Drug Abuse Prevention

Teen Behaviors May Be Influenced by their Friends’ Parents

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Raising Healthy Kids on May 15th, 2012

A new study suggests that a teen’s behavior towards drinking, smoking and drug use may not only be influenced by their peers but also by their peers’ parents as well.

teen friendsStudy author Michael Cleveland from the Penn State University said that while teens are learning to choose their set of friends, parents should not be far behind in making sure that their kids’ friends also have responsible parents. There is a relationship between a teen and the behavior and attitude of his friends’ parents.

“Among friendship groups with ‘good parents’ there’s a synergistic effect — if your parents are consistent and aware of your whereabouts, and your friends’ parents are also consistent and aware of their (children’s) whereabouts, then you are less likely to use substances,” Cleveland said.

Children with parents who refuse to deal with the issue of substance abuse and at the same time belonging in a circle with friends under the same condition will more likely to go the wrong way.

The study was done with about 9,000 students from rural school districts in the 9th grade. The research team were able to identify almost 900 groups from the participants classified as to who their friends are and the parents of their chosen peers. After a year, the groups were surveyed and allowed to answer questions on alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use.

It was found out that teens with parents who regularly check on them and know their activities were less likely to get involved in drugs or alcohol use. Yet having friends with parents that are not aware of their kids’ whereabouts and activities significantly influenced the teen’s decision on the said issues despite having “good parents.”

The complete results of the study can be found in the latest issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

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Parent-Child Communication to Fight Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention on April 28th, 2012

Parents and students at Ludlow High School gathered last Tuesday to discuss teen substance abuse. For the more than 700 attendees, one clear message was promoted throughout the event: that the key to preventing teen substance abuse is good communication between parents and their kids.

parent talking to childIt has been made into a statewide initiative in Massachusetts that reminds both parents and children to not hesitate talking about sensitive issues before complicated situations arise.

Ludlow has had its fair share of teen problems; from prescription drugs to alcohol abuse, there is a growing concern from the people themselves which has driven authorities to hold forums and gatherings that will educate both parents and students about the dangers of substance abuse.

Latest figures gathered showed that 48% of Massachusetts high school students claim to have access to alcohol in their own homes and that they drink often and heavily. Some students say they give in to peer pressure and learn to drink in order to fit in.

Yet these teens aren’t informed about the dangerous consequences of underage drinking or drug overdose and the legal repercussions that come with these activities.

Hampden County District Attorney Mark Mastroianni said teens are not the only ones who get in trouble with the law if they get into alcohol habits very early. Individuals aged below 21 years old could be jailed if caught in possession or consuming alcohol, but adults who serve alcohol to minors not related to them can go to jail for up to a year.

Sean Ward of Ludlow shared his experiences about his continuing recovery from addiction. “I actually used to be a pretty heavy drug addict, my mom and I started talking and going to therapy and certain things like that, and this, this is great.”

In a feature from 22News, a support group for parents dealing with substance abuse holds their weekly meeting at Providence Hospital on Route 5 every Wednesday at 6:30 pm.

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T2T Campaign Working Against Prom Season Drinking

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse Prevention on April 27th, 2012

Prom and graduation seasons are fast approaching and during this time, underage drinking and drug use can easily make their way into every teen’s life.

T2T campaignThis is why the North Memorial program Partnership for Change has launched a “T2T” campaign with a mission to keep kids safe especially during the coming season. For the past four weeks, pink signs around the northwest suburbs have been spread and last Monday, the program worked its way to Maple Grove Senior High school.

The “T2T” messages have been revealed in various social media outlets of the campaign: Time 2 Think, Time 2 Teach, Talk 2 Teens, and Teen 2 Teen. The last message will be unveiled this coming Saturday, April 28 during Maple Grove’s own prom event.

All of the bright pink signs used by the T2T program have been distributed through community lawn signs, flyers, social media sites, and websites that are often visited by the target students at Maple Grove, Park Center Senior High, and Osseo High School. The messages will hopefully help prevent underage drinking and drug abuse among the youth in the area.

Partnership for Change coordinator LeeAnn Mortensen said their campaign aims to protect kids during end of school seasons. “We have implemented the campaign for the first time in northwest Hennepin County. The campaign is an important reminder during the upcoming prom and graduation seasons to keep students safe.”

Mortensen claimed that about 200 yard signs have been distributed which helped in promoting awareness of underage drinking and drug use throughout the whole community.

Yet they are continuing their efforts to encourage parents, concerned citizens, community leaders, and students to do their share in fighting alcohol and drug abuse especially in the northwest Hennepin County.

“In the end we hope to protect the health of the families in our communities and ultimately save lives,” she said.

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Drug Forum to Educate Parents on Teen Drug Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention, Drug Addiction on April 3rd, 2012

The Juvenile Drug Court at Kane County has organized a drug forum that will help parents become aware of the latest issues and trends when it comes to teen substance abuse.

The forum titled “Substance Abuse Prevention Forum 2012” will highlight the growing problem of substance abuse among the youth and will feature a number of resource and guest speakers all aiming to get parents involved in the fight against substance abuse.

drug abuse preventionOrganizers of the forum promised participants that the event will be absolutely free, and that they will feature parents who lost their kids to drug abuse, as well as recovering addicts, law enforcement agencies and other community organizations that will share their experiences and provide the latest information about the subject.

Participants of the forum will be given the chance to ask questions and interact with speakers and other participants during the event.

It will be held on April 11 at the Norris Cultural Center at St. Charles East High School from 7 pm to 9 pm in the evening.

Guest speakers for the event include Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon and Sheriff Pat Perez. The legal consequences of substance abuse will be discussed by McMahon while Sheriff Perez will explain the laws governing the said issue. There will also be representatives from different organizations working with substance abusers such as Breaking Free and Gateway Foundation in Aurora and the Renz Center in Elgin.

Assistant state’s attorney for Will County Elizabeth Johnson will share her own experience of getting caught up in the web of substance abuse and how enrolling in a drug court facility helped her become sober again.

They will also be joined by “Parents and Teens Together” founder Doug Petit who lost his own 16-year-old son to alcohol abuse.

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Program Empowers the Youth Against Substance Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Prevention on March 27th, 2012

A Montgomery County-based organization is helping teens to overcome substance abuse. The group Twelve Stones has come up with a program that will train youth and develop leaders among them to fight off drug, alcohol, and tobacco problems.

teen drug abuseThe program will be the first of its kind to be launched by the organization. It will focus on disadvantaged and at-risk children with their own peers as resource persons. Previous cases have shown that kids listen more when other kids talk to them about substance abuse.

Twelve Stones founder Sallie Watkins said they will train teens to improve their communication skills, scientific and behavior information as well as their self-esteem. “These children will become ambassadors and carry the message about the dangers of addiction to their peers and others throughout Montgomery County.”

The program will be launched on April 1 and will gather at least 30 youth participants aged 14 to 18 years old for the next 45 days. They will be exposed to trainings, field trips, and presentations that will equip them with the necessary skills to help other children of their age.

Twelve Stones will be working with officials from Toastmaster International, Dr. Silvia Mishler for self-esteem building, and Diane Featherstone for trainings on behavioral matters. The Texas Department of Corrections in Huntsville, medical facilities in the area, and the 401th state District Courts will be educating the teens on the physical, emotional, and psychological effects of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

Participants of the program are also scheduled to join in other activities such as gardening, horse-back riding, and archery. Watkins says they are looking into business partners that will help them expand the program to reach more communities and help more children.

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Emphatic Teachers Help Prevent Substance Abuse among Students

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse Prevention on March 25th, 2012

Research has proven that stress, anxiety, depression and lack of social support can drive kids to turn to illicit drugs.

This is why a new study, published in the online issue of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, is emphasizing the role of teachers, especially in the middle school, in helping students cope and keeping them away from substance abuse.

teacher helping studentIt was found out that those middle school students from sixth to eighth grades who got emotional support from their mentors reported a later period of drug experimentation as well as a delay in alcohol use despite of the anxiety they got from family separations.

Psychologist Dr. Carolyn McCarty of the Seattle Children’s Research Institute said that she did not expect the latest findings. “We have known that middle school teachers are important in the lives of young people, but this is the first data-driven study which shows that teacher support is associated with lower levels of early alcohol use.”

Middle school students say that talking to a teacher who empathized with them helped them a lot in dealing with their problems. The students were able to handle peer pressure better and thus were less likely to succumb to drug and alcohol episodes especially those affected with separation anxieties.

Kids who were under higher levels of depression readily jumped into using alcohol and illicit drugs. Depression, therefore, can be considered as a significant factor in increasing risks of alcohol and drug abuse of students.

Dr. McCarty suggests that substance abuse prevention initiatives should be started at the earliest time possible and at different levels. The doctor adds that parents, teachers, and adults should be sensitive to children’s emotions and mental state to avoid substance abuse problems from developing.

“We know that youth who initiate substance abuse before age 14 are at a high risk of long-term substance abuse problems and myriad health complications.”

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