One of the ingredients used to make methamphetamine can be found in an over-the-counter drug. In 2005, the state of Iowa limited the availability of that drug in hopes of curbing meth production in the state. It worked for a while.

"'The law has been real effective, but like any criminal, you give the bad guys long enough and they'll find ways around the law,' said Darren Grimshaw, a police lieutenant in Burlington..."

Before the 2005 law was enacted, effectively limiting how much of a particular over-the-counter drug could be purchased by one person in a 30-day period, police were seizing 25 to 30 meth labs a year. The total dropped dramatically to three to five a year after the law, but is beginning to rise again. The state is now considering enacting a law that would allow electronic tracking of the over-the-counter drug's purchase.

Labels: laws, meth, rise_in_use

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Some 25% of American teenagers report that it is easy or "somewhat" easy to obtain methamphetamine. However, the vast majority (77%) expressed disapproval of those who experiment with this popular street drug.

The survey by the Center for Disease Control also found that three-quarters of those who try the drug experiment before age 15 years.

About one in five teens said that the drug produces euphoria, helps deal with boredom, and helps people to lose weight. One third of the teens in the survey believe the drug does not pose any significant risk to those who use it.

"Meth is death," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, head for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She and White House drug czar said that the survey shows that there is more work to do when it comes to teenagers and methamphetamine use.

Dr. Gerberding praised "The Meth Project" in Montana that reduced meth use among teens in that state by 45% within two years.

Labels: meth, availability, street_drugs

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

A group of public and private entities have joined forces for form a campaign called ACTION. ACTION stands for the Adopting Changes to Improve Outcomes Now. The campaign was launched in September with a goal of seeing 55,000 lives positively impacted through effective addiction treatment.

"The ACTION Campaign aims to challenge 500 treatment agencies nationwide to implement one of several simple changes in treatment operations over an 18-month period. Currently, nearly 33 percent of those who receive addiction treatment drop out of the programs."

The campaign is focusing on three main factors in order to reach its goal: 1) Rapid access to treatment, 2) Increased engagement by those who are in treatment, and 3) A seamless transition from one stage of care to another.

Excel Academy's program of recovery helps teens stay sober and get back on track academically.

Labels: prevention, treatment, supplements

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

In a speech given to parents and teens at the Red Ribbon kick-off, Juvenile Court Judge Kimberly Corsaro stated that most of the teens that appear in her courtroom for drug-related issues have significant family issues which are directly related to the teen's substance abuse.

"She told of a troubled youth who actually told her he preferred to stay in the county juvenile detention center than go home to his parents who seem to always be fighting. The impotence the child felt against the problems his mother and father have was enough to want him to opt for a cell with a concrete floor and no privacy even to go to the bathroom."

Parents should look for warning signs of drug use, and act as soon as they suspect something isn't right. The sooner the problem is discovered, the more quickly a teen can get help.

Worried that your child is headed down the wrong path? Find a private school and other programs for troubled teens at 4TroubledTeens.com.

Labels: influences, signs, involvement

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

One key to successfully helping people recover from substance abuse is to understand the biological reactions caused by prolong drug or alcohol use. Over time, the brain's chemistry is affected by substance use and no longer functions normally.

"The effect of addictive substances on the brain might chemically impair key survival functions - eating, drinking, even reproduction. Substance abuse also appears to interfere with the chemical wiring that connects emotion to action, which could account for why alcoholics and addicts often seem immobilized and unable to help themselves."

Understanding these types of things helps get rid of the stigma often association with substance abuse and addiction - which is still often viewed simply as a lack of willpower or a kind of "moral failure". In reality, substance abuse is a deeply rooted, physiological issue that takes time and support to overcome.

SunHawk Acadmey offers a substance abuse recovery program for troubled teens.

Labels: brain_damage, brain_chemistry, drug_use

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

The debate rages on about whether it's beneficial or detrimental for parents to allow their underage kids to drink in their home. Some believe that allowing kids to drink at home, where their activity can be monitored, helps diminish alcohol's attraction because it's no longer considered "forbidden". But even if that method works (and there's evidence that it doesn't), law enforcement officials want to remind parents that there are still legal implications for providing alcohol to minors.

"...when a parent allows their teen to drink excessively or permits other peoples' teens to drink in their home, it becomes illegal. A parent could be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor or providing unsafe living conditions,' said Galesburg Police Capt. Lindsey May."

Additionally, in states like Illinois, felony charges could be filed against an adult who allows underage drinking that results in death or serious injury.

Read more about Parental Liability for Underage Drivers at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: parents, underage drinking, liability

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Peer pressure works both ways. It can not only push teens to try drugs and alcohol, it can keep them from it as well. A recent study conducted through the University of Southern California found that a drug prevention program was more effective when it was run by peers instead of teachers or health educators.

"The study compared substance use among students participating in the prevention program Project Towards No Drug Abuse (TND), traditionally led by a health educator or teacher, to the modified peer-led TND Network. TND held interactive discussions at the classroom level while TND Network divided the students into smaller groups composed of their friends, increased the number of group activities and a student-chosen leader led the discussion."

Drug use among teens in the peer-led groups dropped by 15 percent more than the teens in the standard program. The study emphasizes just how important it is for parents to be aware of who their kids' friends are and what they do for fun.

A positive peer culture, like the one employed at Mount Bachelor Academy, can help struggling teens turn their lives around.

Labels: prevention, influences, peers

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Several new studies that employ high-tech tools like MRIs are proving that the human brain is not fully developed until age 25 or so. Some scientists, such as Jay Giedd, head of the brain imaging project at the National Institute of Health and Dr. Deborah Yurgelun-Todd of Harvard Medical School are using this new data to urge changes in public policies. They and others argue that teenagers should not be allowed to drive, enlist in the military or vote.

However, other scientists are looking at the evidence in a different way. They argue that people ages 35 to 54 years old are the ones who behave the most irresponsibly. Here are some statistics:

Since 1975, there has been a 550% increase in the number of deaths by drug overdose among the middle-aged. Over 370,000 middle-aged people were admitted to emergency rooms in 2004 for drug overdoses, and 18,250 died, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

Middle-aged people are 30% more at risk for automobile accidents than teenagers.

There are 21 million middle-aged binge drinkers - twice the percent of college-aged binge drinkers. Binge drinking is defined as five drinks in a row taken once a week.

About four million middle-aged people were arrested in 2004 - one million committed violent crimes and 500,000 involved drug arrests. There has been a 600% increase in the number of middle-aged people in American prisons since 1975.

Learn about the value of boarding school for middle school aged children at Boarding Schools for Girls.

Labels: addiction, adults, binge_drinking

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

If a teen's first cigarette is a relaxing experience, he or she is more likely to become addicted to smoking.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School recently completed a four-year study of 1246 sixth-graders to find out why some teenagers get addicted to cigarettes and others do not.

"It is how the brain reacts to nicotine, rather than personality traits," according to Dr. Joseph DiFranza, lead author of the study.

The study appears in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Labels: smoking, brain_chemistry, cigarettes

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Testimony before Congress about abuses in residential treatment programs for troubled teens might result in new federal regulations of such programs.

This week the House Committee on Education and Labor received a report from the Government Accountability Office that included 1619 incidents of child abuse in "boot camps," wilderness programs, and therapeutic boarding schools. The Committee also gained access to thousands of incidents as recorded in lawsuits, state records and websites, and listened to testimony from three parents whose children died in residential treatment programs.

Most states do not license residential treatment programs. Jan Moss, executive director of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, said that the industry welcomes state regulations.

"Among our goals is the complete elimination of abuses and neglectful practices," Ms. Moss said. Her group represents 180 programs that serve 16,000 children.

Representative Buck McKeon, the ranking Republican on the Committee, said he does not like to expand the powers of the federal government but "there are some times when it has to happen."

Labels: treatment, residential_programs, regulations

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

The damage caused by methamphetamine use is no secret. But how it affects on a community is not as well known. So professors from Arkansas Tech University set about conducting research and gathering information that proves that methamphetamine touches more than the lives of its users.

"'High degrees of alienation and low efficacy in individuals increases the likelihood of using drugs,' [Sean Huss, Ph.D] said, noting communities with residents who have low social capital and high alienation are more susceptible to additional problems, which in turn leads to lower support for program spending and a weakened community."

In addition, the American public will pay $1.7 million for every adolescent who becomes a drug addict and an average of $277 in state taxes to deal with the burden of substance abuse.

ByParents-ForParents offers help for parents of troubled teens. Visit www.byparents-forparents.com for articles and advice for parents of teenagers.

Labels: support, research, communities

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Information about alcohol use is usually focused on teens and college students, and sometimes on middle school students. But six years ago, John Donovan started gathering information about alcohol use among students in fourth through sixth grades.

"In one national survey, for instance, about 10 percent of fourth-graders and 29 percent of sixth-graders said they'd had more than a sip of alcohol. In a survey in New York State, 21 percent of fifth- and sixth-graders reported having a drink of alcohol at some point, including 7 percent who had drunk liquor, as distinct from beer or wine."

Though conclusions are difficult to draw, Donovan hopes the initial information will move people to dig deeper into alcohol trends among younger students. One thing that is known: a person who starts drinking before the age of 15 is five times more likely to have alcohol-related problems later in life.

Teen alcohol abuse can be prevented. Visit DrugRehabTreatment.com to learn how to help your teenager.

Labels: middle_school, children, trends

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

The National Quality Forum, whose purpose is setting national performance goals and priorities that will improve the quality of American health care, announced this week that is has released guidelines for evidence-based programs that treat substance abuse.

"'We cannot effectively address the disturbing effects of excessive drug and alcohol use without quality treatment for people with substance use conditions,' said Janet Corrigan, Ph.D., NQF President and CEO. 'NQF believes these standards will accelerate the use of effective, evidence-based treatments.'"

The 11 new treatment practices have been endorsed by the more than 365 organizations that are members of NQF. Among them are health care providers, consumer groups, professional associations, and federal and state agencies. This endorsement marks the first time that a formal consensus has been reached about effective treatments for substance abuse.

Labels: treatment, health_care, policies

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Beginning in January of next year, the city of Waltham, Massachusetts will have a new outpatient substance abuse program. Started by the nonprofit organization Rediscovery, Inc, the program will seek to meet the needs of adolescents who have substance abuse issues and need help abstaining from their destructive behavior.

"Initially, the program will only be offered to a handful of teens. Yet, Ferrier said there is a chance of expanding the program. The patients will be given a specific substance abuse treatment to follow, she said."

The program will be run by a licensed clinician, and will treat substance abuse and trauma simultaneously through both outpatient and therapy services. Rediscovery, Inc. was started in 2001 as a nonprofit organization whose focus is helping foster care children transition into adulthood.

Labels: treatment, sobriety, risky_behaviors

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments