The Sigma Kappa sorority on the campus of California State University in Chico has been suspended after one of its pledges was rushed to the hospital for alcohol poisoning.

"Freshman Bethany Dixon, 18, had reportedly been attending a Sigma Kappa function and was later hospitalized for severe alcohol poisoning Thursday night after her friends called police, said Lt. John Carrillo of the Chico Police Department."

Multiple university departments have launched investigations, with the focus being on finding out who hosted the party and who bought the alcohol. Source: The Orion (Cal State - Chico)

Labels: alcohol_abuse, hospitals, college

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Stanford University scientists believe they have found a non-addictive drug that can prevent or significantly minimize withdrawal symptoms in people addicted to opioids.

"The drug, ondansetron, which is already approved to treat nausea and vomiting, appears to avoid some of the problems that accompany existing treatments for addiction to these powerful painkillers, the scientists said."

Scientists are quick to point out that withdrawal treatment is not the same as addiction recovery. True recovery requires long-term commitment to counseling and addiction support. Source: Stanford University Medical Center

Labels: treatment, recovery, opioids

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Few people realize how prevalent physical abuse is in teen dating relationships. But not all abuse is physical, and not all scars are visible.

"Most see [emotional abuse] as just a control issue, even those being abused. That's what makes this abuse so scary, the fact that those involved may never speak up and may not even recognize that it is abuse."

A teenager who's endured an emotionally abusive relationship could carry the scars with her for the rest of her life. If your teenager, or a teen you know, is dating someone who isolates her, blames her for everything, demands to know where she is at all times, or withholds emotion as a form of punishment, the relationship is emotionally abusive and the teen should end the relationship immediately. Source: Standard-Examiner (Utah)

Labels: abuse, violence, relationships

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Sergio and Maria Aviles never expected to bury one of their children. But at age 17, their daughter Sarah died of a drug overdose. She was addicted to a concoction called "cheese," which is a deadly combination of heroin and Tylenol.

"A pretty girl with a heart-shaped face and a 'thug life' tattoo, she died after two years of addiction, two stints in drug treatment, and fights with parents who tried to save her..."

Sarah's trouble started when her parents divorced. She took it hard, and drugs became her coping mechanism. Her parents hope that by sharing their story, they'll spare other parents from experiencing the same heartache. Source: The Dallas Morning News

Labels: addiction, parental_involvement, overdose

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Staten Island is seeing a growing trend of prescription drug abuse, as evidenced by the arrests last week of 23 people involved in an illegal prescription drug distribution ring. Most of those arrested were in their mid-20s and together they forged over 108 prescriptions.

"...over the past few years, autopsy results have linked several notable deaths on Staten Island to prescription drug abuse...' This is serious stuff. Kids figure "I'm not shooting heroin, I'm not snorting cocaine, I'm not smoking crack... This must be safe because an American pharmaceutical company made this,"' [District Attorney Daniel] Donovan says."

Teens have been known to pillage unlocked cars, looking for valuables to sell in exchange for prescription drugs. But most (34 percent and 31 percent respectively) get them from their own home or from friends or classmates. Source: Staten Island Advance

Labels: prescription_drugs, criminal_activity

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By introducing House Bill 1165, legislators in the state of Washington hope to require pharmaceutical companies to offer statewide collection and disposal of unused medications.

"This is not a new idea - medicine makers have been operating successful take-back programs in Canada, France, Spain, and elsewhere for many years. British Columbia's program, for example, has been operating since 1996 and is fully paid for by the pharmaceutical industry."

Prescription drug abuse is becoming an increasing problem among teenagers, primarily because the drugs are so easily obtained. In Washington, pharmaceuticals are the drug-of-choice among 12- and 13-year olds, exceeding alcohol and marijuana. Source: The Herald (WA)

Labels: prescription_drugs, medications, legislation

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The latest survey from Partnership for a Drug-Free America offers a glimmer of hope in the effort to improve communication between parents and their children:

"The Drug-Free America survey says 37 percent of teens surveyed said they are 'learning a lot' from parents about the dangers of drug use. That might not be the high number parents want to see, but it's an increase from 32 percent the year before."

The survey doesn't indicate whether the increased is the result of an increased number of parents talking to their teens, or an increased number of teens listening. Either way, it indicates that kids will listen. Source: The Tennessean

Labels: parental_involvement, dangers-of-drug-use, communication

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The photo of Michael Phelps smoking pot has been circulated around the world. Though there were some consequences (like Kellogg pulling its sponsorship), he gets to keep his gold medals and most of his other sponsorships. So how does a parent use this story to talk to kids about the dangers of using marijuana?

"[Marsha] Rosenbaum [a sociologist] said the most important thing to keep in mind when talking to kids about drugs is that 'abstinence is really the best choice, but honesty is critical.' ... Rosenbaum said it's also 'no longer possible to offer the scare tactics that we've used for the last 20 years. You can't credibly say [that] if you smoke pot on Saturday, by the following weekend you'll be a heroin addict."

Rosenbaum encourages parents to use Phelps' story as an opportunity to share the facts, including potential legal ramifications. Nearly 40,000 people in New York City were arrested last year on marijuana-related charges, and similar numbers were arrested in other large cities, such as Atlanta and Cleveland. Source: Telegraph-Journal (Canada)

Labels: parental_involvement, communication, relationships

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On Feb. 18, on the steps of Montana's State Capital building, Speaker of the House Bob Bergren and Senate President Robert Story accepted petitions signed by more than 55,000 Montana residents asking for state funding of the Montana Meth Project.

"Today's event happened thanks to the incredible leadership of young people from all across Montana," said Mike Gulledge, chairman of the Montana Meth Project. "They worked for more than six months to collect signatures and plan today's activities. Their dedication is unprecedented."

Launched in 2005, the Montana Meth Project uses a wide range of advertising and community action programs to raise awareness about the dangers of methamphetamine use. Since its inception, meth use among Montana teens has declined by 45 percent. Source: Business Wire

Labels: meth, teenagers

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A 17-year-old high school senior was found dead Jan. 21 from what authorities have said was a drug overdose. The Stockton, California, teen had taken a fatal combination of Oxycodone, Valium and Xanax.

"In response to the girl's death, Lincoln High Principal Debbi Holmerud invited parents and students to the campus Thursday night for a meeting to talk about the perils of drugs, especially prescription drugs."

Stockton Police Officer Richard Fields encouraged parents to "be aware of what's in your medicine cabinet - and what's missing." Parents were also encouraged to take note of emotional and physical changes in their children, as they can be signs of drug abuse. Source: The Record (Stockton, CA)

Labels: death, prescription_drugs, overdose

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The overdose death of a 15-year-old Milwaukee girl has prompted hard but honest conversations about drug use among teenagers. The Wisconsin head of the Department of Justice's Narcotics Bureau discussed some of the issues on a Milwaukee morning news program.

"[David] Spakowitz detailed that heroin is more used by teenagers because it's simply not as hard to use as it was a generation ago... 'From about the mid-90s, there's been such an increase in the quality of heroin that makes it snortable. There's not the stigma associated with needles.'"

He also said the leap from marijuana or alcohol to harder drugs like heroin is being made more quickly; sometimes in as little as a year. Spakowitz encouraged parents to pay attention to their children's behavior, watch for signs of drug use, and seek help immediately if they know their child is using. Source: WTMJ News Radio (Milwaukee)

Labels: drug use, teenagers, heroin

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It's not for everyone. But Stacey, who suspected her teenage daughter was drinking and lying about it, felt a home Breathalyzer was the right choice. She began making her daughter blow into it every time she came home - whether from a football game, a date, a school dance, or a movie.

"While much attention has been focused on preventing teenagers from drinking and driving, a Breathalyzer at home allows parents to determine whether their child has been drinking in other situations as well... Their use, as well as the use of drug tests, is catching on among parents concerned that their teens are drinking or using drugs."

Stacey's daughter admits that, when the Breathalyzer first appeared in their home, she thought her mom was "evil." But now, as a freshman in college, she feels like she has more mature attitude about drinking and realizes how serious the consequences can be. Source: Chicago Tribune

Labels: prevention, drug testing, consequences

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A Texas community organization, Texans Standing Tall, has found that girls in grades 7 through 12 now drink more than boys do, thanks in large part to alcoholic energy drinks.

"Energy drinks are popular among youth, including those that contain alcohol... The only difference on the can labels is the absence of nutrition facts and the appearance of an alcohol percentage. Alcoholic beverages aren't governed by the FDA..."

As of January, Anheuser-Bush had removed all of its alcoholic energy drinks from circulation, in response to a lawsuit claiming the drinks were marketed toward young people. Source: Lufkin (TX) Daily News

Labels: girls, boys, binge drinking

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