Harvard University professors have devised a simple test for teenagers to determine if their drinking or drug use is out of control.

The "CRAFT" test looks like this:

C (CAR) - have you ever driven a car after using drugs or alcohol? Have you ever been a passenger in a car driven by someone who had used drugs and alcohol?

R (RELAX) - Do you use a alcohol or drugs to feel better about yourself, to fit in, or to relax?

A (ALONE) - Do you use substances like drugs or alcohol by yourself?

F (FORGET) - After you used drugs or alcohol, do you ever forget what you did?

T (TROUBLE) - After you used drugs or alcohol, have you ever gotten into trouble?

Teens who answered yes to two or more questions either have or are at risk for developing a substance abuse problem. These teens (or someone who cares about them) would be wise to investigate options for the treatment of teen substance abuse issues.

Labels: teenage_drinking, teen_drug_use

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A ten-year study of high school students found that teens who use marijuana on a regular basis are more likely to use drugs and to have psychosocial problems as young adults.

• Researchers in Victoria, Australia, followed 1,943 high school students from age 15 to 24 years old.
  
• The teens who used marijuana occasionally had higher risks for alcohol and tobacco dependence, as well for using illegal drugs as young adults.
  
• These teens were also less likely to go on to college.
  
• The ones who used marijuana at least once a week were at the highest risk for later drug use as young adults.
  
• The researchers concluded that marijuana use in adolescence is a predictor of later drug use and educational problems.

The study appeared in the Journal of Psychiatry.

Labels: teen_drug_use, marijuana, pot

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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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Teens who get drunk often or who use marijuana on a regular basis are more likely to be sexually active, according to a new study from Canada. The same study also found that sexually active girls are at higher risk for attempted suicide.

• Researchers used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Children and Youth.
• They found that teens who use pot are 60 percent more likely to be sexually active.
• Teen who are regular drinkers are 50 percent more likely to be sexually active.

"Teens who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior," said Peter John Mitchell, a member of the research team. "This study reveals a risk profile that may help parents as they nurture their teens to adulthood."

Labels: teenage_drinking, teen_drug_use, marijuana, sex, teens

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Do your teenagers listen to artists who sing about marijuana? If so, they may be also be using the drug, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh.

• Dr. Brian Primack and his colleagues surveyed 1,000 ninth graders in Pittsburgh and found that they listen to music an average of more than three hours a day.
• The average teen hears 40 references to marijuana daily.
  
• However, some teens listen to music without any such references, and others listen to music that refers to marijuana twice as often as average.
  
• Those who listened to the music with more references to marijuana were more than twice as likely to use that drug as those who listened to music without any such references.

Other indicators that your child may be using drugs are secretiveness, moodiness , stealing money, changing friends, having lower grades, and paying less attention to grooming.

The study appears in the journal Addiction.

Labels: teen_drug_use, drug use, marijuana, music

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A new study of risky behavior among Alaskan teenagers was released this week. In it, surveyors found high instances of both drug and alcohol abuse.

"In spring 2009, the Alaska Department of Health and Human Services surveyed 1,373 students from 43 high schools that were scientifically selected to represent all public high schools in Alaska, Patricia Owen, state coordinator for the survey," said in a report by Alaska's KTVA Channel 11.

The survey found that 45 percent of students believe regular marijuana use is not harmful, KTVA reported. More than 20 percent of students said theyd taken prescription drugs that were prescribed to someone else.

Labels: teenage_drinking, teen_drug_use, alcohol_abuse, drug_abuse, alaska

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A study of "teenaged" laboratory animals found that daily use of marijuana affected brain chemicals that regulate mood and anxiety. This may partly explain why daily marijuana consumption during adolescence can produce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and may even cause permanent brain damage.

• Dr. Gabriella Gobbi of McGill University in Canada says that marijuana alters the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, which in turn affects mood and makes people more susceptible to stress.
  
• Even if the laboratory animals in her study stopped marijuana use by the end of the adolescence, the changes in the levels of the two brain chemicals were still detectable in adulthood.
• "Our study is one of the first to focus on the role of biological mechanisms at the root of this influence of cannabis on depression in adolescents," Dr. Gobbi said.
  

This study appeared in the journal Neurobiology of Disease.

Labels: teen_drug_use, marijuana, brain_damage

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Local and national debates over the medical use of marijuana may be having an unintentional side effect: increased recreational pot use among teenagers. The 35th annual Monitoring the Future has revealed a slight uptick in the number of teens who admitted to trying marijuana.

A Dec. 14 Associated Press article provided the following details about the study's marijuana-related findings:

Marijuana use, while well off peak levels of the late 1990s, has edged up. According to the study of 47,097 students, among 12th-graders, 20.6 percent said they used it within the past month, compared with 19.4 percent in 2008 and 18.3 percent in 2006. Among 10th-graders, pot use in the past month rose to 15.9 percent this year from 13.8 percent in 2008.

In the past year, the share of eighth-graders who smoked pot was 11.8 percent, compared with 10.9 percent in 2008. Tenth-graders' use was 26.7 percent this year and 23.9 percent in 2008. The percentage of 12th-graders was 32.8 percent compared with 32.4 percent in 2008.

"The upward trending of the past two or three years stands in stark contrast to the steady decline that preceded it for nearly a decade," said Lloyd Johnston, who has directed the annual survey since it started in 1975.

Labels: teen_drug_use, marijuana

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Teens who think their parents are watching over their behaviors are less likely to use marijuana, according to new research from the Claremont Graduate University.

Dr. William Crano and his colleagues reviewed 17 previous studies of more than 35,000 people.

"It was clear that kids who thought their parents were monitoring them used much less marijuana than kids who did not.,"Dr. Crano said. "The interesting thing is that this has to do with the kids' perception of parents monitoring and not necessarily what their parents are actually doing."

"If your kids think that you know what they are doing and where they are at, who they are with and what they are doing when they are not within your sight -- that has a big impact on the kind of trouble they are going to get into," Dr. Crano said.

Labels: teen_drug_use, marijuana, parental_involvement

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A Nov. 23 article by Susie Bodman and Stefanie Knowlton of Oregon's Statesman-Journal newspaper reported that adolescent and teen substance abuse remains a prevalent problem throughout the state:

• Eighth-graders in Oregon were twice as likely to drink in the past 30 days than their peers across the country in 2005, and, since then, the number has grown along with binge drinking by eighth-graders.
• Last year, nearly 40 percent of eighth-graders reported using alcohol or drugs in the past 30 days, according to the 2007 Oregon Healthy Teens Study.
• Kids who take their first drink before age 16 are twice as likely to become addicts, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Exacerbating the problem, the Statesman-Journal reporters noted, is that the majority of young people who need help with their substance abuse problems are not receiving that assistance.

"More than 6,000 kids ages 12 to 17 were treated for drug and alcohol abuse in Oregon last year," Bodman and Knowlton wrote. "State officials estimate that the number of kids who needed treatment, in-patient or out-patient, in the state last year was closer to 27,000, which means only about 22 percent of those who need it are getting treatment through the state."

Labels: teen_drug_use, oregon

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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has teamed up with the National Council on Patient Information and Education to launch a new campaign about teen prescription drug abuse. The campaign  Maximizing Your Role as a Teen Influencer  aims to give adults the tools they need to help prevent prescription drug abuse among teenagers.

"Although the use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs among youth has declined from 2002 through 2008, over this time many teens have turned to misusing prescription drugs, according to SAMHSAs National Survey on Drug use and Health," a press release announced. "In fact, prescription drugs are misused more by this age group than any illicit drug, except marijuana."

Surveys have found that kids abuse medication, not to get high, but manage their daily lives. Theyre looking for ways to reduce stress, focus during exams or improve athletic performance. These findings emphasize the importance of teaching kids healthy coping mechanisms.

Labels: teen_drug_use, prescription drugs

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Children and teenagers who have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder are at a higher risk for abusing marijuana, according to a new study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

• Researchers followed 693 people over a decade.
• Thirty-one were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorders as teenagers, and they were more likely to be among the 161 in the study who abused marijuana.
• Other research has shown that adults with post-traumatic stress disorders were three times more likely to become dependent on marijuana.
  

This study appeared in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

Labels: teen_drug_use, marijuana, ptsd, trauma

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In the wake of revelations that dozens of young people were involved in a Virginia heroin ring that has been associated with four deaths, Washington Post reporter Caitlin Gibson wanted to know what leads a "good kid" to start using heroin. Her investigation led to a two-part article series titled When Heroin Hits Home.

The answer is simple, according to Edythe London, a neuroscientist and pharmacologist at UCLA who is at the forefront of addition study: "Heroin is an equal-opportunity substance." The factors that make a person susceptible to drugs cross ethnic and economic lines in ways many people dont fully realize, London says.

The best that parents can do, Gibson opined, is pay attention, be involved in their kids' lives, and watch for signs of trouble.

Labels: teen_drug_use, parental_involvement, heroin

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The biennial California Healthy Kids Survey -- which evaluates drug and alcohol use by surveying thousands of students -- has revealed troublesome trends among youth in the Santa Cruz, California, area:

Thirty-six percent of high school freshmen countywide report that they have been 'very drunk' or sick from alcohol, up from 29 percent in 2005. Sixteen percent of seventh-grade students report recent binge drinking, up from 10 percent in 2005. (Source: The Press-Banner)

Marijuana use among Santa Cruz youth has also risen significantly, increasing from 18 percent in 2005 to 26 percent this year among high school freshman. Bill Manov, director of alcohol and drug services for the countys Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, told The Press-Banner that he believes drug use is up because students dont perceive the behavior as dangerous or damaging.

Labels: teen_drug_use, alcohol_abuse, drug use

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The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has found that nearly half of the states high school students report using alcohol on a regular basis.

According to a Sept. 17 article by Robert Levey of the website Seacoast Online, this news about the prevalence of teen substance abuse shocked many and compelled some to act:

With studies showing New Hampshire youth possess some of the highest rates of alcohol and drug use nationally, New Heights, the Community Diversion Program, and Portsmouth High School Student Assistant Program have formed the Portsmouth Reflections Program.

Noting the goal of the Portsmouth Reflections Program, or PRP, is to improve long-term outcomes for teens age 14 to 18, including those with substance abuse issues and other high-risk behaviors, Marci Albert, student assistance counselor at PHS, said the program is comprehensive by design.

As noted by the (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), To have the most positive impact on adolescent health, government agencies, community organizations, schools and other community members must work together, she said.

Labels: prevention, teenage_drinking, teen_drug_use

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Canadian researchers have revealed the degree to which sharing prescription medications is contributing the the teen substance abuse problem in the United States. A survey of 529 U.S. youth (ages 12 to 17) found that about twenty percent of them have either lent or borrowed prescription medication.

An Aug. 10 Yahoo! News article provided the following details:

• A third of the teens who took a borrowed prescription did not tell their doctor, the team said in this week's online issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.
• About 32 per cent of the youths who took a borrowed medication said they eventually saw a doctor because the drugs did not resolve the problem.
• Earlier research suggests almost 40 per cent of U.S. adults have also lent or borrowed prescription drugs.

The study also found that two in five teens who borrowed medication experienced unexpected side effects. The study's authors concluded that increased efforts to address the prevalence and dangers of sharing medication are warranted.

Labels: teen_drug_use, prescription drugs, research

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According to Sally Wong, Commissioner for Narcotics in Hong Kong, the use of ketamine among area teenagers has risen 57 percent in the last four years. The drug is cheap and easily accessible, and its abuse has become so wide-spread that Hong Kong has begun conducting random school drug tests.

CNN has reported the following about this troubling trend in teen substance abuse:

Beginning in September, some two dozen schools will conduct tests. Officials say the drug screening will most likely be in the form of urine tests, though they are still working out the details. Ketamine can be detected in urine for at least three days.

Evidence also seems to support the notion that teen drug users are decreasing in age as they are increasing in number. At Zheng Sheng School, Hong Kongs only drug rehab center for youth, the number of clients under the age of 15 has skyrocketed from one to 40.

Labels: teen_drug_use, drug_abuse, ketamine

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Fathers who drink too much put their sons at greater risk for teen alcohol and drug abuse, according to a new government study of more than 9,500 father and son pairs:

• Researchers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that 38 percent of male teenagers whose fathers abuse alcohol also drink.
• Among those whose fathers drank moderately, only 33 percent of their sons use alcohol.
• Among those whose fathers drank not at all, only 21 percent use alcohol. The teenagers in the study were ages 12 to 17 years old.

A father's abuse of alcohol also put a son at greater risk for drug abuse. Among teens in the study whose fathers abused alcohol, 24 percent said they used drugs. Among those whose fathers abstained from drinking, 14 percent reported having tried drugs.

The SAMHSA researchers used data drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which collected responses from 11,056 fathers and 9,537 father-child respondent pairs between 2002 and 2007.

Labels: teen_drug_use, alcohol_abuse, parents, drug_abuse, fathers

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A "semi-autobiographical verse novel" novel by the mother of a former teen meth addict, Crank has been portrayed as a harrowing account of the rapidity with which a teen can sink into drug addiction -- and the depths to which that addiction can drag both teens and their families.

A June 22 review by Allison Spooner of examiner.com provided an outline of the novel's plot as well as a bit about author Ellen Hopkins:

Kristina [the novel's main character] is a typical, well behaved teenager; she gets good grades, she stays out of trouble, she loves her family. This all changes when Kristina goes to visit her absent, deadbeat father in an attempt to re-connect to the man she calls the "Prince of Albuquerque."

Her illusion soon crumbles as she discovers the "Prince" is a drug addict and exactly the same deadbeat her mother assumed he was. Soon Kristina is thrust head first into an addiction to "the monster."

The author states at the beginning that these events are loosely based on her experience with her own daughter's addiction, and that nothing in the story is impossible. To those who don't have any experience with addiction, it's scary to learn how fast one substance can take control (meth doing so faster than most).

Teen meth addiction can be a particularly devastating form of drug abuse. Methamphetamine is highly addictive, and can inflict significant damage upon an individual's body and mind in a relatively brief period of time.

Labels: teen_drug_use, addiction, meth

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The rate of teen prescription drug use in South Wood County, Wisconsin, is higher than the national average. DaNita Carlson, health educator for Wood County, wants parents and teens to better understand the dangers of teen prescription drug use, and take steps to prevent abuse.

"Prescription drugs are particularly dangerous when young people indiscriminately mix and share them, or combine them with alcohol or other drugs," Carlson said in an interview with the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune. "Prescription drug misuse in teens is particularly problematic because adolescence is the period of greatest risk not only for drug experimentation but also for developing addiction."

Carlson urged parents to educate themselves not only on what types of drugs kids are abusing, but where (and how) the young people are getting these substances.

Labels: teen_drug_use, prescription drugs

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Schools in Oakland County, Michigan have seen a decrease in many types of drugs. But theyre seeing an increase in the use of prescription drugs among teenagers. To try and combat the problem, the county uses K-9 police units to conduct drug sweeps in the schools.

According to Sgt. Joseph Lambourn, acting coordinator of the K-9 units, all school requests for drug sweeps go through him. Ill bring in all the dogs for a full-scale search, he said. Depending on the schools request, we search cars, lockers, and/or backpacks. -- Source: The Spinal Column (Walled Lake, Mich.)

Though the county relies on drug sweeps as part of its overall effort to fight drug use, recent budget cuts have reduced the frequency of the searches.

Are you worried that your teen might be abusing prescription medications? If so, education is your first step: Take a few moments to learn about the signs, symptoms, and dangers of teen prescription drug abuse, as well as the intervention and treatment options that are available to help your family.

Labels: prevention, teen_drug_use, schools, prescription drugs

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Since December 2006, more than 10,000 people have been killed as a result of the Mexican drug war. While both the Mexico and U.S. governments continue fighting to end the flow of drugs across the border, the timeless rule of supply and demand keeps the drug cartels going.

In all, 46 percent of Americans 12 and older have indulged in the often destructive national pastime of illicit drug use. This array of consumers is providing a vast, recession-proof, apparently unending market for the Mexican gangs ...

"The damage done by our insatiable demand for drugs is truly astounding," said Lloyd Johnston, a University of Michigan researcher. (Source: The Associated Press)

Federal figures on drug use show that 114 million Americans have used illicit drugs as some point, and 20 million Americans are current users of illicit substances. This level of demand motivates Mexican drug cartels to find methods, many of them violent, for continuing and expanding their business.

Is your teen struggling with alcohol dependency or drug addiction? If so, a therapeutic boarding school can provide the structure and support that will allow him to overcome his addiction and put him back on the path toward a healthier and happier life.

Labels: teen_drug_use

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More than 40 years after Timothy Leary urged teens of the 1960s to "turn on, tune in, and drop out," some of today's youth are tuning in to YouTube and other online video sites in order to learn more about a new way of turning on.

As John Simerman reported in the May 16 edition of the Contra Costa Times, online videos are promoting the hallucinogenic properties of an often-overlooked (and barely regulated) substance called "salvia."

Salvia divinorum, which East Bay smoke shops sell in packets of dark, crushed-leaf extract -- with a "strictly for incense use only" disclaimer -- has spurred new laws in more than a dozen states in recent years amid a slew of online videos showing youths speaking or acting bizarrely after smoking it; and the well-publicized suicide of a Delaware teen in 2006, with the coroner listing salvia as a contributing cause.

In many of the videos, the smokers often start laughing uncontrollably, then are rendered incoherent by a forceful high that users describe as much shorter than LSD, but often more intense.

Though the U.S. government currently has no laws regulating the manufacture, sale, or use of salvia, Simerman reported at least 10 states have listed Salvia as a Schedule I drug, which places it in the same category of Ecstasy and LSD.

Parents whose teens are abusing salvia or any other illicit substance may want to consider a wilderness program for troubled teens such as central Oregon's SageWalk, which offers structure, supervision, and a comprehensive array of therapeutic services.

Labels: teen_drug_use, internet, hallucinogens

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Charles Rosa has experienced the unimaginable. In the course of just 14 months, he buried both of his sons, both of whom died from drug overdoses. Determined to prevent other parents from suffering the way he had, he formed a non-profit called Chuckys Fight, and on Sunday, April 19, a group of women took to the sea in support of his efforts.

According to the Hampton Union, the women planned to enter the still-frigid waters at Seabrook, New Hampshire, in order to raise awareness and cash for the fight against teen substance abuse.

In honor of his sons, Rosa swims in the ocean every day, regardless of the water temperature or weather conditions. The April 19 event was designed to increase support for two organizations that are fighting teen drug abuse: Chuckys Fight and the Portsmouth Middle Schools Project Safety Conference.

If your child is abusing alcohol or another drug, your family may benefit from the comprehensive therapeutic support and educational services that are provided at a private boarding school for recovering teens.

Labels: prevention, teen_drug_use, recovery

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Not all teenage parties feature pizza and and soda. Some, instead, feature prescription pills. These so-called called "pharm parties" (short for " pharmaceutical parties" are obviously a significant risk to the health and well-being of teen attendees.

A recent Virginia event was designed to educate parents about the health risks of teen prescription pill abuse -- risks that their children may be facing

The trend was brought home earlier this week, when news reports focused on students at two Henrico [Virginia] middle schools sharing the prescription drug Adderall with friends.

Henricos Too Smart [2 Start] Coalition held a Town Hall meeting ... at Hermitage High School to draw attention to what appears to be a growing national problem. (Source: The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch)

Most of the parents who attended the Town Hall meeting seemed aware of the problem and were hoping for solutions, the Richmond Times reported. Guest speaker Aleta Meyer emphasized the importance of locking up medications and being aware of the types and quantities of medications in the house.

Labels: teen_drug_use, parental_involvement, prescription drugs

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A German child guidance specialist is advising parents to remain calm if they discover that their child has experimented with marijuana.

Andreas Engel from Germany's Bundeskonferenz fuer Erziehungsberatung ... says parents should inform themselves about marijuanas main active ingredient, THC.

Only then is it a good idea to raise the matter with your child and talk about the effects of smoking the substance. If you are strictly against smoking cannabis, you should make that perfectly clear and ban its use. ...

Cannabis-smoking teenagers are demonstrating to themselves and their peers that they can break conventions. They're also testing the limits of their independence from the norms of the adult world and showing their affiliation to a youth sub-culture, says Engel. (Source: Earth Times)

Parents should be consistent in educating their children about the health issues, legal consequences, and other negative aspects of illegal drug use among young people.

Labels: teen_drug_use, marijuana, parents

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Young people in greater Manchester, England, are abusing solvents with increasing frequency, which has substance abuse workers concerned. The number of referrals and information requests regarding solvent abuse rose significantly in April.

"Sniffing gases, glues or aerosols kills at least one person every week in the UK& Substance abuse workers are now trying to raise the publics awareness of the potentially lethal practice." Source: Wigan Today (Manchester, England)

Inhalant abuse among youth continues to be a problem in the United States as well as in the UK. Substances used for sniffing are often found in the home and are easily accessible. "Sniffing" causes a temporary drop in oxygen flow to the brain, which creates a temporary feeling of intoxication or euphoria. Unfortunately, it can also cause brain damage, especially if done repeatedly.

Labels: teen_drug_use, inhalents

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Teens who smoke marijuana may be self-medicating for legitimate medical conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, insomnia, and anxiety, according to a new study from the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Joan Bortoff and her colleagues surveyed 63 adolescents who reported having smoked marijuana on a daily basis. About a third of the adolescents who were surveyed said they had stopped taking prescription drugs such as Ritalin and Prozac for various conditions and substituted marijuana instead. Marijuana was immediately effective in relieving anxiety and other conditions, and did not cause as many side effects as their prescription drugs.

"They did not like how these drugs made them feel or found them ineffective," Dr. Bortoff said. "For these kids, the purpose of smoking marijuana was not specifically about getting high or stoned."

This study appeared in the journal Substance Abuse, Treatment, Prevention & Policy.

Labels: teen_drug_use, marijuana, adhd, anxiety, medications

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Young people in the city of Newcastle could find themselves getting some undesired attention if they're caught drinking. A new program in the Northern England town will refer underage drinkers to a youth worker whose job will be to ask some hard questions.

The Home Office scheme aims to assess the young person's alcohol consumption and [his or her] reasons for drinking. They will also be warned about the dangers of substance abuse, and may be referred for medical treatment. (Source: The Press Association)

The new program extends an existing, similar, program that focuses on adult drinkers. It is one of several programs being rolled out as England attempts to curb instances of underage drinking.

Labels: teenage_drinking, teen_drug_use

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Hundreds of youth organizers and teenagers gathered in Santa Barbara, Calif., April 16 to kick off an event called "Yes Youth Can!" Aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of drug and alcohol use, the program is also intended to honor the many teenagers who stay drug and alcohol free.

"It's about time for us to hear about all of these positive things," [Scott Guttentag] said, describing how surveys of local teens show that 57 percent have never consumed an alcoholic beverage and 81 percent have never smoked a cigarette." [Source: The Daily Sound (Santa Barbara, Calif.)]

These statistics may be surprising to some, who hear so much bad news about teen drug and alcohol use. But the percentages of teenagers who actually use drugs or alcohol is relatively low -- a fact that this group of teenagers hopes will persuade others to either stop using substances or continue to stay clean and sober.

Labels: teen_drug_use, alcohol_abuse, drug use, teenagers

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Adolescents who drink or use drugs before they turn 15 are more likely to fail in school, become dependent on drugs or alcohol, be convicted of a crime, contract a sexually transmitted disease, and face an unwanted pregnancy. This is true whether they come from "good" homes or abusive ones.

Duke University psychologists Dr. Avshalom Caspi and Terri Moffitt worked with colleagues in New Zealand and Britain to analyze data on 1,000 New Zealanders from birth through age 32. Half of the subjects in the study were from stable backgrounds, and half came from families with histories of alcoholism, drug abuse, and crime. The study focused on preteens who regularly abused drug or alcohol, not those who were merely experimenting a few times.

The ones without risk factors who used drugs and alcohol prior to age 15 were 3.6 times more likely to be drug dependent by age 32. A third of the females in this group were pregnant before age 21.

Among the girls from problematical backgrounds who used drugs and alcohol before age 15, two-thirds got pregnant before age 21.

Both groups had more health problems as adults.

"These findings challenge certain perceptions regarding teens and drug and alcohol use," said Professor Dan Nagin, one of the study's co-authors. "For example, the idea that we shouldn't be concerned when teens abuse drugs and alcohol, because the kids are just experimenting. It's clear from this data that early exposure to drugs and alcohol can make even a good kid veer off on a bad trajectory."

The study appeared in the journal Psychological Science.

Labels: teen_drug_use, underage_drinking, long_term_drug_use

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 2 Comments

As research continues to provide increasing evidence that the brain undergoes significant development during the teenage years, pediatricians are being encouraged to talk more honestly with their young patients about teen alcohol and drug abuse. At the same time, doctors are also asking parents to have more frank discussions.

 “Talk with your children about your family’s history of alcohol or drug use. There’s a genetic component to alcoholism, and kids should know if they’re at greater risk of problems. Give your children one-on-one time with the pediatrician. Think of it as their lesson in how to navigate the healthcare system.” (Source: U.S. News and World Report)

Parents should also set firm household policies about drugs and alcohol, making alcohol off-limits until age 21, and drugs off-limits period. It’s also important for parents to model responsible behavior. Have a beer, but don’t get drunk.


 

Labels: teenage_drinking, teen_drug_use, alcohol_abuse, drug use, teenagers

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

Teens in the Dallas metropolitan area remain in the throes of a "cheese heroin" crisis that began about three years ago.

• Treatment centers had been reporting increases in the number of young people entering for heroin abuse, though this appears to be leveling off.
• In 2006, 210 teenagers from North Texas entered treatment for heroin; in 2007, it was 467 -- but by 2008, that rate had risen to 434.
• Many of the young people in treatment for girls.
• Between 2005 and 2009, 30 or more teenagers under age 18 years old died in the Dallas area of "cheese heroin," which is a combination of heroin and sleeping pills.

"It hasn't let up, says Janet Anselmo-Henson, manager of the Dallas County juvenile department's substance abuse programs. "Kids are still using, and they are starting at a young age. We are seeing kids who later graduated to injecting heroin, not just snorting it."


 

Labels: teen_drug_use, heroin, cheese

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 0 Comments