Alcohol Abuse

Parents, Teens Gather to Talk About Drug and Alcohol Use

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction on May 10th, 2012

The Trackside Teen Center was packed with parents and students during the Wilton Youth Council’s Community Conversation held last April 25.

teen alcohol abuseThis is the third time that the council had the event where the latest survey and reviews with regards to teen substance abuse was tackled.

Board of Education member and director of the Partnership for Success Grant at Positive Directions Lory Rothstein presented the most recent results of the online survey participated in by 883 students from the 7th to 12th grades and 446 parents from the 6th to 12th grades.

So far, this is their largest sample ever handled with the number of students accounting for 45% of the total population in the respective levels.

The report put the spotlight on alcohol, drugs, and tobacco and marijuana use among students. It was noted that there was a decrease in the use of the said substances yet the average for alcohol use is still a little over than the national average; 12th graders who admit to alcohol intake within the past 30 days was below 50%.

The relationship between alcohol and marijuana use was also discussed. The Youth Council has long named alcohol as a “gateway drug” and statistics seem to agree with them. An alarming 27.9% of students confess to drinking and smoking marijuana with only 0.7% saying they never tried any of the two substances. From the teen drinking population, 35% also owned up to pot use.

Guest Speaker for the forum Chris Brown said that a teen’s brain is not at all the same as an adult’s brain. Brown, who is a school psychologist and licensed professional counselor, made it clear to everybody that a teen’s brain’s reward center is extra sensitive compared to adults’ which makes them more vulnerable to addiction.

Mr. Brown also added that teens are not fully prepared to make the right decisions and acknowledge the consequences of their actions all the time as their brains aren’t fully developed yet.

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Early Alcohol and Drug Habits May Damage Teenage Brains

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction on May 9th, 2012

It is very important for teens to know what drugs and alcohol can do to their brains. Despite the numerous campaigns against these substances, the problem of drug and alcohol abuse continues to grow.

effects of drugs and alcohol on teen's brainIn a study done by the researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health using magnetic resonance imaging, it was found out that the brain reaches its vital development stages during the teenage years. This is when the frontal lobes, which directs decision-making, emotion, self-control, judgment, and processing consequences, goes into a lot of changes until it reaches full development.

Dr. Aaron White from the Duke University Medical Center explains that a teenager’s brain is not comparable to that of an adult. “Available research suggests that adolescents are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of alcohol on learning and memory.”

It has been noted that an adolescent’s brain is clearly more susceptible to the effects of alcohol and drugs which could lead to abnormalities due to tissue and nerve damages.

Teenagers should realize that taking alcohol at their age could cause irreversible damages to the brain. While it may be true that more and more kids are hooked on drinking and that alcohol remains the top drug of choice amongst US teens, children should be equipped with the necessary ammunition to resist the temptation of alcohol in their lives.

As the brain continues to grow, teenagers will find it hard to make the right decisions. If the element of alcohol or drugs is added, the brains capacity to process logical and more reasonable decisions will be overpowered thus results to risky behaviors and decisions of teenagers.

Dr. Judith Newman puts an interesting analogy into the discussion of brain development. “The teenage brain is like a Ferrari: It’s sleek, shiny, sexy, and fast, and it corners really well. But it also has really crappy brakes.”

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New Ordinance Could Penalize Adults for Underage Drinking

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse on May 6th, 2012

A new proposal being reviewed by the Barron City Council could fine adults who serve alcohol to minors in particular events that they host.

The proposed ordinance penalizes adults who allow teenagers to drink in their parties by up to $5,000.

drinking alcoholThru the initiative of the Barron County Safe and Stable Families Coalition, the rule under review is now in the hands of the Ordinance Committee, according to public health nurse Laura Sauve and public health program manager Kelli Engen from the county’s own Department of Health and Human Services.

Sauve confirmed that the coalition began campaigning against teen pregnancy but has taken the issue of teen substance abuse and as such, is making it their advocacy to keep kids safe. The group is headed by Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald and conducts their weekly meeting on Wednesdays at the Barron County Government Center.

It was just last April 9 that members of the coalition submitted their proposal to the Barron City County Police Committee which they patterned after other Wisconsin cities like Oregon and Wausau and from Fond du Lac County that have implemented similar rules in their own area.

The ordinance puts the responsibility of controlling underage drinking on adults, and should any adult go against the guidelines for serving alcohol to kids especially during parties, a corresponding fine of $1,000 to $5,000 will be collected as a consequence of their irresponsible acts.

“Cities can use their discretion to set penalties. We are suggesting a fine of $1,000 to $5,000 – enough to make you think twice about hosting a party where teens may drink,” Sauve commented. “This is our first attempt at passing it (in Barron).”

The said proposed rule is also supported by Mayor Dave Vruwink who, as a driver’s education instructor, knows how alcohol can damage or take away a life in an instant. “….Wisconsin is among the top states in the country for drunk driving – and northwestern Wisconsin, especially, is a problem area.”

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Drug Abuse Linked to Brain Networks Among Teens

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Tobacco Abuse on May 3rd, 2012

A new study conducted by the researchers from the University of Vermont could shed light on the issue as to why teenagers behave differently towards substance abuse.

brain scanThe proponents of the study gathered 1,896 14-year-old participants, the largest sample so far for a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning procedure. The participants were given the task to press a button on a keyboard, but researchers would insert a signal at anytime for the duration of the test that commands the participants to stop the task. The brain’s reaction to the stop signal is used to measure a teen’s impulsive behavior.

Data gathered from the study were analyzed and the differences in the brain networks were noted to cause varying impulsive behaviors of the teens. Participants who were able to follow the cue to stop had certain brain networks “light up” on the fMRI scan.

University of Vermont post-doctoral researcher Robert Whelan said that a teen’s impulsive behavior dictates their susceptibility for drug and alcohol abuse and that there are differences as to how a teen’s brain react or “light up” as far as their impulsiveness is concerned.

It was also confirmed by Dr. Hugh Gravan, associate professor of psychiatry, that those whose brain networks function less on the impulse-regulating factor increase their risks for smoking and drugs and alcohol use.

The results of the study could be the answer to the question of whether brain changes occur before substance abuse happens or are caused by the unhealthy habits.

In a feature from CBS News, the team of scientists from the university emphasized the importance of studying brain networks to understand a teen’s risk for substance abuse. This could be a key to hopefully put a stop on meaningless deaths among the youth which are often linked to impulsive behaviors that are all preventable.

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Teens Get Creative in Drug Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Marijuana Use and Abuse on April 30th, 2012

At a forum held in Grovetown Middle School, different methods kids use to get away with drug use were introduced — and kids these days have found clever ways to get access to and use drugs.

School administrators admitted that they have caught students bringing vodka-soaked candies and marijuana pipes made from ink pens at school.

vodka candiesBut Bradford Health Services administrator Terry Childers said parents should be on the lookout if their kids start to read the obituary section of a newspaper. “They would look for people who died of something like cancer, knowing their houses probably had a lot of prescription drugs in them. Then, these kids would wait for when the funeral was being held and rob the house,” Childers said.

Other signs of drug addiction shared by the lecturers include stealing from parents, academic troubles, unusual disruptive behavior, lying, and getting home late.

Childers added that another drug popular to students is Spice. A synthetic marijuana formulated by a scientist from Clemson University, Spice is sold in the United States as incense or potpourri which are readily available in tobacco and convenience stores.

A.J. Creswell who is a senior counselor for the Insight program, a program focused on spreading awareness of teen substance abuse, added that continued use of Spice could lead to psychosis.

Yet prescription medications claim the top spot when it comes to the drug of choice among teenagers. According to Creswell, kids can easily get hold of such drugs with about 70% of users confessing that they get their supply from their parents’ prescriptions.

Creswell warned parents on the growing problem of substance abuse. “The kids who come through my program are some of the smartest I’ve ever met,” he said. “Drug dealing isn’t just some guy on a street corner. Kids are getting them from friends, at home, even at gas stations.”

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Hand Sanitizers: Latest Trend in Teen Alcohol Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse on April 29th, 2012

Here is something that just blew my mind — teens have found a way to get drunk with hand sanitizers.

The latest trend in alcohol abuse comes in the form of hand sanitizers which teens consume to get drunk, and because they are not aware of the dangers in ingesting the said substances, emergency room admissions are increasing by the day.

hand sanitizerHealth experts said that hand sanitizers have long been experimented on not only by the youth as alcohol substitutes. Since March 1, 16 cases countywide and 60 cases statewide in 2010 have been reported at California’s Poison Control which involve hand sanitizers.

According to pediatric medical toxicologist Dr. Cyrus Rangan, the misuse of hand sanitizers is increasing fast. As the director of the county Department of Public Health’s Toxic Epidemiology Program, Rangan confirmed that a small bottle of hand sanitizer contains 60% alcohol and this is what teens are after to get drunk. “That’s like drinking several shots of hard liquor,” Rangan added.

Dr. Rangan continued that although there hasn’t been any death reported with the abuse of hand sanitizers, continuous intake of the substance could lead to a coma.

Unfortunately, hand sanitizers can be purchased easily and with no restricting law governing its distribution or sale, the number of bottles that kids, at any age, can buy is literally limitless. Teens have learned to separate the alcohol from the product using bath salts. Details of the whole procedure are found online.

The more dangerous scenario in the misuse of hand sanitizers is when younger children ingest it thinking it’s fruit juice by mistake, says Helen Aborgast from the Children’s Hospital during a press conference. “Just a spoonful can cause a problem,” she said. “It’s a concern for us. We’re going to be going to the high schools to talk about it.”

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