The latest Monitoring the Future survey has found that prescription drug use among teenagers is still on the rise. Painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin were among the most popular.

"'For teenagers nowadays, prescription drugs are becoming more of a problem than illicit street drugs', said Russell Bush, Medical Director for the Lapeer County Health Department. 'We periodically have overdose and deaths in this country from prescription medication, or mixing of prescription medication with illicit drugs, and/or alcohol.'"

The mixing of prescription and illicit drugs often amplifies the effects of the prescription drug and can cause near-euphoric feelings.

NorthStar Center offers addiction recovery programs to older teens and young adults. Their substance abuse treatment center helps adolescents get on the road to health and success.

Labels: prescription_drugs, teenagers

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.

If you believe your teen has experimented with drugs or alcohol and it's affecting their performance in school and in their relationships, then Excel Academy can help. Excel is a Texas boarding school that specializes in helping families who are suffering because of teen drug use.

Labels: abuse, addiction, teenagers

Drug-abuse experts call it "generational amnesia", and they say it explains why cocaine use is increasing among adolescents. Generational amnesia happens when sufficient time has passed and a new generation is no longer aware of the dangers of a particular drug. It's one of the main reasons for the cyclical increase and decrease in popularity of certain drugs.

"The visibility of cultural markers - and the absence of cautionary tales - leads to the assumption that coke is not as harmful, say, as heroin (which was associated with the high-profile overdoses of River Phoenix and Curt Cobain in the 1990s), or methamphetamine, whose recent popularity in the gay community has led to a targeted campaign against it, said Perry N. Halkitis, a professor of applied psychology at New York University who studies behavior, the AIDS epidemic and drug abuse."

By and large, cocaine is thought to be safe, which means that more teens are likely to try it. It's also considered "fashionable" in the entertainment and finance industries, which drives its popularity. The annual survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found a 20 percent increase in past-month use between 2004 and 2005, meaning that 20 percent more people admitted to using cocaine within the last 30 days. Read more at TheLedger.com.

The Teen-Help-Directory offers resources for parents on teen substance abuse and drug addiction, including articles about the warning signs and what treatment options exist. Learn about teen drug and alcohol use and prevention tactics to keep your adolescent on the right path.

Labels: cocaine, rise_in_use, teenagers

While use of illegal drugs has been declining across the nation, the illegal use of prescription drugs has been on the rise. The state of Michigan is among the states that rank highest for illegal prescription drug use among teens, with recent studies claiming that 12% of Michigan teens use prescription drugs to get high.

"Although millions of Americans benefit from the proper use of prescription drugs, they can be dangerous when taken without medical supervision or mixed with other drugs or alcohol. Teens who abuse prescription drugs to get high can suffer serious consequences including addiction, strokes, seizures, comas, and even death."

Many teens are migrating to prescription drugs because they're easier to get, and teens make the incorrect assumption that prescription drugs are safer than their illegal counterparts. Read more online.

Labels: addiction, prescription drugs, teenagers

New York District Attorney Janet DiFiore is joining substance abuse experts and others in a presentation intended to expose the dangers of private teen drinking parties. The event is the first in a campaign that will run through graduation season and is hosted by Responsible Action: A Drug and Alcohol Resource (RADAR).

"We're trying to make parents more aware of their legal responsibilities. Mostly, it's about the need to supervise their children. Just because they are teenagers doesn’t mean our parenting days are over,' said Janet Buchbinder..."

The presentation will address more than just the legal ramifications of teenage drinking parties, but also the longer-term effects that can follow a teen into adulthood. Read more at TheJournalNews.com.

Labels: alcohol, binge drinking, teenagers

Anheuser-Bush has recently released an energy drink called Spykes. The main difference between this and other energy drinks is that this one is an alcoholic beverage. Some consumer and parenting groups are accusing the company of intentionally marketing the product to teenagers.

"Spykes... has roughly the same alcohol content as wine and comes in such flavors as Spicy Mango and Hot Melons. But it is the energy-drink appeal and the marketing that is nearly exclusively present on the Internet that has some researchers worried."

Underage drinking accounts for over $20 billion in alcohol sales each year. And though Anheuser-Bush has released a statement claiming Spykes is intended for adults, researchers are doubtful and are calling both the drink and its marketing campaign "highly irresponsible". Read more at ABCNews.com.

Labels: alcohol, marketing, teenagers

Hookah smoking is a current fad among American young people with new cafes and bars appearing near college campuses every month. However, a report from the American Lung Association indicates that the usual 45-minute hookah smoke is the equivalent of 100 cigarettes.

The smoke from these water pipes also has higher levels of carbon monoxide: 1.4% compared to 0.4% in cigarettes. The flavored tobacco is linked to oral, lung and bladder cancer.

Thomas Carr, national policy manager for the ALA, said that research indicates adolescents who use hookah tobacco are more likely to "graduate" to cigarette smoking.

Labels: fads, smoking, teenagers

A year ago, most city, county, and sate officials were concerned with teen use of things like marijuana and cocaine. Though use of those drugs is still an issue, more and more people are becoming aware of the increased abuse of prescription medication.

"According to an analysis of national surveys prepared by [John] Walters’ office, 2.1 million teenagers abused prescription drugs in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available."

The increased used is primarily attributed to accessibility and the misconception that prescription drugs are safer. Read more at TheOaklandPress.com.

Labels: abuse, prescription drugs, teenagers

A group of students recently gathered for Putnam County's (New York) first Communities That Care Youth Summit. The purpose of the summit was for adults to gather information and suggestions from students about how to prevent substance abuse and drug use among young people.

"One group wanted the schools to alternate hosting family dinner nights. Another wanted community service to be rewarded with free movie tickets or passes to amusement parks. A third group wanted the community to build a recreation center complete with an arcade, a swimming pool, computers and miniature golf."

Janeen Cunningham, deputy director of the Youth Bureau believes that it's time the adults started asking young people for their input about ways to curb teen drug and alcohol abuse and taking it seriously. Read more at TheJournalNews.com.

Labels: prevention, teenagers

In Galesburg, Illinois, four high school students participated in the annual Knox County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition to share their opinions and ideas about preventing substance abuse among teenagers.

"One of the key problems identified was a lack of prevention programs and support in schools after students finish programs like DARE in junior high."

Many of the students said drug and alcohol problems increase significantly in high school and that the peer pressure is strong. Many of the opinions and suggestions will be used to develop the Coalitions 2007 plan. Read more at Register-Mail.com.


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Labels: prevention, teenagers

A recent study in Australia revealed that many of the high school students who tried alcohol got it from their parents. Of the students who said they had recently consumed alcohol, 37 percent said their parents provided the drink.

"Dr. Delyse Hutchinson, from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, says the figures are a concern, because research shows those who drink early are more likely to develop problems with alcohol later in life."

Some proponents say it's good to introduce alcohol to kids early, to reduce or remove the stigma of drinking - as is done in many European countries. But Dr. Hutchinson warns that the positive effects are largely overstated, and many of those countries have higher rates of alcohol abuse that we realize. Read more at ABC.net.au.

Labels: alcohol, parents, teenagers

Kentucky Senators have introduced a bill that they are hoping will cause teens to think twice about consuming alcohol. Under the bill, anyone under 21 who's found in possession of alcohol could have their driver’s license suspended for three months.

"Last year, nearly 1,900 minors statewide were found guilty of possessing alcohol, or paid fines after being issued citations..."

Though some skeptics doubt whether the threat of losing a license will deter teens from drinking, many feel that it’s better than nothing. Read more at Courier-Journal.com.

Labels: alcohol, prevention, teenagers

Richard Gallagher, Ph.D., Director of the Parenting Institute and the Thriving Teens Project at the NYU Child Study Center recently published five tips for parents to help curb teenage binge drinking. The NYU Child Study Center is also exploring more ways that parents can keep their teens substance free. Clinicians and researchers are developing workshops for parents of middle school students to improve their parenting skills in ways that will keep their kids alcohol and drug free.

Dr. Gallagher’s tips for parents of teens:

• Clearly state what actions you expect your teen to take when confronted with substance use.


• Talk about the alcohol use that your children observe.


• Help your teen find leisure activities and places for leisure activities that are substance-free.


• Limit the access your children have to substances.


• Inform teens about the honest dangers that are associated with alcohol use and abuse.

Read more detail about each tip online.

Want to know more about teen binge drinking? Visit drugrehabtreatment.com for articles on Teenage Alcoholism and College Binge Drinking.

Labels: binge drinking, prevention, teenagers

The Baltimore Sun reported on a new study in Pediatrics that shows teenagers who drink often do so solely to get drunk. Of the 15,000 teens surveyed, 64% admitted to regular binging.

"Those rates are 'unacceptably high,' said Susan Foster, director of policy at the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. 'We're seeing an increase in rates of drinking to get drunk, and we're seeing that most who drink in college began drinking in high school or younger. The more they drink, the greater the likelihood they'll become addicted,' said Foster."

This study shows an increase in binge drinking among high school and college students. Read more from the BaltimoreSun.com.

Labels: alcohol, binge drinking, teenagers