Tobacco Abuse

Nicotine Boosts Cocaine Effects

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction, Tobacco Abuse on December 5th, 2011

Aside from being an addictive substance itself, nicotine is now considered a potent booster of cocaine effects. In a new research done at the Columbia University headed by Dr. Amir Levine, researchers were able to relate nicotine and cocaine addiction by treating mice samples with nicotine and then introducing cocaine in their system.

nicotineThey recorded that the mice samples exposed to nicotine and then to cocaine had more addiction symptoms compared to the mice that were not given nicotine beforehand. Reversing the order of introducing the two substances did not produce the same significant results.

The findings of the study suggest that smoking, being exposed to secondhand smoke, or even the use of nicotine replacement products could increase a person’s susceptibility to cocaine. It is advisable then to keep nicotine exposure to the minimum or nonexistent, if possible, to avoid the possibility of being addicted to cocaine as well as other addictive substances.

Proponents of the study explained that nicotine affects the histone proteins in the brain which leads to a more exaggerated response to cocaine by an individual.

Authors of the study stated that there is a need to treat nicotine addictions of patients who are currently on cocaine addiction treatment programs to help them overcome their problem. There are cases wherein substance recovery patients are prescribed nicotine-replacement products to help them stop smoking. Yet this new study could prove this method wrong as any nicotine source could readily aggravate the difficulty of getting over their cocaine addictions.

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Survey: Parents Underestimate Teen Drug and Alcohol Use

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Raising Healthy Kids, Tobacco Abuse on September 14th, 2011

It seems that a lot of parents are either unable – or unwilling — to see that their teens engage in drug and alcohol use.

parent and childThe results of a poll conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan, with parents of teens aged 13 to 17 years old as respondents, revealed that 10 percent of the respondents believe that their children have used alcohol in the last year, while 5 percent believe that their teens used marijuana.

A poll of teens, however, tells a different story. Recent research indicated that 52 percent of 10th graders admitted to drinking alcohol in the last year, while 18 percent admitted to using pot during the same time frame.

Bernard Biermann, the medical director of the Child/Adolescent Inpatient Unit at the University of Michigan, said: “There’s a clear mismatch between what parents are reporting in terms of their children’s possible use of substances and what teenagers report themselves.”

The poll also indicated that, while parents tend to underestimate their own teenaged child’s drug and alcohol use, they tend to overestimate the drug and alcohol use by other teenaged children. They believe that 60 percent of 10th graders drank alcohol in the last year, while at least 40 percent  used pot.

The researchers shared that “in other words, parents are more likely to expect marijuana and alcohol use by teenagers other than their own.”

In order to correct this mismatch, Dr. Biermann called on parents to improve communication with their children.

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Oregon City Works for Strong Families over Rising Substance Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Tobacco Abuse on September 8th, 2011

Anyone would most certainly prefer to be known for something positive, as opposed to something that does not exactly paint a good picture of one’s self. The same holds true for an entire community – and for a city, for that matter.

This is what Oregon City is going for, through the Oregon City Together coalition. A surge in cigarette smoking and drug use among teens has adults worried; they would rather work towards being known as a city of strong families, as opposed to that which has elevated rates of drug and alcohol abuse.

substance abuseA 2008 state study revealed that 25 percent of 11th graders at Oregon City High School (OCHS) admitted to having smoked a cigarette in the past 30 days; the average for the same grade level across Clackamas County was 18 percent.  OCHS 11th graders were also found to have a 10 percent higher rate of alcohol use, and a 13 percent higher rate in the use of such substances as methamphetamine, prescription drugs, and cocaine.

The goal of the coalition is to bring together the city’s leaders, police, and parents in the fight against drug abuse among its younger generation.

Oregon City Together coalition coordinator Elizabeth Russell shared: “We’re really trying to take an environmental approach… There’s a lot to be taken from (the Cigarettes Cheaper) case, and one thing we could look at are the California laws limiting the number of tobacco retailers and their proximity to schools.”

Cigarettes Cheaper is a store about a mile from OCHS, which was caught selling drugs to minors during a sting operation.

Oregon City Mayor Doug Neeley shared the intention to proclaim September 26 as “Family Day – A A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children in Oregon City,” in the hope that fostering a loving family atmosphere would deter young teens from giving in to the lure of illicit substances.

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Helping Your Teens to Quit Smoking

Posted by Drug Free in Tobacco Abuse on August 20th, 2011

Adults are not the only ones struggling to quit smoking. Many teens have this problem too. Guiding teens as they battle out their nicotine habits improves their chances of success. Here are some suggestions on how to help teens quit smoking:

teen smoking1. It is important that kids focus on quitting. Having the reasons to quit might not be enough, so it’s better to put it all in writing. This way, a teen won’t lose his motivation to quit when temptation kicks in.

2. Parents can help kids choose the date when they want to stop smoking. Choosing a date on relaxed, stress-free days will be more effective rather than on days when, for instance, final exams are coming.

3. Kids can’t always avoid situations when they will be pushed to smoke. Peer pressure can be factor why teens find it hard to let go of their habit. Parents can practice with teens on how to say no to peers by simulating real-life situations at their own homes.

4. Enlist the aid of physicians and support groups in getting teens to quit smoking. This is where parents and kids will know what to expect while undergoing the process.

5. Don’t be discouraged by mistakes. Instead, parents and kids should learn how to avoid similar conditions to make quitting more effective. Don’t give up.

6.  Celebrate small success of teens who want to quit. With each development that they achieve, give them something in return, whether it’s their favorite meal or a new shirt.

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Should Teen Smokers Be Sent to Rehab?

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse Prevention, Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids, Tobacco Abuse on August 8th, 2011

The Addiction and Substance Abuse arm of the Columbia University has released findings from their study which suggests that teen smoking is related to increasing substance abuse cases among teens. It was found out that teens who smoke are 13 times more likely to develop drug addiction problems and five times more likely to binge drink compared to those who are non-smokers.

teen smokingThe latest study shows that teens 12 to 17 years old who smoke have 26% more chances of becoming drug dependent while non-smokers only have a minimal 2% chance. These findings are quite alarming, as a parallelism can be observed in the data gathered on adults who are in drug rehab facilities. The numbers of drug addicts who are non-smokers are significantly much lower than those who are smokers.

The latest report also includes the increasing rates of heavy drinkers among the adolescent population and that marijuana ranks as the top drug choice of the youth. Again smoking relates to these statistics, with teen smokers 13 times more prone to marijuana use than non-smokers. What these results present is a grim picture of kids who smoke early will also develop other addictions which could lead to serious health conditions later on in their lives.

This is why some concerned groups are suggesting that drug treatment facilities should be offered to teens who smoke. Sure, no one has been into rehab just for smoking cigarettes, but what has been implied in the study should make parents and authorities open up to the idea. Kids who smoke and find it hard to quit should seek help before they go into more complicated situations.

If it means cutting the risks of teen drug abuse and alcohol addiction, then parents should welcome the idea of submitting their teen smokers to drug rehab facilities to give these kids the opportunity to let go of their dangerous habits.

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Smoking in Movies Influence Teen Smoking

Posted by Drug Free in Tobacco Abuse on July 15th, 2011

A study published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report shows that movies have influenced teen smoking behaviors in the past years. From 2005 to 2010, movies in the US showed less scenes involving tobacco use which may have affected teen smoking behaviors; latest statistics reports have proven that teen smoking rates also declined over the said period of years.

smoking in moviesTeen smoking is usually the starting period of adults who are heavy smokers, which is why the habit should be discouraged as early as possible.

In an AFP report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that 55% of movies included in the box-office and top-grossing films of 2010 did not have any scenes involving lighting up of cigarettes by the actors. “The percentages of 2010 top-grossing movies with no tobacco incidents were the highest observed in two decades. The decreased presence of onscreen smoking might have contributed to the decline in cigarette use among middle school and high school students.”

Although there were still approximately 2000 scenes where actors lit up cigarettes on films, a significant drop in “tobacco incidents” in top-grossing films was still observed; a drop of 56% in the highest-performing films of the last six years did not use cigarettes to market their movies.

The CDC recorded a decrease in the number of middle school kids who smoked cigarettes, from 11% in 2000 to 5% in 2009. Those who experimented with tobacco also fell from 30% to 15%.

Among high school students, the number of kids smoking in 2000 was at 28% but by 2009, it was only at 17%. There was a lesser number of students in high school too who tried smoking in the last two years compared to earlier years.

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