A study by the University of Mississippi has discovered that today's marijuana is almost twice as strong as it was 25 years ago.

Over the past 33 years, researchers at UM have studied more than 65,000 samples of marijuana seized by law enforcement personnel in all 50 U.S. states. Since 1975, the amount of Tetrahydracannibinol (THC) in the studied marijuana consistently increased, reaching a 30-year high between 2007 and 2008.

Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said the findings are worrisome because high levels of THC increase the risk of mental impairment and addiction, especially among young people.

Read more http://www.adolescent-substance-abuse.com/marijuana-potency.html.

Labels: marijuana, pot, potency

Three times as many Floridians died this year from prescription drug abuse than from the use illicit drugs, according to a report from the Florida Medical Examiners Commission. Florida is one of the few states that keep such records.

The new information supports the findings of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, which estimates an 80 percent increase in the number of people abusing prescription drugs in the United States over the past six years. This increase means that an estimated seven million people are illegally using prescription medications, primarily painkillers and opiates like oxycodone and hydrocone.

The Florida report found that 989 individuals died from using cocaine, heroin or methamphetamines, while 2,328 deaths resulted from the use of painkillers. An additional 743 deaths were attributed to the misuse of benzodiazepines such as Valium and Xanax.

Florida legislators are considering joining the 38 states that already have laws to monitor prescription drug sales.

Labels: abuse, death, prescription_drugs

Parents feel confident about advising and guiding their young children, but they "wimp out" as the children enter adolescence, according to a new study from the Partnership for A Drug-Free America.

The findings are significant because teens in middle and high school need guidance on drugs, sex and other significant issues - but the parents of these older teens told researchers that they feel unequipped with information and answers. Many parents reported that they want to maintain a non-authoritarian friendship with their teenagers, so they were reluctant to give orders, search their children's rooms, and undertake other activities that might put them at odds with their children.

"Parents are the most powerful influencers in their kids' lives, including on their choice to try drugs or alcohol, but this study clearly shows that many parents feel increasingly overwhelmed as kids become teenagers," said Steve Pasierb, the partnership's president.

The survey involved more than 1,000 parents with children ages 10 to 19. More than half the parents of middle schoolers said they felt uninformed about drugs and alcohol, compared to 35% of parents of fourth and fifth graders. Many parents of older teens agreed with statements such as "I think it's important that my child considers me a friend" and "I have a hard time saying no."

The Partnership for A Drug-Free America is a nonprofit alliance of parents, scientists, and communication experts dedicated to helping families raise healthy children. The organization has conducted its annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey every year since 1978.

Labels: influences, older_teens, prevention

When children move into the adolescent years, their behavior can leave parents wondering "Who are you?" In an effort to help parents better understand their teenagers, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America has launched a new website.

"The site... was created in collaboration with the Treatment Research Institute in Philadelphia, top scientists and researchers on substance abuse and addiction, and Boston-based WGBH, leading in public broadcasting and educational multimedia."

Called "A Parent's Guide to the Teen Brain", the website explains how the brain develops and why teenagers are prone to risky behaviors like drug or alcohol experimentation. It also gives advice on how parents can use this information to connect with their children. Source: PR Web

Labels: behaviors, parents

A study that appeared in BioMed Central found that drug and alcohol use was often linked with sexual encounters. Many of those surveyed had specific sexual uses for either drugs or alcohol.

"Overall, alcohol was most likely to be used to facilitate a sexual encounter... males were more likely to use alcohol to facilitate a sexual encounter although nearly a quarter of female alcohol users also used it for the same purpose."

The study also found that young people who used drugs or alcohol in sexual encounters were far more likely to engage in risky behavior and to have multiple partners. Source: BioMed Central

Labels: abuse, sex

Alcohol use is more prevalent among young people than any other drug. The average age at which a young person takes his first drink is just 13, and 80 percent of all college students drink.

"Yet the consequences of underage drinking are described as 'astonishing in their range and magnitude' by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University, increasing morbidity and mortality rates by 200 percent between middle childhood and early adulthood."

About 5,000 people under the age of 21 die every year in alcohol-related incidents. Those who aren't killed may be faced with the early onset of alcoholism or developmental delays that they'll carry throughout their lives. Source: Redwood City Daily News

Learn more about the long term effects of binge drinking at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: binge_drinking, long_term_drug_use

The University of Texas Medical School is researching medications that may help restore a brain's chemical balance and aid in cocaine addiction recovery. The team is currently studying medications that affect serotonin and dopamine systems.

"'With chronic cocaine use, there are changes in the brain that affect neurotransmitters that are responsible for impulsivity and decision making,' said F. Gerard Moeller, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the medical school. 'If we can restore the balance of the neurotransmitters back to the way it was before the cocaine, then other therapies such as behavioral therapy will work better.'"

In 2006, the NIDA estimated that six million Americans ages 12 and up had abused cocaine. Currently, there are no proven or approved medications for the treatment of cocaine addiction. Source: Medical News Today

Excel Academy is a sober high school and boarding school in Texas that offers an alternative to military boarding school.

Labels: brain_chemistry, cocaine, recovery