"The visibility of cultural markers - and the absence of cautionary tales - leads to the assumption that coke is not as harmful, say, as heroin (which was associated with the high-profile overdoses of River Phoenix and Curt Cobain in the 1990s), or methamphetamine, whose recent popularity in the gay community has led to a targeted campaign against it, said Perry N. Halkitis, a professor of applied psychology at New York University who studies behavior, the AIDS epidemic and drug abuse."By and large, cocaine is thought to be safe, which means that more teens are likely to try it. It's also considered "fashionable" in the entertainment and finance industries, which drives its popularity. The annual survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found a 20 percent increase in past-month use between 2004 and 2005, meaning that 20 percent more people admitted to using cocaine within the last 30 days. Read more at TheLedger.com.
The Teen-Help-Directory offers resources for parents on teen substance abuse and drug addiction, including articles about the warning signs and what treatment options exist. Learn about teen drug and alcohol use and prevention tactics to keep your adolescent on the right path.
Labels: cocaine, teenagers, rise_in_use
Posted By: Aspen Education Group