One in five parents of children ages 10 to 19 years old told researchers from the Partnership for A Drug-Free America that their child engaged in alcohol or drug abuse beyond the experimental level. Nearly one in three parents of teenagers 14 to 19 years old reported the same thing.

Perhaps equally disturbing is that 47 percent of these parents waited to take action or took no action at all, which put their children at risk for continued use and negative consequences, according to the 2009 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study sponsored by the Metlife Foundation.

• Researchers found an 11 percent increase in the use of alcohol, a 67 percent increase in the use of Ecstasy, and a 19 percent increase in the use of marijuana between 2008 and 2009 among teenagers in grades nine through 12.
• This is the first time in several decades that drug and alcohol use increased rather than declined among teenagers.

"These new PATS data should put parents on notice that they have to pay close attention to their kids' behavior -- especially their social interactions -- and they must take action just as soon as they think their child may be using drugs or drinking," said Steve Pasierb, president of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

Labels: teen_drug_use, parental_involvement

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If teenagers abuse drugs, they are more likely to stay up late with friends and become sleep-deprived. Now a new study from the University of California at San Diego finds the opposite can be true: sleep deprivation causes teenagers to have behavioral problems and fewer inhibitions, which in turn leads to drug abuse.

• Professor Sara Mednick and her team used research from the United States National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health based on questionnaires of 8350 teenagers over an eight-year period.
• They found large clusters of teenagers in social networks in which it was common to use drugs and sleep fewer than seven hours a night.
  
• Teenagers who had friends who used marijuana were twice as likely to use it themselves.

Previous studies have shown that behaviors such as smoking, drinking, weight gain, depression and happiness are "socially contagious" and spread through social networks.

"It really means that were all connected," Dr. Mednick said. "All of our behaviors lead to other behaviors, and when we think about treating one issue in isolation, we're missing the point that treating an entire milieu is probably more effective."

Labels: drug use, deprivation, sleep

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With Spring Break approaching, parents throughout the nation are worried about the unhealthy decisions that their sons and daughters may make while vacationing with friends.

According to a March 22 press release from one of the nation's premier rehab programs for young adults, Spring Break excesses can be dangerous -- and, in some cases, deadly -- signs of problems that call for professional treatment:

Without the structure of school, many young adults use spring break as an excuse to shed their inhibitions and revel in their newfound freedom. College students die every year during spring break, many as a direct or indirect result of drug and alcohol use. Every year, there are cases of drug overdoses and alcohol poisoning, and stories in the news about car accidents, injuries, fights and arrests.

"The expectation is that young people will over-consume during spring break," said Jack Kline, LPC, LCAS, CCS, NCC, the executive director at Four Circles Recovery Center. "Their friends cheer them on, even when its apparent that theyre losing control. The mindset is thats what spring break is all about."

For many young people, the substance abuse that happens over spring break is an indication of a larger problem. Although many parents hope that their childs drug or alcohol use is a phase they will grow out of, this is rarely the case. Addiction is a chronic, progressive illness, which means it only gets worse if left untreated.

Labels: young_adults, rehab

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In an attempt at drawing students from Oakmont (Mass.) Regional High School to an information event about the dangers of teen drug and alcohol use, organizers with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) included a game of dodgeball on the schedule of activities.

But the game had an unusual twist: Several participants had to wear "drunk goggles" while participating. Writer Kevin Doherty described the event in a March 17 article on sentinelandenterprise.com:

By sandwiching an informative session concerning the negative effects of drug and substance abuse between free pizza and a "drunken goggle" dodgeball tournament, school officials are getting through to students, according to David Hamolsky, a guest speaker and substance abuse therapist from LUK, Inc. in Fitchburg.

"It was a great idea," said Hamolsky. "You have two great incentives to get kids to come to the event and in between you put a quick informative session about drug abuse, and the kids are energized to learn and be here. ... I know I throw a lot of information up, but my hope is something, anything sticks and they can use that in [their] lives." ...

Karen Fortin, Oakmont psychology teacher who played in the dodgeball tournament, said "the educational piece is the real reason we are here, but the dodgeball also showed how being impaired doesn't feel so great."

Labels: prevention, alcohol_abuse, drug use, awareness

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Texas news station KRGV is warning that a growing number of teens in the area are using cough syrup to get high.

A relatively new twist on this trend is that many teens are mixing prescription cough syrup (containing promethazine and codeine) with Sprite to create a drug beverage referred to as "Purple" or "Lean".

"It is very common now, but it's very dangerous," a former "Purple" abuser told KRGV. "It's addicting. I woke up at a house. I did not know where it was. I was coughing, just coughing. One time, I coughed up blood."

Pharmacist, Buddy De La Rosa told KRGV that "Purple" is highly addictive because of the main ingredient, codeine. "The euphoria, the good feeling you get from too much codeine, causes you to want to have that effect again, so you search for the drug," De La Rosa said.

Previous reports have indicated that teen abuse of cough syrup can result in a wide range of negative health consequences, including death.

Labels: cough_syrup, over-the-counter-drugs

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In the world of teen substance abuse and addiction, success stories can be hard to find. But Karen McLaughlin is one such story.

A press release on the website of Britain's Prince's Trust organization provided the following details about McLaughlin's efforts to overcome addiction and earn a "Young Achiever" award from the Prince of Wales:

Award winners included reformed addict Karen McLaughlin, 26, who started on a downward spiral of drugs at age 11, beginning with cannabis, escalating to amphetamines and eventually heroin.

A 12-week development course with The Prince's Trust helped Karen get her life back on track. She has now written a paper on substance misuse for Sunderland City Council and is a Princes Trust Young Ambassador, reaching out to other young people.

Today she was presented with the Capgemini Young Achiever Award by HRH The Prince of Wales and Sir Michael Caine.

Sir Michael Caine said: "Karen's experiences have moved and humbled me. She has faced a difficult life, but she has not only overcome her own issues - she is also committed to helping other young people avoid a similar fate."

Labels: awareness

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Another study has documented the dangerous effect that improper media influences can have on young people. Children who watch movies that are R-rated and meant for adults are more likely to try alcohol, according to a new study in the journal Prevention Science.

• Dr. James Sargent and his colleagues at Dartmouth Medical School surveyed 6,255 children ages 12 to 14 years old every eight months for two years between 2003 and 2005.
  
• The students were allowed to watch both family-oriented and R-rated movies. The R-rated movies were all box office hits rather than horror or sexually oriented films.
  
• The children answered questions about whether they like to do scary or dangerous things, if they were bored and restless, and if they had tried alcohol without telling their parents.
  
• If a child considered a "low sensation seeker" watched R-rated movies, he or she was just as likely to experiment with drinking alcohol as the children rated "high sensation seekers."

"The study found that watching R-rated movies affected the level of sensation seeking among adolescents," said Dr. Sargent. "R-rated movies not only contains scenes of alcohol use that prompt adolescents to drink, they also jack up the sensation seeking tendency, which makes adolescents more prone to engage in all sorts of risky behaviors."

"The message to parents is clear," he said. "Take the movie ratings literally. Under-17s should not be permitted to see R-rated movies."

Labels: media_influences

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According to data released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) states, 12-year-olds abuse inhalants more than marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens combined. Inhaling, also called "huffing," is defined as "breathing the gas, fumes or vapors of chemicals in order to get high."

Many of the inhalants used by young people are common household products -- and the practice can be deadly:

The need to increase awareness of this public health risk among physicians, parents and others cannot come too soon for Kevin Talley, the father of Amber Ann Suri, who died February 2009 after huffing.

Her parents suspected something was going on when they noticed she had a pungent smell, glassy eyes, and complained about sinus problems. Although she was taken to a doctor, her real problem was not identified and she was treated only for her sinus symptoms. She died shortly thereafter. [Source: Medical News Today]

Many young people turn to inhalants because they're cheap and legal. Unfortunately, they can also be debilitating and deadly. Addiction to inhalants can happen quickly, because the highs are so intense. The sudden increase in heart rate often caused by huffing can also be fatal.

Labels: inhalants, huffing

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Researchers at Baylor University have found an association between exposure to nicotine during adolescence and difficulty withdrawing from alcohol as an adult.

• Dr. Jim Diaz-Granados and his colleagues exposed some laboratory animals to nicotine, some to alcohol and nicotine, and others just to salt solutions when they were "teenagers."
• When the animals became adults, all were exposed to alcohol.
  
• Then the researchers monitored their withdrawal symptoms from alcohol.
  
• The ones were exposed to nicotine only had the most severe symptoms; the other two groups experienced about the same level of severity of symptoms.

Dr. Diaz-Granados believes that his study "provides evidence that the developing adolescent brain is susceptible to the actions of nicotine and the effects of early exposure can result in changes seen in adulthood." One effect might be increased alcohol withdrawal-related hyperexcitability.

The study appeared in the journal Alcohol.

Labels: tobacco use, smoking, withdrawal

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Use of alcohol, marijuana, and Ecstasy is increasing among teenagers, according to a study by MetLife Foundation and the Partnership for a Drug Free America. However, the good news was there was no significant increase in teen abuse of over-the-counter cough medicines and prescription drugs.

• Researchers interviewed 32 to hundred teenagers in grades nine through 12, and 800 parents in 2009.
  
• 39 percent of the students reported drinking in the past month, an increase of 11 percent the year before.
  
• There was a 67 percent increase in teens using Ecstasy, and a 19 percent increase in teens using marijuana.
  

The results were disappointing, because teen drug and alcohol use had been dropping off consistently in the past 10 years.

Labels: drug use, alcohol, marijuana, ecstasy

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According to a Feb. 19 article by Harriet Vaughan and Bonnie Burch of The Tennessean, a Tennessee woman has been punished for allowing teens to drink alcohol during a party at her house.

Simone Meyerowitz's sentence included being ordered to make a $2,000 contribution to the Boys & Girls Club of Franklin and Williamson County, plus $50 fines on each of 12 misdemeanor counts, in Circuit Court with Judge Jeff Bivins presiding.

"The charges, including contributing to the delinquency of a minor and allowing underage adults to consume alcohol, stemmed from Meyerowitzs daughters 17th birthday party held last July," The Tennessean reporters wrote. "The police report stated that alcoholic beverages were served to 12 individuals ranging in age from 15 to 19 years old."

With laws varying from state to state, parents who host teen parties should be aware of their legal obligations -- as well as their parental responsibilities for ensuring the safety of their children and guests.

Labels: parental_involvement, laws

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When it comes to teenage drug abuse, marijuana has long been the most common substance of choice. But reports indicate that marijuana's hold on America's youth continues to be threatened by prescription drugs.

According to a special report on the website of Alabama NBC affiliate Local 15, one of the primary attractions for youth who abuse prescription medications is the surprising ease with which the substances can be acquired:

Where are kids getting their hands on these medications? Often it's in their own home. According to licensed counselor Cathy Clifton: "It's easy to get. They can just take them from mom's purse or the medicine cabinet and sometime parents don't even realize they're gone."

Clifton says with more and more adults taking medication for pain, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, more abusable drugs are readily available to teens. ...

Clifton has the following advice for parents:

• Keep all prescription medication away from children.
• Closely monitor the number of pills in bottles.
• Throw out any old medication.
• Also closely monitor your children's Internet use.

Labels: prescription drugs

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Teenagers in Missouri who wish to experiment with substance abuse believe theyve found a safe, and legal, alternative to marijuana: incense. Many have resorted to smoking a specific brand and fragrance of incense, claiming it produces the same effect as marijuana.

But, as KY3-News reported, at least one Missouri teen got more than he bargained for.

[It's] something 14-year-old Tyler Hartman heard about from his friends. "They'd all tried it; it didnt kill them, so I just decided to try it," Tyler said. "I sat there, and the room spun a little, and thats really all that I remember,' said Tyler."

Hartman passed out at his friends house, suffered seizures, and quit breathing. Paramedics were called, and rush him to the hospital where he remained unconscious for five hours. Tyler warns other kids not to make the same mistake he did, telling KY3-News that "it's not really a very intelligent choice."

Labels: marijuana, incense, dangers-of-drug-use

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