The Rockingham Coalition for Youth is working with the New Hampshire State Liquor Commission to warn parents and teens about the dangers of underage drinking. Presentations and drunk driving simulations have been used to show the dangers, but alternatives have been offered as well.

"[Lt. James] Wilson said with prom and graduation season now beginning it would be worthwhile to consider hosting chemical-free parties for youth to attend instead of leaving them to their own devices."

It's estimated that 65% or more of teens who drink get the alcohol from adults. And though some parents think that, since teens are going to drink anyway, it's better to offer them a controlled environment, experts warn that people who start drinking at a young age are much more likely to become addicted. Read more at SeacoastOnline.com.

Learn more about adolescent substance abuse and ways to help teens struggling with drug abuse at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: parents, influences, underage_drinking

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According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center, 10 percent of college use stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall illegally at some point. Typically used to treat ADHD, illegal use of these drugs jumped 20 percent between 2004 and 2005.

"'Most students who use their friends stimulants do it to improve performance,' said Scott Teitelbaum, M.D., medical director of the Florida Recovery Center at UF. 'It's like athletes taking steroids - the idea that you can study better, harder, longer, as if you were hitting a ball farther.'"

Students who abuse prescription drugs are often already behind in school, which is why they need to cram. Overall, their academic performance is worse than that of other students. Abuse of prescription drugs has increased sharply in the past several years, and is now more common that the uses of crack/cocaine, Ecstasy, heroin and methamphetamine combined.

Read more at News-Medical.net.

Labels: stimulants, prescription_drugs, college_students

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A study in South Africa may not appear relevant to those living in the United States. But some of the findings may raise red flags for officials in America.

"[South Africa's Medical Research Council] MRC discovered that the relationship between mental health and tik [methamphetamine] use also indicate societal reasons for tik's popularity in the Western Cape. 'Our initial findings seem to indicate that tik use in the Western Cape is most high where gangsterism is most engrained in the society... The communities tend to have a depressed mood and some use tik to alleviate it,' said senior MRC scientist Andreas Pluddemann."

A recently discovered mixture called 'sugars' has officials concerned as well. 'Sugars' is a highly addictive mixture of cocaine and heroin. The purity is often very low and may be mixed with rat poison to help the mixture pass into the bloodstream. Read more online.

Labels: cocaine, heroin, mental_health

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Teens who are depressed are twice as likely to use alcohol and drugs as those who report no depression, according to a study by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The researchers looked at data from 2005. They found that 2.2 million people ages 12 to 17 experienced a major depression. The rate of depression was higher among older teens  4.3% among twelve-year-olds and 11.9% among seventeen-year-olds. Girls had higher rates of depression than boys 13.3% compared to 4.5%.

Teen alcohol and drug abuse is a serious matter. Find professionals who can help teenagers with drug addiction and substance abuse at the Teen-Help-Directory.com.

Labels: alcohol_abuse, drug_abuse, depression

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Sixth and seventh graders who view high numbers of advertisements for alcoholic beverages are 50% more likely to drink and 36% more likely to decide to drink than peers who do not view such materials.

Liquor and beer advertisements appear on television, radio and the Internet, in magazines and in-store promotions, and as promotional items like t-shirts and posters. The study by the Rand Corporation concluded that adolescents see about 250 television ads every year, and that even fourth graders are familiar with brand names and slogans.

This study appears in the June 2007 Journal of Adolescent Health.

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Labels: alcohol, media_influences, advertising

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Young teens that smoke, drink and use drugs by themselves develop more health and behavior problems than those who use socially, according to a new study by the Rand Corporation.

Solitary users are at more risk for poor physical health by age 23 and less likely to graduate from college.

Among children ages 13 and 14 years old, about 16% smoked cigarettes, 17% drank alcohol and 4% used marijuana when they were alone. The study, published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors journal, indicates that such children are at risk for problems in later life.

Labels: health_problems, behaviors, solitude

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German researchers have found that regularly smoking marijuana or hashish doubles the risk of developing schizophrenia, a severe mental illness.

Dr. Peter Falkai, reporting to the German Society of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neurology, found that marijuana consumption among those who are genetically predisposed to schizophrenia advances the onset of the disease by about eight years.

Many mental diseases, including schizophrenia and bi-polar disease, usually first appear during adolescence.

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Once the Aspen Institute conducts all of the assessments necessary they provide a fully integrated diagnostic and treatment program for your child. Learn more about The Aspen Institute of Behavioral Assessment online.

Labels: pot, adolescence, mental_health

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A small study indicates that alcohol may damage the brains of women more extensively than male brains.

Researchers tested 24 female alcoholics, 78 male alcoholics and 68 non-users of both sexes. The non-alcoholics scored the best on tests of working memory, visuospatial skills, and psychomotor speed. However, female alcoholics performed significantly worse than the males, even in instances when they had consumed less alcohol over shorter lengths of time.

Barbara Flannery, a senior scientist at the RTI International research institute in Baltimore, said she believes that there should be "gender-sensitive public awareness programs" about alcoholism.

Other studies have proven that the higher percentage of body fat in females makes alcohol more toxic for them. There is also evidence that adolescent girls who drink incur damage not only to their developing brains but also to their reproductive systems.

This study appears in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

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Labels: alcohol, brain_damage, brain_chemistry

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A grassroots campaign called Five Moms launched today, in an effort to educate parents about the very real dangers of cough-medicine abuse among teenagers. The campaign was developed by the nation's cough-medicine makers, who conducted a nationwide search to find the Five Moms.

"The Five Moms Campaign will use the very same tactics medicine abusers are using: spreading and promoting information on the Internet. The Five Moms' goal is to get the word out to as many parents as possible that cough medicine abuse is happening in their homes, and that the Internet is a driving force."

Recent studies have shown that as many as one in 10, or 2.4 million young people, report having used cough-medicine to get high. Read more online.

Over the counter drugs and teens don't mix. Today's teenagers are using and abusing prescription medicines as never before. Get more help for parents of troubled teens at ByParents-forParents.com.

Labels: over-the-counter-drugs, prescription_drugs, medications

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When you talk about teen substance abuse, most people think of marijuana, cocaine, or even heroine. But alcohol is as common among teens as any other drug - maybe more - but it's often overlooked. Some don't think that underage drinking is a "big deal".

"Alcohol is a leading contributor to traffic fatalities, homicides, suicides, and all other accidents among people ages 15-24... Recent research tells us that alcohol consumption by young people damages the developing brain and contributes to the onset of adult drinking problems."

Surprisingly, some parents allow their children to drink at home, thinking it's safer to offer them a controlled environment where they can teach their kids to drink responsibly. Unfortunately, this approach more often increases the likelihood of dangerous behavior. Read more online.

Labels: alcohol, parents, underage_drinking

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Few parents are surprised to hear that drug use is common among teenagers. Anti-drug programs and ad campaigns are prevalent in our society. What parents may not know is that the damage caused by drug use goes beyond the physical, and can also effect a teen's emotional development.

"The collective waste and damage this behavior does to our young people is overwhelming in its scope. Because drinking and drugging impair one's judgment, they lead to accidents, date rape, mental health issues, loss of motivation, and even death. And if a young person is lucky enough to escape all of these, how is he to develop a healthy emotional life full of courage, stamina and joy if so many emotions along the way were never experienced because they were masked?"

It's important for parents to stay informed, and not be afraid to ask their teens hard questions about the people they hang with and the things they do. Read more at StarGazette.com.

Learn to recognize the signs of drug and alcohol abuse in teens so yo can quickly intervene and help your teenager before the problem progress into full-blown addiction. Visit ByParents-forParents.com.

Labels: signs, personal_growth, emotional_development

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The play "Tunnels" consists of six vignettes that tell the stories of people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs. Over 700 saw the play, which was used to determine if dramatic arts can effectively educate people about substance abuse, and move them to get involved in prevention activities.

"The after-play survey revealed that the drama met its education objectives and also increased intent to participate in substance abuse prevention activities. Of participants who strongly or somewhat disagreed that drug use is a disease prior to the play, nearly half changed their opinion to somewhat agree and strongly agree after viewing it."

Three months after the play, a follow-up phone survey was conducted, and 81 percent of the respondents reported talking to friends and family about substance abuse. Read more at PsychCentral.com.

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Labels: prevention, education, dramatic_arts

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Readers of a Nevada newspaper, in response to an article about methamphetamine addiction, wrote to share their own stories of addiction and recovery. Though the story covered by the newspaper ended badly, many readers wanted others to know that recovery is possible.

"You stated that relapse is part of recovery. That is not true. Relapse is NOT a part of recovery, and it is a dangerous message that many people get. Many alcoholics and addicts go back out and die because of this erroneous belief. Also Mary and her boyfriend stated that rehab and meetings are bogus. When people don't get it, it is bogus. When they are ready, meetings and rehab will work."

Others encouraged people to pay special attention when they think a family member might be struggling with addiction. They encouraged readers to ask questions, and keep asking questions if something doesn't seem right. Read more at NevadaAppeal.com.

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Labels: addiction, support, recovery

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