Though it's been prescribed legally since 2003, the drug Suboxene is now beginning to show up on the streets, in the possession of people who don't have a prescription and are using to curb withdrawal while still abusing illicit drugs.

"The hexagonal pills are meant to be the latest in the attack on opiate addiction. According to the pharmaceutical group that manufactures it, Suboxene is designed to combat withdrawal from heroin, pain pills and other opiates."

Drug experts say that recreational use of Suboxene - know as "bupe" on the streets - is spreading. The pill is meant to be placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve, but recreational users often crush it into a powder, then snort or inject it; a practice that can cause deadly overdoses.

Worried about teen drug use and if you'd recognize the signs if your teenager is doing drugs? Visit our page on Signs of Teen Drug Use for more information.

Labels: drug_use, street_drugs

Students who abuse prescription medication often "fly under the radar" according to school officials in Muskegon County, Michigan. Still, most schools have programs ready to help those students for whom drug use of any kind is a known problem.

"Muskegon High School has a network of teachers, student specialists, administrators and guidance counselors who are alert for signs that students may be using drugs...If such changes are noted, school officials will talk to the student, at the same time including parents and guardians. Counseling, tutoring or even outside resources may be offered."

The county is finding that an increasing number of students bring prescription medications to schools (particularly Ritalin and Adderall) with the intent of selling it to fellow students.

Labels: awareness, high school, prescription_drugs

As 2008 draws near, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America is asking parents to include "talk to my kids more" on their lists of resolutions. To help parents make and keep the resolutions, Partnership has launched the website TimeToTalk.org.

"TimeToTalk™ celebrates the positive influence parents have on the decisions their children make for themselves. With access to conversation starters and a supportive online parent forum, TimeToTalk.org empowers parents to take an active role in prevention."

The website also includes a list of suggested "resolutions" that parents could make in the new year, with regards to their kids: "be patient, not just tolerant", "ask teens what they need from you" and "keep the promises you make" are just some of the suggestions.

Labels: communication, influences, parents

A major new government survey of 50,000 teens indicates that overall drug use has continued to decline over the past ten years. However, more teens are abusing prescription painkillers.

Social scientists at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research investigated the behaviors of 8th, 10th and 12th graders and found that the percentage of eighth graders using illicit drugs at least once a year dropped to 13% from 25% in 1997. For 10th graders, the rate dropped from 39% to 28%; and for 12th graders, those figures are 42% compared to 36% today.

Lloyd Johnston, principal investigator for the National Institute on Drug Use study, said, "The cumulative declines since recent peak levels of drug involvement in the mid-1990s are substantial, especially among the youngest students."

The bad news is that more teens are experimenting with prescription narcotics like Oxycotin and Vicodin, which doctors prescribe to cancer patients and others in severe pain. These drugs can produce states of euphoria often followed by stupor. Almost 10% of the 12th graders in the study had tried Vicodin, and 5% of all students in the survey had tried Oxycotin.

Researchers found an increase in the use of ecstasy, but a decline in amphetamine and methamphetamine. In addition, anabolic steroid use is on the increase among teenage boys. Marijuana remains the most popular of the illicit drugs.

Labels: abuse, addiction, teenagers

The holiday season is the toughest time for recovering alcoholics, especially those who are at the beginning of sobriety. The period between November 22 and January 1 is a time of parties where there is increased social pressure to drink and socialize.

It is particularly hard for alcoholic teens to resist invitations to drink, especially if they are just coming out of residential treatment programs or home on winter breaks from therapeutic boarding schools, according to counselors who work in these programs. They advise parents not to have any alcohol in their homes and to host only alcohol-free parties during the holiday season.

Alcoholics Anonymous has many tips on how to get through the season without relapsing into self-destructive behaviors. AA advises newly sober members to plan for the holidays by avoiding places where alcohol is served and by attending AA gatherings. AA holds extra meetings (usually at least three daily) and alcohol-free parties for members during the holiday season.

AA advises members to have contingency plans if they arrive at a party and find out that people are drinking. They should not stay at the party, but instead they can phone their AA sponsors, who are usually willing to come to the scene and help. Another idea is to arrange to meet a friend or parent somewhere if they have to leave a party.

Most alcoholics cannot take even one glass of champagne or beer "to be social" because it can trigger a binge. AA members say that that even eating alcohol-laden foods like rum balls and fruitcake can make them want to drink again.

Is your older teen or young adult currently in rehab or the beginning stages of recovery? A sober living environment, like the one at NorthStar Center in Bend, Oregon, can help by offering a safe, structured environment that's conducive to recovery.

Labels: holidays, parties, recovery

The state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) of New York has created tool it hopes will help parents spot drug abuse problems in the home.

"The state Office... created the tool to help New Yorkers track prescription and over-the-counter medicines in their home. It's intended to be filled out weekly."

The PDF tool is downloadable off the OASAS website and is a grid-like worksheet that can be used to track: a medication's dose amount, when the prescription was filled, and how much of the medication is left each day.

Visit our page on identifying the General Signs of Teen Alcohol or Drug Use and learn about what you can do to help.

Labels: awareness, prescription_drugs, prevention

With the holiday season upon us, The Science Inside Alcohol Project is suggesting that parents take a new approach when talking to their teens about alcohol abuse. Instead of trying to scare them, try to educate them.

"Provide kids with the scientific evidence behind why drinking alcohol can hurt them. Adolescents believe they are invincible, which is perfectly normal developmentally. So remember to link what you are saying as closely as possible to their personal experiences."

Talk to them about how the body is damaged by alcohol abuse, the effects of drinking at an early age, and other information that's relevant to them. If your teen is an athlete, educate him or her on how alcohol abuse can affect athletic performance.

Labels: alcohol_abuse, binge drinking, education

Adolescents are more likely to drink if their friends do, and their peers may influence their drinking habits even more than their parents do, according to a new study from Washington University in St. Louis.

Dr. Danielle Dick and her colleagues studied data from 4700 teenagers in Finland, looking for associations between teen friendships and alcohol use. The researchers found that girls' drinking in particular is linked to the influence of peers. Having friends of the opposite sex correlated with increased drinking for both sexes.

Parents should be aware of their children's friends, Dr. Dick advised. "This awareness is particularly important for girls, and when the friendship group consists of members of the opposite sex."

This study appears in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Labels: alcohol, friends, influences

From 1953 to 1959 he was known at Jumpin' Johnny Kline, member of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters. By the 1960s he was addicted to drugs and alcohol. Now, having turned his life around and earned a doctoral degree in History and Philosophy of Education, John Kline is talking about his decline into addiction and his journey back out.

"'Dr. Kline transitioned from dynamic to destitute to doctoral in his lifetime,' said Tremayne Anderson, president of the Association of Vanderbilt Black Alumni..."

Kline will talk about his journey on Thursday, Nov. 15th at an event being held at Vanderbilt University's Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center. The event is part of the center's Living History Series, and is free to the public.

Worried your child is headed down a path of teen drug and alcohol addiction? Visit 4troubledteens.com to learn how to recognize the warning signs.

Labels: recovery, role_models, treatment

The holiday season is a festive time. But the family and social gatherings often include alcohol, which is fine for adults but poses a problem for teenagers.

"Teenagers or younger children may view these parties as opportunities to sneak alcohol, spike their soda when nobody is looking, or convince a relative to assist them in getting an alcoholic beverage. Some parents, feeling it is part of the holiday spirit, may be more inclined to let their teenagers have an alcoholic drink to share in a family toast."

But numerous studies have shown that the earlier someone begins to drink, the higher the chances that he or she will have alcohol-related problems later in life. Consider keeping alcohol to a minimum at holiday gatherings, and make sure friends and relatives know that they're not to give alcohol to anyone who's underage.

Labels: alcohol, holidays, underage_drinking

At a national conference for substance abuse in Edmonton, Nancy Poole - a researcher for the British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women urged conference attendees to begin developing programs that can meet the unique needs of women struggling to overcome addiction.

"As many as 80 per cent of women entering treatment programs also have histories of being abused or assaulted, and many use drugs or alcohol to try to cope, delegates were told."

Researchers have also found that women metabolize alcohol and nicotine differently than men. Add to that higher rates of childhood sexual abuse and violence suffered by women and the need for specialized programs becomes clear.

Copper Canyon Academy is a girls residential treatment program and private boarding school. Learn about their therapeutic program at CopperCanyonAcademy.com.

Labels: abuse, girls, treatment

People who start drinking after young adulthood are less likely to become binge drinkers, according to a study from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Berkeley, CA.

Dr. Marcia Russell and her colleagues used data from a five-year study in New York. They found that risks are lower for people who start drinking after age 21 years and who drink only in moderation.

"Drinking patterns associated with early peak and stable drinking trajectories were distinctly different," she wrote. "Early drinkers drank fewer years, less frequently and consumed less volume of alcohol over their lifetimes but they averaged more drinks per drinking day and had higher rates of episodic heavy drinking and intoxication."

This study appears in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Binge drinking and general adolescent alcohol use can cause chaos in even the most stable families. Learn what you can do about adolescent substance abuse at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: addiction, binge_drinking, research

The Calhoun County Medicine Abuse Prevention Task Force was formed in 2005, as the county became aware of the increasing abuse of prescription medication. Now, the task force is urging parents, teachers and community leaders to educate themselves on the dangers of prescription drug use and the warning signs.

"Signs of a medicine abuse problem may include: hiding pills, obsessively counting them, doctor shopping, or frequent visits to emergency rooms, having meds filled at more than one pharmacy, taking a greater amount of drug or taking it more frequently than prescribed."

The greatest danger in prescription drug use is that many people, especially teenagers, think that prescribed medicine is safer than illegal drugs. Pain killers are currently the most common among misused prescription drugs.

Labels: abuse, medications, prescription_drugs

The Eighth Annual Western South Dakota Youth to Youth Conference was held last week in Rapid City. The conference aims to use positive peer pressure to steer young people away from alcohol and substance abuse.

"[Alonna] Fry said discussing drugs and alcohol with fellow students makes her take the issues more seriously. 'It's nice to know there are other people my age that choose not to be involved with drugs,' Fry said. 'That's what we need at our age.'"

The conference begins with some games that are designed to help the students get to know and feel comfortable with each other. Later in the conference, discussion groups tackle serious issues of drugs and alcohol that face today's teens. The students are also encouraged to make pledges to remain drug free and be role models in their schools.

As your teenager transitions into adulthood they may still need some guidance and structure, especially if they're in recovery. NorthStar Center is an aftercare program for young adults in recovery. Learn more at NorthStarCenter.com.

Labels: friends, influences, pressure

The University Interscholastic League recently released a detailed plan for testing Texas high school athletes for steroid use. Legislation passed earlier in the year allotted $3 million for a statewide testing program.

"Student athletes who test positive for steroids or who refuse to take the test will be suspended for 30 days from competition and must pass a test before regaining eligibility. Students who test positive a second time during their high school participation face a one-year suspension from athletic contests."

A student who tests positive a third time will be permanently banned from high school sports.

Labels: athletics, schools, steriods