• www.wikipedia.com www.ncadi.samhsa.gov
• www.casacolumbia.org
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-15460630666653021442013-06-01T11:24:00.000-07:002013-06-01T11:24:53.947-07:00Bath Salts: Get the FactsBath Salts: Get the Facts
Knowledge is Power: The #1 deterrent of substance abuse in teens is PARENTS!
From GeorgetownCARES – www.georgetowncares.blogspot.com May 2013
Did you know? A new trend in youth drug use involves experimenting with powders known as “bath salts” to get high. Use of these stimulant/amphetamine/hallucinogens are responsible for a large and growing number of emergency room visits across the country. Bath salts can produce effects comparable to a combination of methamphetamine and cocaine. The potential for bodily harm, fatal overdoses, violent behavior of users, plus the addictive nature of the drug have caused serious alarm for many. In 2011 there were more than 6,000 calls to poison control centers, more than ten times the number in 2010, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Data on teen use of bath salts is still scarce because this is so recent a phenomenon.
The drug “bath salts” should not be confused in any way with epsom salt products; they are completely dissimilar. Producers and distributors call the drug “bath salts” to evade drug law enforcement. This drug is also marketed as plant food, stain remover, or various cleaning products.
What exactly are bath salts? – The active ingredients of bath salts are two synthetic cathinones which act as stimulant/hallucinogens. One is a dopamine-releasing agent known as mephedrone (MEPH), which – like METH – causes the brain to release more dopamine. The other chemical is methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), which – like cocaine – is a dopamine reuptake inhibitor. Both compounds increase dopamine availability to receptors, and both – through different mechanisms – produce feelings of euphoria. Neither has any FDA approved medical use. First developed in 1969, MDPV and MEPH remained obscure stimulants until around 2004 when they were first sold as “bath salts.” Bath salts appear as fine crystalline powders that tend to clump, resembling something like powdered sugar. The color ranges from white to yellowish-tan to brown, and the darker powder omits a slight odor.
What is the legal status of bath salts/MDPV?
The drug has been legal to sell in most states when labeled “not for human consumption,” until very recently. In July 2012, the Federal Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 added 26 chemicals, including MDPV and MEPH, the active ingredients of bath salts, to the list of Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act. The 2012 legislation extended the executive authority of the DEA over synthetic drugs to three years; and criminalized the manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of certain synthetic drugs to include a minimum 20 year sentence for those who are directly responsible for the death or injury of another person by manufacturing, distribution or sales of synthetic drugs. A few states have also enacted a ban on certain bath salt ingredients for any use.
How are bath salts used?
Bath salts are usually ingested by sniffing/snorting. They can also be taken orally in capsule form, smoked, or put into a solution and injected into veins.
Where can a person find bath salts? Bath salts are sold heavily online, but are also readily available in retail outlets – such as convenience stores or gas stations, where you may see a whole display of pills and packages marked as “energy boosters.” Some may be legal, and some may not be. Head or smoke shops, both of which may sell drug paraphernalia just within the limits of the law, also sell these drugs. Bath salts are usually made in local/underground “labs” or imported from Asia.
How can you tell if something that is labeled as a bath salt is really a drug?
Bath salts are often sold in boxes of foil or plastic packets that are about the size of a moist towelette. If the box also says, “not for human consumption,” or that it is “not illegal” (never a good sign) or that it is for “adults only,” it is probably a drug that was created for ingestion and not for a hot bath. A box is priced from $30 to $50, less than some other illegal substances.
What does the packaging look like and what are some Street/brand names for bath salts? Use Google Image to find “bath salts drug” or “bath salts drug packaging” pictures of the products. Names used to sell product include Cloud 9, Ivory Soft Concentrated Bath Salts, Serenity Now, Red Dawn Vector Extra, Red Dove, Blue Silk, Lunar Wave, Ivory Wave Soothing Bath Salts, White Snow Plant Feeder, Frog Magic Plant Food, etc.
What are its short term effects (long term effects are not yet known) of MDVP/bath salt use?
Short-term effects include tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperthermia (increased body temperature - up to 108 degrees), pupil dialation, aggression/agitation and delirium. Users may experience a severe paranoia leading to violent behavior, causing harm to themselves or others. Effects reported to Poison Control Centers include suicidal thoughts, terror, delusions, agitation, combative/violent behavior, confusion, hallucinations/psychosis, increased heart rate, hypertension, or chest pain. The speed of onset is 15 minutes, while the “high” lasts 4 or more hours. Users have reported a compulsive desire to continuously re-dose, even following onset of the unpleasant side effects induced by prolonged use and higher doses. Users can and do become easily addicted, according to 2011 NIDA research.
How are Emergency Rooms handling bath salts overdose cases? Dr. Cathleen Clancy, Associate Medical Director at the National Capital Poison Center in Washington D.C., catalogs the effects of bath salts on the area's emergency room cases. Dr. Clancy reports that users are often hyper-agitated, hot and sweating. Their heart rate and blood pressure are dangerously high, and seizures are common. Sedatives may not help them, in which case antipsychotics are tried. Death does and can occur from overdose, usually preceded by extremely high fever. Early on, doctors began noticing something else that was strange. Compared with other drugs, bath salts didn't follow a normal dose-response pattern. “Some bath salt overdose patients had to stay in the hospital for 5 days, 10 days, 14 days,” Ryan said. “In some cases, they were under heavy sedation. As you try to taper off the sedation, the paranoia came back with disturbing delusions."
Why would a person want to use “Bath Salts?”
Some people use stimulants, which is what bath salts are often perceived as – though they are more - to get high or escape, but most want to get energy or build endurance to make it through ordinary activities. Some people who feel overworked and overstressed try to self-medicate with stimulants. Stimulants may be attractive to “Type A” people, those often seen by others as overachievers with perfectionist tendencies. Some report heightened sociability and/or sex drive. Peer pressure or curiosity can play a large role, and often teens don’t know what the negative effects will be until it’s too late. Word of mouth can play a big part in deciding to try it, plus the price is reasonable compared to some illegal Rx drugs or cocaine. Uninformed users may think that bath salts are legal or safer than methamphetamine or cocaine. Users may think that they would not drug test positive; in fact, it is barely detectible in urine tests, but it will show in blood or plasma tests.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_salts_(drug)
http://www.drugfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Parents360-Synthetics-Bath-Salts-K2-Spice-Parents-Guide-FINAL-2-13-12.pdf?utm_source=Drugfree.org&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=Synthetic%2B(K2-Spice%2B%26%2BBath%2BSalts)%2BDrug%2BGuide%2BFor%2BParents
http://www.thepoisonreview.com/2013/01/19/bath-salt-constituent-mdpv-more-like-methamphetamine-than-ecstasy/
http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/bath-salts-cocaine-meth-mdpv-b0124/
http://www.slideshare.net/Guedde/mdpv-bath-salts-emerging-drug-trends
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/ondcp-fact-sheets/synthetic-drugs-k2-spice-bath-salts
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-83696985467664687812013-04-02T07:41:00.000-07:002013-04-02T07:41:01.471-07:00Prevention Connection: Prevention Requires a Community-Wide EffortPrevention Connection: Prevention Requires a Community-Wide Effort
A column on how a community working together can better fight the influence of drugs and alcohol.
March 28, 2013 - The Burlington Patch
The following is a guest column by Marilyn G. Belmonte of the Burlington Drug & Alcohol Task Force:
The Burlington Drug & Alcohol Task Force was originally established in 1982 in response to then Governor Ed King’s pledge to reduce underage drinking and teen drug use. After creating the Governor’s Alliance Against Drugs, he encouraged communities in the Commonwealth to created their own groups to work on the problem at the grassroots level. Burlington became the first town to form a prevention coalition to deal with teen substance abuse.
What are community coalitions?
Community coalitions are comprised of parents, youth, school professionals, law enforcement, businesses, religious leaders, health providers and other agency leaders who are mobilizing at the local level to make their communities safer, healthier and drug-free.
How do coalitions make a difference in communities?
Coalition building is an effective strategy that promotes coordination and collaboration and makes efficient use of limited community resources. By connecting multiple sectors of the community in a comprehensive approach, it has been proven that community coalitions achieve real, long-lasting outcomes.
"Schools, community leaders, law enforcement, policy makers, parents, and youth must work together and leverage each other's strengths and resources in order to prevent underage alcohol and drug use in communities across the country", said Charles Reynolds, Division Director of SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP).
Studies show that coalitions create community-wide, sustainable changes.
A coalition can build a lasting base for change. Group efforts can be more easily maintained than individual efforts.
A coalition of organizations can win on more fronts than a single organization working alone and increase the potential for success.
A coalition can bring more expertise and resources on complex issues, where the personnel resources of any one organization would not be sufficient.
Diverse backgrounds and different viewpoints will increase valuable contributions to the overall strategy for change.
Coalitions avoid duplication of efforts and improve communication among key players.
I have helped many other Massachusetts communities create coalitions in recent years in response to youth tragedies. I believe Burlington has been spared the level of teen deaths that other communities are experiencing because of the collaborative work of the Task Force over the past decades. But we cannot maintain the coalition and keep our youth safe without your help.
If you work for the school department, health department, police department, recreation department, town offices, own a local business, are a clergy leader, or have children in our school system, please consider joining our coalition. We meet seven times a year, alternating between daytime and evening meetings. For more information, visit our Facebook page, “Burlington Drug & Alcohol Task Force” or contact us at marilynbelmonte58@yahoo.com.
Related Topics: Burlington Drug & Alcohol Task Force, Community Coalitions, and Prevention Connection
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-53601282750682609032013-03-18T18:02:00.001-07:002013-03-18T18:24:50.224-07:00K2 & Synthetic Marijuana: Get the Facts
K2, also known as “spice,” is smoked like marijuana (THC), and although it is said to mimic the marijuana high, can cause severe hallucinations, dangerous seizures, cardiac aberrations, extreme anxiety and intense paranoia. Death from overdose occurs, and addiction is common.
• K2 or "spice" is an herbal blend (sold in small bags of dried leaves), sprayed with synthetic compounds that behave similarly to the primary psychoactive constituent of marijuana. It is sold as incense and often marked, “not intended for human consumption,” to protect the sellers from prosecution. But, users don’t heed the warning and it is being marketed to teens as a way of getting high.
* K2 is relatively inexpensive, widely available; it’s even sold at some convenience stores and gas stations.
* The dried herbs come in 3-gram packages of various flavors, including "Blonde," "Pink," “Peach,” "Bizarro," "Citron," and "Summit."
• Teenagers have been hospitalized, suffered severe hallucinations, increased heart rate, seizures, and even death.
• K2 effects the body 5-10 minutes after use, and the effects last longer than THC.
• K2 is unable to be detected in blood or urine (tests for K2 are not widely available), does not effect pupil size, produces rigid muscle tone.
Authorities are very concerned . . . Some Asian and European countries, including France, Austria and Germany, already banned these products. Now the U.S. has taken action as well, and K2 has been banned by the US federal government. However, in many states, including Massachusetts, it is still legal to sell and use K2. Several towns, such as Fall River and Lynn, have implemented their own ordinances that act as a ban.
Is K2 safe? "K2 may be a mixture of herbal and spice plant products, but it is sprayed with a potent psychotropic drug and likely contaminated with an unknown toxic substance that is causing many adverse effects. These toxic chemicals are neither natural nor safe," according to Anthony Scalzo, M.D., professor of toxicology at Saint Louis University.
Barbara Carreno, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, also commented on the appeal to college students because it is a legal drug. "They don't have a sense of their own mortality yet. And with this, they're not going to get thrown in jail. It's got a lot of appeal."
The drug is beginning to show up in schools in the United States and has been potentially linked to deaths related to its use. Some athletes are drawn to it because of the difficulty in detecting use. Recently, a Dallas teen who reportedly used K2 died from suspected effects of the drug. In Indiana, a young mother was reported dead after using the K2 drug. The Medical News reports that calls are coming into poison control centers all over the country about the use of K2.
Sources/more information:
http://www.k2drugfacts.com/
http://voices.yahoo.com/k2-drug-facts-6799646.html
http://www.k2info.org/
http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x1533630339/Waging-battle-against-K2
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-48177226239593529432013-01-07T17:09:00.000-08:002013-01-07T17:09:00.503-08:00Marijuana use is too risky a choice By David Frum/CNNMarijuana use is too risky a choice
By David Frum, CNN Contributor
updated 1:54 PM EST, Mon January 7, 2013
Editor's note: David Frum, a CNN contributor, is a contributing editor at Newsweek and The Daily Beast. He is the author of eight books, including a new novel, "Patriots," and his post-election e-book, "Why Romney Lost." Frum was a special assistant to President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2002.
(CNN) -- Last week, I joined the board of a new organization to oppose marijuana legalization: Smart Approaches to Marijuana. The group is headed by former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and includes Kevin Sabet, a veteran of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Obama.
The new group rejects the "war on drugs" model. It agrees that we don't want to lock people up for casual marijuana use -- or even stigmatize them with an arrest record. But what we do want to do is send a clear message: Marijuana use is a bad choice.
There are many excellent reasons to avoid marijuana. Marijuana use damages brain development in young people. Heavy users become socially isolated and perform worse in school and at work. Marijuana smoke harms the lungs. A growing body of evidence suggests that marijuana can trigger psychotic symptoms that otherwise would have remained latent.
It's possible to imagine a marijuana rule that tries to respond precisely to such risk factors as happen to be known by the current state of science. Such a rule might say: "You shouldn't use marijuana until you are over 25, or after your brain has ceased to develop, whichever comes first. You shouldn't use marijuana if you are predisposed to certain mental illnesses (most of which we can't yet diagnose in advance). Be aware that about one-sixth of users will become chronically dependent on marijuana, and as a result will suffer a serious degradation of life outcomes. As yet, we have no sure idea at what dosage marijuana will impair your ability to drive safely, or how long the impairment will last. Be as careful as you can, within the limits of our present knowledge!"
Yet as a parent of three, two exiting adolescence and one entering, I've found that the argument that makes the biggest impression is: "Marijuana is illegal. Stay away." I think many other parents have found the same thing.
When we write social rules, we always need to consider: Who are we writing rules for? Some people can cope with complexity. Others need clarity. Some people will snap back from an early mistake. Others will never recover.
At a time when our youth need more help than ever to climb the ladder, marijuana legalization kicks them back down the ladder. The goal of public policy should not be to punish vulnerable kids for making life-wrecking mistakes. The goal of public policy should be to protect (to the extent we can) the vulnerable from making life-wrecking mistakes in the first place.
There's a trade-off, yes, and it takes the form of denying less vulnerable people easy access to a pleasure they believe they can safely use. But they are likely deluding themselves about how well they are managing their drug use. And even if they are not deluded -- if they really are so capable and effective -- then surely they can see that society has already been massively re-engineered for their benefit already. Surely, enough is enough?
Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter.
Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion.Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-12866882082109940662012-11-29T16:27:00.001-08:002012-11-29T16:27:37.687-08:00See Marilyn Belmonte Dec. 12th 6pm in Newburyport! Want to see more of Marilyn Belmonte, the awesome presenter of APPLAUDD for our parents, the Prevention Program Learning About Underage Drinking and Drugs? She's been very busy launching her new nonprofit organization in order to bring the message of how we can encourage our youth to make healthy choices to more communities...but you can see her in person on Wednesday, December 12th, 6pm, at the Kelley School Youth Center, 149 High St., Newburyport 01950!
The Newburyport High School Theatre Dept. is planning a production of “HAIR”. While the plot of “HAIR” is heavily influenced by drugs and drug use, The Beacon Coalition (Newburyport youth substance abuse prevention coalition) has worked with the cast in understanding the realities behind some of the substances. To compliment that, Marilyn will offer a follow-up conversation/brief presentation around the musical “HAIR” for parents and community members, and will take questions from parents about substance use and abuse in Newburyport relative to the play.
Hope to see you there :)
Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-87639107731720261652012-05-03T12:43:00.005-07:002012-05-03T12:43:51.804-07:00Medical MarijuanaThere are 3 billionaires in the United States funding the movement to legalize marijuana. They already have already succeeded in decriminalizing marijuana in Massachusetts and now, during a presidential election year when voter turnout will be high, they are pushing for "medical" marijuana on this November ballot in the state.
Here are the facts:
• The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has never cleared marijuana to be used as a medicine. Marijuana has never been tested for medicinal use unlike all of our prescription medicines and over-the-counter medications.
• Teen marijuana use is higher in states with legal "medical" marijuana than states without it. Massachusetts teen marijuana use is already 30% higher than the national average.
• Most people who buy "medical" marijuana are not cancer patients. In Colorado, where "medical" marijuana is legal, only 2% of "medical" marijuana users have cancer, glaucoma or HIV. In California only 3% of "medical" marijuana users have cancer of other serious illness.
• Most doctors do not recommend their patients for "medical" marijuana. In Colorado, only 10 doctors make the majority of all the recommendations for "medical" marijuana.
• The American Medical Association has officially stated that they recommend more research for marijuana-based medications. Once marijuana has passed the proper strict requirements that every other medicine has to pass, they will consider a non-smoked form of marijuana medication. But no form of inhaled smoke will ever be considered safe, healthy or medicine.
If "medical" marijuana is made legal in Massachusetts, there will be 5 pot shops in each county in our state. These pot shops will sell marijuana, hash, bongs, pipes, grinders, pot-laced food, candy and drug paraphernalia.
Do you want a pot shop in your neighborhood?
If "medical" marijuana is made legal in Massachusetts, it will be the first time a drug has skipped over the strict medical safety standards set by the FDA and made into a medicine by voters in a poll booth.
Do you want to open your family medicine cabinet and reach for a drug that has not been thoroughly tested?
Below is a sample letter to send to your state senator and state representative. I am also sending a copy to the chairmen of the Public Health Committee at the State House.
Here is the link to find emails for your senator and state representative:
http://www.malegislature.gov/People
PASS THIS EMAIL ON!
THANK YOU!!!
Marilyn
Marilyn G. Belmonte
781-572-1478 (cell)
781-229-2638
www.DrugAbuseRecognition.com
"If ignorance is bliss, education is power."
April 6, 2012
Dear Representative or Senator,
On behalf of the youth of Massachusetts, and as a Massachusetts citizen, I am writing to register my concern about House Bill 3885, which would allow the use of “medical marijuana” in Massachusetts.
I believe that all drugs and medications should go through the rigorous testing for safety that the FDA requires. No medicine should ever be available to the public without proper scientific research. DO not allow marijuana to be the exception. This topic is not appropriate for a vote. Please consider your position on medical marijuana very carefully. It will change the lives of many generations to come.
The 2009 Centers for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey reports that Massachusetts’ youth marijuana rates are nearly 30% higher than national rates. Massachusetts cannot afford to lessen the perception of harm among its youth by allowing the use of “medical marijuana” in the State. Approving the use of “medical marijuana” in Massachusetts would severely undermine drug prevention efforts across the State at a time when marijuana rates have already risen dramatically in the Commonwealth - and have been rising rapidly nationally for the past four years, after a decade of decline.
“Medical marijuana” in Massachusetts would further normalize marijuana use and thereby lessen the perceptions of its dangers and negative effects on youth. It is merely a ploy to produce a commercial product that causes impairment.
Legislation to pass “medical marijuana” in Massachusetts would drive youth marijuana use rates up higher than they already are, as it has in other states that have passed this type of legislation. Current research shows that “medical marijuana” programs like those outlined in HB 3885 increase youth accessibility to marijuana. SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association) 2008-2009 State Estimates of Drug Abuse show that four of the top five top states, and fourteen of the eighteen states with the highest percentage of past month marijuana users ages 12-17 are states with “medical marijuana” programs, and addiction rates among 12-17 year olds are also among the highest levels nationally in states that have “medical marijuana” programs.
Additionally, the American Medical Association, National Institutes of Health, and Institute of Medicine all agree that smoked, inhaled, or ingested raw marijuana is not medicine, since it has not passed FDA standards of safety and efficacy. There is no way to control dosage or strength, and there are serious risks to smoking the whole marijuana plant since it contains thousands of unknown components, many of them carcinogens.
For these reasons, I respectfully request that you vote against House Bill 3885.
Sincerely,Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-69713112707161001012012-03-14T08:23:00.000-07:002012-03-14T08:24:58.886-07:00APPLAUDD is now Evidence-Based :) per SAMHSA!Congratulations to Marilyn G. Belmonte! The Results Are In! Thank you, Georgetown, for participating! <br /><br />SAMHSA's Service To Science" study to measure the effectiveness of APPLAUDD, Drug Abuse Recognition & Prevention's 4-part parent workshop, is complete. The results are overwhelming positive! <br /><br />Drug Abuse Recognition & Prevention programs have proven that they make measurable positive changes in parenting skills surrounding substance abuse prevention!<br /><br />APPLAUDD was measured during 2011 in 7 communities and found to INCREASE PARENT CONFIDENCE in:<br />Talking to their teens about the risks of drugs and alcohol<br />Answering specific questions about drugs and alcohol<br />Setting and enforcing rules relating to drug and alcohol use<br />Recognizing signs of drug use<br />Talking to their teens if they are using drugs<br />Locating resources for their teens if they are using drugs<br />In every category listed above, parental confidence increased after attending APPLAUDD. And in every category, the Follow-Up Survey taken 6 weeks after the program ended showed that parental confidence actually increased more! So once parents began to actually use the strategies they learned in APPLAUDD, they were even more confident!<br /><br />For example....<br /><br />How Confident Are You Talking to Your Children About Drugs and Alcohol?<br /><br />APPLAUDD also doubled the percentage of parents who have weekly discussions with their children about drugs and alcohol!<br /><br />A full report will be available this spring. In the meantime, please include Drug Abuse Recognition & Prevention in your springtime wellness education efforts.<br /><br />Marilyn G. Belmonte<br />Drug Abuse Recognition & Prevention<br />Burlington Drug & Alcohol Task Force, co-chair <br />781-572-1478 (cell) <br />781-229-2638 <br />www.DrugAbuseRecognition.com <br />"If ignorance is bliss, education is power."Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-72317398565242569662012-02-12T18:04:00.001-08:002012-02-12T18:06:52.391-08:00Marijuana nearly doubles risk of collisionsWe hear a lot about the hazards of drunk driving, but here's something else to put on your radar: A study in the British Medical Journal found that marijuana nearly doubles the risk of vehicle collisions.<br /><br />Researchers conducted a systematic review of nine studies on the subject of marijuana and driving accidents, which incorporated almost 50,000 participants.<br /><br />Alcohol impairs drivers' speed and reaction time, while cannabis affects spatial location, said Mark Asbridge, associate professor in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.<br /><br />Among impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers, and motor vehicle crash victims, marijuana is the most prevalent illegal drug that has been detected, according to the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.<br /><br />Drivers who have recently smoked marijuana may follow cars too closely, and swerve in and out of lanes, Asbridge said.<br /><br />People who are impaired by alcohol often recognize that they're impaired by alcohol, but "people under the influence of cannabis often deny feeling impaired in any way," Asbridge noted.<br /><br />It's not unusual for young people to go to a party and give the "designated driver" responsibility to the person who uses marijuana, Asbridge said.<br /><br />"There clearly is a lot of misconception about the extent to which cannabis impairs performance," he said. "People just don't believe it."<br /><br />As with alcohol, cannabis has different effects on different people. People metabolize cannabis in different ways. Some inhale more than others.<br /><br />The effects of cannabis tend to wear off within three to four hours, whereas alcohol can mess your thinking up longer. Depending on how much you drank, you may not be able to drive for up to 12 hours after you finish drinking.<br /><br />If the driver is 35 or younger, there's a higher likelihood of marijuana consumption leading to collisions, previous research has found.<br /><br />There's not enough information known about the effects of marijuana doses on collisions - in other words, what level of cannabis in a person's system correlates most with crashes.<br /><br />And Asbridge's conclusions are based on observational studies, meaning there were no controlled conditions imposed to look at the effects of marijuana.<br /><br />One problem in some of the existing research is that there was no measurement of cannabis within two to three hours of driving. Inactive metabolites of THC, a chemical found in marijuana, can be present in urine for weeks or even a month after usage; marijuana usage so long ago would not affect driving performance or collisions. So Asbridge's group looked only at studies where there was a recent measurement. They also looked at studies that looked at both drivers who used marijuana and those who did not to compare the collision rate.<br /><br />To deter marijuana usage just before driving, there is roadside testing for cannabis in Australia, western Europe and the United States, Wayne Hall of the University of Queensland in Australia said in an accompanying editorial.<br /><br />Hall called for further research to evaluating the impact of roadside drug testing on preventing driver deaths connected to vehicle accidents and cannabis use.<br /><br />Post by: Elizabeth Landau - CNN.com Health Writer/Producer <br />Filed under: Drug SafetyPam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-22828580193258502452012-02-09T10:54:00.000-08:002012-02-09T10:55:55.271-08:00Protecting our children from underage drinkingFrom Marilyn Belmonte, of Burlington Drug and Alcohol Task Force & www.drugabuserecognition.com......<br /><br />Recently, a parent attending one of my substance abuse prevention workshops in a nearby community asked my opinion on allowing her 17 year-old daughter to drink alcohol at home. The mother stated that she was very concerned about her daughter going off to college and becoming very intoxicated for the first time without any parent supervision. <br /><br />The mother hoped that under her watchful eyes, her daughter would learn that alcohol consumption in large quantities can make her very sick. Perhaps she could even teach her daughter to drink responsibly. Then when her daughter is a college freshman, she will not participate in typical binge drinking activities.<br /><br />The question is, does this practice work as a deterrent? Does allowing your teenager to drink freely at home deter them from getting drunk outside of the home?<br /><br />It is impossible to say whether this parenting practice is beneficial for any individual adolescent but the science tells us that it will not work for the majority of teens. Numerous research studies show us that maintaining strict rules and consequences about underage drinking is most protective against teen alcohol use. Parents who use harm-reducing strategies such as allowing their high school teens to drink under their supervision, have a higher risk of those teens getting drunk outside of the home without parental permission than teens who are not allowed to drink at home.<br /><br />Also, allowing your teen to experience alcohol in high school with parent supervision does not reduce alcohol use at college. Studies of college freshman show that heavy drinking occurs with a majority of students regardless of whether they started drinking alcohol in high school. <br /><br />So the next question is, why bother trying to prevent high school drinking if it has little effect on college drinking?<br /><br />It is well documented that underage drinking increases risk of adult alcohol disorders. In fact, the younger a person starts drinking alcohol, the greater that risk. Therefore, postponing the initiation of drinking as long as possible is a worthwhile effort for parents. The more years we can postpone the start of drinking, the more protected our children are from a lifelong alcohol addiction.<br /><br />The last question is, how do parents postpone the onset of drinking?<br /><br />Parental communication about their disapproval of underage drinking has been proven to help reduce the risk. Studies show that parents who are “soft” on teen drinking, are more likely to have teens who drink heavily. <br /><br />Another factor that has been shown to decrease college freshman drinking is internal or “Intrinsic Motivation”. This is self-motivation driven by interest and enjoyment rather than external pressure, threat of punishment, or reward such as good grades, a trophy or money. The stress and pressure from external forces can actually drive heavy drinking. But one’s internal desire to achieve helps us to make healthier choices.<br /><br />So encourage your teens to do their best at the activities they enjoy. Help them find areas of study that they are passionate about. Guide them in making goals for the future that excite them because postponing underage drinking is a worthwhile effort.Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-54425766516477543282011-10-27T17:22:00.000-07:002011-10-27T17:23:05.684-07:00Teen dies after smoking synthetic potTeen dies after smoking synthetic pot<br />AP, <br />Thu Oct 27, 5:02 PM EDT<br /><br />PITTSBURGH — A 13-year-old in the U.S. who became ill after smoking synthetic marijuana and had a double lung transplant has died.<br /><br />Tonya Rice tells the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper that her 13-year-old son, Brandon, died Thursday morning at a hospital in Pennsylvania.<br /><br />The boy smoked the fake marijuana out of a plastic candy dispenser and suffered chemical burns to both lungs. He was put on a respirator in June and had a double lung transplant in September.<br /><br />The boy's mother says anti-rejection drugs he's taken since the transplants weakened his immune system and made him unable to fight off a recent infection.<br /><br />Gov. Tom Corbett signed a law outlawing such substances a few days after the boy became ill. The ban took effect in August.<br /><br />Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-18343987783969592432011-10-25T08:20:00.001-07:002011-10-25T08:20:48.136-07:00Alcohol Marketing to MinorsThe Latest News Update 10/25/11 From Marilyn Belmonte of the Burlington Drug and Alcohol Task Force: re: Alcohol Marketing to Minors on Facebook: <br /><br />Much of the alcohol-related content on Facebook is available to underage Facebook members, according to a study conducted by the Marin Institute. There are guidelines requiring age restrictions on Facebook but the study found that content promoting alcohol and binge drinking was accessible by underage members in advertisements, pages, applications, events, and groups.<br />Alcohol companies can buy ad space that allows them to access a user’s profile. The Marin study found that one out of every eight ads contained alcohol and all alcohol-related ads were displayed to under-21 users.<br />Facebook pages and groups allow members to become fans and therefore stay in touch with their discussions, photos and events. At the time of the study, the ten top beer brands had 93 pages with more than 1.1 million fans. But only 50% of these pages restricted access due to the member’s age. Once a member becomes a fan of these pages, they receive marketing messages on their own Facebook page. None of the Facebook groups about alcohol had age restrictions. <br />Facebook applications allow users to play games, take quizzes and send special messages to their friends. There are over 500 Facebook applications associated with alcohol. 66% of the alcohol applications are accessible to underage members. These applications allow underage members to send virtual “mixed drinks” or “shots” to other Facebook friends.<br />According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Code of Responsible Practices for Beverage Alcohol Advertising and Marketing, Facebook violates the industry’s advertising guidelines. Responsible Placement Guideline #2 states “Beverage alcohol products should not be advertised or marketed in any manner directed or primarily appealing to persons below the legal purchase age”. Guideline #3 states “Beverage alcohol advertising and marketing should be placed in broadcast, cable, radio, print, and internet/digital communications only where at least 71.6 percent of the audience is reasonably expected to be of legal purchase age”.<br />According to the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health, numerous studies prove that a greater exposure to alcohol advertising contributes to an increase in drinking among underage youth effect by influencing expectations, attitudes, and creating an environment that promotes underage drinking.<br />Parents can not assume that websites such as Facebook are going to follow guidelines designed to protect our children. We also can not monitor every step they take on the internet. But we can take the responsibility of talking with our teens about the problems related to underage drinking. Studies prove that parental guidance during adolescence has a major impact in reducing drinking. Parents can offset pro-drinking messages just by having thoughtful discussions with their teens.Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-40815452815510776192011-08-06T10:56:00.001-07:002011-08-06T10:59:10.465-07:00Kudos to Family Circle…for great, real life articles for parents & teens! Aug 2011If you are wondering about teens, underage drinking, tobacco and drug use, check out these articles with advice from the experts at www.familycircle.com:<br /><br />Q&A: My Usually Good Teen Was Caught with Drugs <br />http://www.familycircle.com/teen/advice/rosalind/abusing-prescription-drugs/ <br /><br />My Teen Told Me His Friend Smokes Pot. Now What? <br />http://www.familycircle.com/teen/advice/rosalind/friend-smokes-pot/ <br /><br />Hard Candy: New Ways Kids Get High <br />http://www.familycircle.com/teen/drugs/new-ways-kids-get-high/ <br /><br />Q&A: Is My Teen Selling His Prescription Drugs? <br />http://www.familycircle.com/teen/advice/rosalind/selling-prescription-drugs/ <br /><br />How to Plan a Teen Party <br />http://www.familycircle.com/teen/activities/teen-party/ <br /><br />What should I say to my child about “field parties,” that involve lots of drinking? <br />http://www.familycircle.com/teen/school/back-to-school/solutions-to-back-to-school-problems/ <br /><br />High Season: Teens and Marijuana Use http://www.familycircle.com/teen/drugs/teen-marijuana-use/ <br /><br />Video: Teens and the Dangers of Binge Drinking<br />http://www.familycircle.com/teen/drugs/teens-and-binge-drinking-dangers/ <br /><br />Back from the Brink: One Teen’s Struggle with Alcoholism <br />http://www.familycircle.com/teen/drugs/teens-alcoholism-struggle/?page=1<br /><br />Q&A: Is My Teenager’s Friend on Drugs? <br />http://www.familycircle.com/teen/advice/rosalind/teen-friend-on-drugs/Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-90739683797024628492011-07-11T17:50:00.000-07:002011-07-11T17:51:58.423-07:00Rethinking Addiction’s Roots, and Its Treatmenthttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/health/11addictions.html<br />By DOUGLAS QUENQUA<br />Published: July 10, 2011<br /><br />There is an age-old debate over alcoholism: is the problem in the sufferer’s head — something that can be overcome through willpower, spirituality or talk therapy, perhaps — or is it a physical disease, one that needs continuing medical treatment in much the same way as, say, diabetes or epilepsy?<br />Enlarge This Image<br /><br />Bryce Vickmark for The New York Times<br />Dr. Christine Pace helps Derek Anderson manage his heroin addiction at Boston University Medical Center. With the help of medication, Mr. Anderson has been clean for six years.<br />VIDEO: Nora Volkow<br />Readers’ Comments<br />Share your thoughts.<br />Post a Comment »<br />Increasingly, the medical establishment is putting its weight behind the physical diagnosis. In the latest evidence, 10 medical institutions have just introduced the first accredited residency programs in addiction medicine, where doctors who have completed medical school and a primary residency will be able to spend a year studying the relationship between addiction and brain chemistry.<br /><br />“This is a first step toward bringing recognition, respectability and rigor to addiction medicine,” said David Withers, who oversees the new residency program at the Marworth Alcohol and Chemical Dependency Treatment Center in Waverly, Pa.<br /><br />The goal of the residency programs, which started July 1 with 20 students at the various institutions, is to establish addiction medicine as a standard specialty along the lines of pediatrics, oncology or dermatology. The residents will treat patients with a range of addictions — to alcohol, drugs, prescription medicines, nicotine and more — and study the brain chemistry involved, as well as the role of heredity.<br /><br />“In the past, the specialty was very much targeted toward psychiatrists,” said Nora D. Volkow, the neuroscientist in charge of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “It’s a gap in our training program.” She called the lack of substance-abuse education among general practitioners “a very serious problem.”<br /><br />Institutions offering the one-year residency are St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York, the University of Maryland Medical System, the University at Buffalo School of Medicine, the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, the University of Minnesota Medical School, the University of Florida College of Medicine, the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Marworth and Boston University Medical Center. Some, like Marworth, have been offering programs in addiction medicine for years, simply without accreditation.<br /><br />The new accreditation comes courtesy of the American Board of Addiction Medicine, or ABAM, which was founded in 2007 to help promote the medical treatment of addiction.<br /><br />The board aims to also get the program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, a step that requires, among other things, establishing the program at a minimum of 20 institutions. The recognition would mean that the addictions specialty would qualify as a “primary” residency, one that a newly minted doctor could enter right out of school.<br /><br />Richard Blondell, the chairman of the training committee at ABAM, said the group expected to accredit an additional 10 to 15 institutions this year.<br /><br />The rethinking of addiction as a medical disease rather than a strictly psychological one began about 15 years ago, when researchers discovered through high-resonance imaging that drug addiction resulted in actual physical changes to the brain.<br /><br />Armed with that understanding, “the management of folks with addiction becomes very much like the management of other chronic diseases, such as asthma, hypertension or diabetes,” said Dr. Daniel Alford, who oversees the program at Boston University Medical Center. “It’s hard necessarily to cure people, but you can certainly manage the problem to the point where they are able to function” through a combination of pharmaceuticals and therapy.<br /><br />Central to the understanding of addiction as a physical ailment is the belief that treatment must be continuing in order to avoid relapse. Just as no one expects a diabetes patient to be cured after six weeks of diet and insulin management, Dr. Alford said, it is unrealistic to expect most drug addicts to be cured after 28 days in a detoxification facility.<br /><br />“It’s not surprising to us now that when you stop the treatment, people relapse,” Dr. Alford said. “It doesn’t mean that the treatment doesn’t work, it just means that you need to continue treatment.” Those physical changes in the brain could also explain why some smokers will still crave a cigarette 30 years after quitting, Dr. Alford said.<br /><br />If the idea of addiction as a chronic disease has been slow to take hold in medical circles, it could be because doctors sometime struggle to grasp brain function, Dr. Volkow said. “While it is very simple to understand a disease of the heart — the heart is very simple, it’s just a muscle — it’s much more complex to understand the brain,” she said.<br /><br />Increasing interest in addiction medicine is a handful of promising new pharmaceuticals, most notably buprenorphine (sold under names like Suboxone), which has proved to ease withdrawal symptoms in heroin addicts and subsequently block cravings, though it causes side effects of its own. Other drugs for treating opioid or alcohol dependence have shown promise as well.<br /><br />Few addiction medicine specialists advocate a path to recovery that depends solely on pharmacology, however. “The more we learn about the treatment of addiction, the more we realize that one size does not fit all,” said Petros Levounis, who is in charge of the residency at the Addiction Institute of New York at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital.<br /><br />Equally maligned is the idea that psychiatry or 12-step programs are adequate for curing a disease with physical roots. Many people who abuse substances do not have psychiatric problems, Dr. Alford noted, adding, “I think there’s absolutely a role for addiction psychiatrists.”<br /><br />While each institution has developed its own curriculum, the basic competencies each seeks to impart are the same. Residents will learn to recognize and diagnose substance abuse, conduct brief interventions that spell out the treatment options and prescribe the proper medications. The doctors will also be expected to understand the legal and practical implications of substance abuse.<br /><br />Christine Pace, a 31-year-old graduate of Harvard Medical School, is the first addiction resident at Boston University Medical Center. She got interested in the subject as a teenager, when she volunteered at an AIDS organization and overheard heroin addicts complaining about doctors who could not — or would not — help them.<br /><br />This year, when she became the in-house doctor at a methadone clinic in Boston, she was dismayed to find that the complaints had not changed. “I saw physicians over and over again pushing it aside, just calling a social-work consult to deal with a patient who is struggling with addiction,” Dr. Pace said.<br /><br />One of her patients is Derek Anderson, 53, who credits Suboxone — as well as a general practitioner who six years ago recognized his signs of addiction — with helping him kick his 35-year heroin habit. <br /><br />“I used to go to detoxes and go back and forth and back and forth,” he said. But the Suboxone “got me to where I don’t have the dependency every day, consuming you, swallowing you like a fish in water. I’m able to work now, I’m able to take care of my daughter, I’m able to pay rent — all the things I couldn’t do when I was using.”<br /><br />A version of this article appeared in print on July 11, 2011, on page A11 of the New York edition with the headline: Medicine Adds Slots for Study Of Addictions.Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-83296024726444610002011-05-23T17:33:00.000-07:002011-05-23T17:35:47.639-07:00Burlington targets those who buy alcohol for teensWAY TO GO, MARILYN BELMONTE!!!<br /><br />http://articles.boston.com/2011-05-22/news/29571882_1_young-adults-alcohol-task-force-poster<br /><br />May 22, 2011|By John Laidler, Globe Correspondent<br /><br />Burlington high schoolers designed the new…<br />The Burlington Drug and Alcohol Task Force is trying a new strategy to keep alcohol out of the hands of teenagers.<br /><br />The group is undertaking a public education campaign this month targeting not teens or even their parents, but instead young adults who might be tempted to procure alcohol for underage siblings or friends.<br /><br />The task force’s message to the 20-somethings, which is being conveyed through posters and flyers, is to refrain from that impulse.<br /><br />“We have found that the most common way that high school students acquire alcohol is from older siblings and friends, so we wanted to reach that age group,’’ said Marilyn Belmonte, task force cochairwoman.<br /><br />“Some of those in their 20s now may have had alcohol bought for them when they were in high school. So they might feel it’s the right thing to do the same for someone else,’’ she said.<br /><br />Belmonte said the task force, a community organization that fights underage alcohol and illicit drug use, chose this month to deliver its message because this is the time of year when college students return home for the summer and when high schools hold their proms and graduations.<br /><br />Designed by Burlington High School students, the posters are being placed in all of the town’s liquor stores and most of its pizza-serving restaurants, with the consent of those businesses.<br /><br />Participating restaurants also agreed to attach the fliers — which are smaller versions of the poster — to their delivery boxes and place them in their take-out bags on Friday night and Saturday.<br /><br />Belmonte got the idea for the initiative two years ago when she heard of a similar campaign that Weymouth’s substance abuse coalition was undertaking.<br /><br />“I thought it was a great idea,’’ said Belmonte.<br /><br />With the consent of the Weymouth coalition, the Burlington task force is employing the same slogan the South Shore group used: “Be the Designated Grown-up.’’ But Belmonte said that while the Weymouth campaign highlighted the criminal penalties young adults could incur procuring alcohol for a minor, the Burlington program is focused on the guilt they would feel if their younger sibling or friend became injured or got in trouble by consuming alcohol.<br /><br />That theme came from an informal survey Belmonte conducted on Facebook last year in which she asked young adults what might deter them from buying alcohol for the underaged.<br /><br />Strikingly, none said fear of criminal penalties would be a deterrent, Belmonte said.<br /><br />“None of them felt that would ever happen,’’ she said of getting in trouble. “But each person said they would feel terrible if ‘something bad were to happen because I bought alcohol for my younger friend or younger brother or sister.’ ’’Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-63465487853829046562011-04-30T06:04:00.000-07:002011-04-30T06:05:59.139-07:00Adult-Supervised Drinking in Young Teens May Lead to More Alcohol Use, ConsequencesAllowing adolescents to drink alcohol under adult supervision does not appear to teach responsible drinking as teens get older. In fact, such a "harm-minimization" approach may actually lead to more drinking and alcohol-related consequences, according to a new study in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.<br /><br />See more of this 4/28/11 article from Sciencedaily.com at <br />http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110428065615.htmPam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-3404110813741690412011-04-01T10:18:00.001-07:002011-04-01T10:19:00.493-07:00Notes from APPLAUDD, Mar. 30, 2011, Underage Drinking & Effective Parenting StrategiesMarch 30, 2011 – Notes from APPLAUDD: A Prevention Program Learning About Underage Drinking & Drugs, Session #4, in addition to the powerpoint slide notes provided.<br /><br />What is new about underage drinking these days? For one thing, we have lots of new research that our parents didn’t have about alcohol and its effects on adolescents. <br /><br />Many adults think, “what’s the big deal? We did it, and we survived just fine!” The big deal is that we know more now than our parents did. Just like we do about cigarettes. So we need to do something about that – when you know better, you can do better. <br /><br />We now know that alcohol impairs permanent memory in kids. While high school courses generally test students often, thus calling on their short term memory, college courses do not. In college, and on the SAT, it is permanent or long term memory that is required to do well. We also know that teens do not feel impairment as quickly as adults drinking the same amount, they do not feel the sedative effects that adults do, and their judgment around choices and consequences erodes more quickly after even small amounts of alcohol. The ability to choose to drink in moderation is much greater in adults than in teens.<br /><br />The number of teens grade 9-12 who are drinking regularly increased by 11% from 2008 to 2009, research shows. <br /><br />Effective prevention revolves around decreasing risk factors and increasing protective factors. As parents, we have done that since they were born, protecting our children from germs, falls, malnutrition. The desire to protect comes naturally, but we sometimes aren’t sure how best to do it. <br /><br />Many parents find it hard to talk to their teens. Adolescents are trying to prove to themselves that they are all grown up. They want to take care of their own probems, so they put up barriers. So we figure, OK, it’s time we giv them more space. It’s easy for us to feel that there is nothing we can do to make a difference. <br /><br />But, as soon as they know you’re not watching, teens have their ticket to ride. They are watching you very closely to see what boundaries you are going to set, how much they can get away with, what your expectations are. We need to see the barriers they set for what they are – developmentally necessary and normal, but not a sign that teens really can take care of all of their own problems, not an indication that they do not need involved and supportive parents to guide them. Teens are highly responsive to their perception of your disapproval. It is critical to clearly communicate your expectations to them. <br /><br />It’s worthwhile to postpone drinking as long as possible, because of the high correlation of age of initiation (age when a child begins to drink) with the likelihood of becoming alcohol-dependent at some point, probably sooner rather than later in life. <br /><br />Can children drink responsibly? Turkey is the only European country that has less of a problem with underage binge drinking than the US does, according to the World Health Organization (the UN of prevention). While the European approach to teaching kids to drink moderately may have worked in the 50’s, with today’s constant bombarding of children with media messages, marketing of fruit-flavored alcoholic beverages and pervasive glamorization of both social and binge drinking, today it has resulted in a generation of young Eur0peans who binge drink (ie, get drunk) more than American youth. <br /><br />When the US raised the drinking age from 18 to 21, alcohol-related fatalities in that age group dropped 60%. It was originally dropped in response to the Vietnam War draft, which applied to all over 18. People thought, how can we send them to war but not let them drink? Also at that time, we didn’t have the research on brain development and how adolescents metabolize alcohol differently than adults to support the higher age that we do now. <br /><br />There is an enormous amount of new brain development from adolescence to age 25. The brain develops back to front. The last part to finish developing is the part that helps us understand the consequences of our actions and how to plan ahead. The amygdala is the center of emotional development, and it controls our hormones during puberty. <br /><br />Teenagers need 9 ½ to 10 hours of sleep. If your teen is getting a lot less or a lot more than that, look into why. <br /><br />When a child has an increased risk for substance abuse or addiction, whether due to genetic predisposition or environmental factors, it means that the steps you take and things you do and say to help your child are even more important. <br /><br />Social Host Liability - How can parents protect themselves from social host liability? Don’t serve alcohol to anyone under 21. Don’t allow anyone under 21 to possess or consume alcohol on your property. Make your rules and expectations clear to all guests. <br /><br />Even if your child has a party while you are away that you do not know about, you can pay the consequences. Because the law applies to those under 21, as well. So while you may not be found liable, in terms of intention, you child still can be. And you can be found vicariously responsible to pay for all damages incurred that your children are found responsible for under age 21. <br /><br />If a social host is found guilty criminally, the door opens very fast for multi-million dollar civil suits, which are easy to prosecute once criminal guilt has been established. The amount of these suits may often exceed the extent of your home insurance, and ultimately, your ability to pay. <br /><br />Carefully consider your responsibility when you host a social event that includes anyone under age 21. Both your responsibility and liability are greater than most people think. Large teen parties can escalate out of control quickly.<br /><br />Action Plan: Talk, talk, talk. <br />- Anti-Drug Messages<br />- Monitor whereabouts<br />- Be supportive<br />- Set rules & enforce<br />- Be flexible for special occasions<br />- Be good role models<br />- Have family dinners <br />- Medication disposal, monitor doses<br />- Short, frequent conversations<br />- Listen<br />- Be compassionate<br />- Build self-esteem<br />- Outlets for stress<br />- Increase developmental assets<br />- Online resources<br />- Join local coalition or parent organizationsPam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-21408568134154171502011-03-27T18:17:00.000-07:002011-03-27T18:21:34.867-07:00Notes from APPLAUDD on What's new with Marijuana, 3/23/11March 23, 2011 – Notes from APPLAUDD: A Prevention Program Learning About Underage Drinking & Drugs, Session #3, in addition to the powerpoint slide notes provided.<br />Our Mission: What is new with marijuana? How can we prevent abuse of this drug? How do we recognize signs of drug bause: eye clues, physical symptoms, behavioral changes? How do we talk to our children about marijuana? <br /><br />The current marijuana possession laws in MA took effect in January of 2009. MGL c.94C, s.32L allows for anyone in possession of one ounce or less of marijuana shall only be a civil offense, subjecting an offender who is eighteen years of age or older to a civil penalty of one hundred dollars and forfeiture of the marihuana, but not to any other form of criminal or civil punishment or disqualification. An offender under the age of eighteen shall be subject to the same forfeiture and civil penalty provisions, provided he or she completes a drug awareness program which meets the criteria set forth in Section 32M of this Chapter. The parents or legal guardian of any offender under the age of eighteen shall be notified in accordance with Section 32N of this Chapter of the offense and the availability of a drug awareness program and community service option. If an offender under the age of eighteen fails within one year of the offense to complete both a drug awareness program and the required community service, the civil penalty may be increased pursuant to Section 32N of this Chapter to one thousand dollars and the offender and his or her parents shall be jointly and severally liable to pay that amount. MGL c.94C derives from the Controlled substances act, and includes penalties for other drugs, trafficking or possession of more than one ounce of marijuana. <br /><br />One of the big myths that kids have is that they think marijuana is legal, or has been legalized in other countries. Marijuana is illegal to consume, use, possess, cultivate, transfer or trade in most countries. While there are countries which have decriminalized marijuana, making it so that one can only be issued a citation of possession of an ounce or less, or legalized medicinal use of marijuana under a doctor’s prescription, there are NO countries in the world or states in which the use of marijuana is legal. <br /><br />One ounce is actually a lot, and carries a street value of $600. It generally makes between 25 and 60 joints. So when you find a person with an ounce on them, they are most likely either a very heavy user or a dealer. <br /><br />Both lifetime and current use of marijuana among youth are up from 2007 to 2009. <br /><br />Communities can take action to make changes. State laws prohibit sales of drug paraphernalia, but stores or “head shops” get around that by calling it something else. Towns can pass by laws to ban the sale of specific products, such as flavored rolling papers, which are supposedly used to create cigars. Towns can also require people caught smoking pot in public to show their identification and not to smoke pot in public. A sample community bylaw restricting public consumption of marijuana can be found at http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/eops/sample_by_law_re_public_consumption_of_marihuana.pdf<br /><br />Smoking cigarettes is highly associated with binge and heavy drinking, and use of illegal drugs. A regular smoker is likely to have a more positive first experience with marijuana, their lungs and bodies being already accustomed to the smoking process. Smoking activates neurological addiction pathways, which various drugs share. So smoking makes both a drug and alcohol addiction more likely in the individual. Also, smokers are more likely to be approached by marijuana dealers. <br /><br />Pot is stronger now, today’s product would have been called “superweed” years ago. The THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content used to vary between 2 and 7%; now it is between 9 & 295. THC is a hallucinogen, with analgesic/pain-relieving properties. PET scans show that THC depresses brain activity, producing a dreamy state in which ideas seem disconnected and uncontrollable.<br /><br />Tell kids that smoking marijuana damages the part of your brain associated with hand/eye coordination, keeping your eye on the ball and movement reflexes, so it has detrimental effects particularly for athletes. <br /><br />Impairment can last for days. Pot is fat soluble, so it stays in the body for a long time. Many other drugs are water soluble, so you expel them quickly in urine. But not pot. <br /><br />We know that pot causes depression, which in turn can lead to suicide. Weekly use of marijuana more than doubles a teen’s risk of depression, which is already high compared to the general population. Also seen in regular teen users are increased levels of apathy, decreased attention, not setting or accomplishing goals, difficulty starting new tasks, and introversion.<br /><br />The Drug & Alcohol Warning Network (DAWN) report clearly correlates rising THC levels with rising emergency room admissions. Marijuana causes more car accidents & fatalities than any other drug besides alcohol. <br /><br />Tell kids, any time you are impaired with anything, you cannot drive. The new marijuana law in MA does not repeal or modify existing laws concerning the operation of motor vehicles. Adding pot with alcohol is especially dangerous. Pot makes the user lose depth, color, time and sound perception. With slower reflexes and muscle coordination, any use of pot greatly increases the likelihood of car accidents. <br /><br />“Medical marijuana” is not approved by the FDA or the AMA. Where it is legal, it comes only in a pill form or a patch. It generally is used to treat nausea and loss of appetite, for which there are other medications available. <br /><br />Remind kids that legal does not equal safe. Just because something is legal does not mean that it is a smart choice for them. <br /><br />K2, or synthetic cannabis, which can be bought in certain shops, has only been around about a year. The DEA has called an emergency scheduling of it, as poison control centers and emergency rooms are starting to see cases of its abuse.Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3729190049901675340.post-62065940839935629022011-03-21T17:55:00.000-07:002011-03-21T17:56:29.507-07:00Notes from APPLAUDD on Rx Drugs, 3/16/11March 16, 2011 – Notes from APPLAUDD: A Prevention Program Learning About Underage Drinking & Drugs, Session #2<br /><br />Our Mission tonight: 1) Why is prescription drug abuse becoming popular? 2) How can we prevent this type of drug abuse?, 3) How do we recognize signs of drug abuse: eye clues, physical symptoms, behavioral changes, 4) How do we talk to our children about drugs? <br /><br />Thank you, Marilyn, for providing such clear and easy-to-follow powerpoint handouts of your presentation! The handout basically covers most of the important points we discussed. In addition, I noted……<br /><br />The Partnership for a Drug-Free America conducts annual Partnership Attitude Tracking (PATS) studies. This study shows that of those teens who do choose to abuse illegal drugs, 70% do so the deal with stress in school. Students are self-medicating to cope with the academic, social, and parental pressure they experience in relation to school. <br /><br />Proper use of Rx medication occurs when your name is on the bottle and you follow doctor’s dosing directions. Otherwise, it is drug abuse, which is illegal.<br /><br />Teens report that Rx drugs are more accessible to them than tobacco, alcohol or other illegal drugs. Also, one third of teens believe that there is nothing wrong with taking Rx drugs. 1 in 5 teens have abused Rx drugs. That’s good for the 4 out of 5, but very dangerous for those who use. <br /><br />Most frequently abused prescriptions include <br /> 1) painkillers (Percocet, Vicodin, Demerol, Codeine products, Oxycontin), <br /> 2) anti-anxiety/tranquilizers/depressants/benzodiazepines <br /> (Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, Atavan) <br /> 3) stimulants (Adderall, Concerta, Metadate, Ritalin).<br /><br />It is not acceptable to self-medicate. If children are stressed or feel there is a problem that needs medicine, tell them that they must come to you first and together you will find the right doctor to get help. <br /><br />There are strict laws against abusing prescription drugs, either taking someone else’s or taking your own in ways not prescribed by your doctor. <br /><br />Talk to your children about what happens when people do drugs. Talk about the difference between proper use and abuse of medicines, Rx and over-the-counter. Teens do not understand dosage. They think that if 1 pill is safe, such as an Advil, so is 5. 2 in 5 teens believe that taking someone else’s prescription drugs is safer than using illegal drugs. <br /><br />Sleepovers need to come to an end in the teen years. Too much potential for substance abuse. When a child calls from a party, and asks if his or her friend can sleep over at your house, it may be because the friend doesn’t want his own parents to notice his/her substance use. <br /><br />Adolescents are more susceptible to addiction than adults. <br /><br />For kids with ADD, the earlier they start on medications, the less likely they are to abuse drugs in their teen years. Treating ADHD reduces drug abuse by 84% in children with ADHD. <br /><br />Tell girls especially that eating properly and exercising is the best way to lose weight. Taking diet pills or other stimulant drugs to lose weight is extremely dangerous because they cause liver damage, stress the heart, and weaken blood vessels. <br /><br />When anyone takes tranquilizers or depressants, it is very important not to drink alcohol. This is because alcohol is a depressant, and greatly multiplies the effects of the original drug. <br /><br />Re: Inhalants. 33% of deaths occur on first use. Inhalants kill more people in the first use than any other drug. When you talk to children about inhalants, use words like fumes, toxins, poisons, pollutions as being very dangerous. Don’t give them specific ideas about substances or methods that you’ve heard “work.” <br /><br />Be sure to dispose of old or extra medications safely. That means either 1) in a police-supervised “safe deposit box,” if one exists in your community, or 2) in the trash, out of the bottle, in a baggie with coffee grinds or kitty litter. Do not flush down the toilet; do not through away in original containers; do not keep around longer than necessary.Pam Lundquisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10473055883314750834noreply@blogger.com0