http://tinyurl.com/5ug2vqq
This was created by the Meridian Police Department, specific for education and use in the state regarding the issue of Medical Marijuana Initiatives and Conversations; so folks could have facts readily available to use and or cite.
http://tinyurl.com/5ug2vqq Don't panic. You can do this.
If you suspect or know your child is using drugs or alcohol, it is important to take action right away. You have already taken an important step by visiting this website to learn more. So don't give up. http://timetoact.drugfree.org/ by MICHELLE TRUDEAU
You can also LISTEN to the story at the LINK As teenagers mature into their senior year of high school, many parents begin to feel more comfortable about letting them drink alcohol. But new research from brain scientists and parenting experts suggests loosening the reins on drinking may not be a good idea in the long run. And, researchers say, parents' approach to addressing teen drinking does influence a teen's behavior. Brain researchers are finding that alcohol has a particularly toxic effect on the brain cells of adolescents. That's because their brain cells are still growing, says Susan Tapert, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego. The regions of the brain important for judgment, critical thinking and memory do not fully mature until a person is in his or her mid-20s. Tapert found that alcohol can damage the normal growth and development of a teenager's brain cells in these regions. "Adolescents who engage in binge drinking (that is, having five or more drinks on occasion for boys, or four or more drinks on occasion for females) tend to show some brain abnormalities in their brain's white matter. That's the fibers that connect different parts of our brains," she wrote in a recent study. And if binge drinking continues, within two to three years, Tapert says, it can result in subtle declines in a teen's thinking and memory. She reports declines in attention and memory among the teens who had engaged in binge drinking. "Teenagers who initiate heavy drinking actually go downhill relative to kids who .... more at the LINK by BRENDA WILSON
You can also LISTEN to the story at the link! LINK Teenage smoking is often thought of as kind of innocent experiment, but a drag on a friend's cigarette may be the beginning of something that will be hard to shake. A study of adolescent smokers in the journalPediatrics tracks the course of addiction to nicotine among a group of sixth-graders. After following 1,246 middle-school children for four years, researchers say a pattern emerged of occasional smoking that led to an addiction to tobacco: A cigarette a month will do it. "When people are just wanting a cigarette, every now and then, they think they just enjoy smoking," says study coauthor Dr. Joseph DiFranza of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. "As time passes, then they start to notice they will crave a cigarette. So even when they are with someone who is not smoking, something will pop into their mind that will tell them it is time for a cigarette." He adds, "When they get to the point of needing a cigarette, that means they have an urgent need to smoke and they have to smoke to get it out of their heads." More Than Just A Taste A third of the young people in the study had inhaled from a cigarette. Nearly two-thirds of those who'd tried cigarettes said they smoked at least once a month, and half said they experienced symptoms of dependence. That's how 19-year-old Julia DiGeronimo's habit started ... more at the LINK Kids with Addiction Issues More Likely to Play 'Choking Game'
January 22, 2010 Research Summary Six percent of 8th-graders surveyed in Oregon said they had taken part in a dangerous game where kids choke each other to produce a sense of euphoria, and researchers said that adolescents with addiction or mental-health problems are among those most likely to play, the Associated Press reported Jan. 14. The "choking game," sometimes called Pass-Out, Space Monkey, Flatliner, or Blackout, produces its desired effect by starving the brain of oxygen. The study found that it was especially popular in rural areas. The survey of 8,000 students at 114 Oregon schools was conducted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and reported in the Jan. 10, 2010 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. This article summarizes an external report or press release on research published in a scientific journal. When available, links to the sources are provided below. http://www.drugfree.org/join-together 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 SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
In fact, prescription drugs are misused more by this age group than any illicit drug, except marijuana. The nonmedical use of these medicines—the very same drugs used to legitimately relieve pain, and treat conditions like anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, or ADHD in some people—is a growing and under-recognized problem that puts young lives at risk. "Prescription drugs found in home medicine cabinets across the country have become the new drug of choice among teens, and every teen is at risk," says Ray Bullman, Executive Vice President of NCPIE. "This initiative gives teen influencers—anyone who interacts with teens on a regular basis and can have a positive influence—the tools to help prevent prescription drug abuse in their school districts and communities. It also provides tips for delivering consistent prevention messages to teens at home, at school, on the field or during health-related visits." "While the National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows recent, significant declines in misuse of prescription drugs, we must maintain our focus and continue to drive the rates down even further," says Eric Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H., SAMHSA's Acting Administrator. "Joining forces with NCPIE will help continue the momentum." "These tools are essential for engaging youth and the adults who come in contact with them through a solid message that prescription misuse is dangerous and can be fatal," adds H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., CAS, FASAM, Director of SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Unlike other forms of adolescent drug use, the desire to feel good or get high ranks much lower as a motivation for prescription drug misuse. Experts note that adolescents are turning to prescription drugs not just for recreational use—they are turning to prescription drugs to help manage their daily lives. The reasons include to lower stress and anxiety, boost their mood, stay up all night studying for an exam, or to enhance academic or athletic performance. According to the 2007 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, dealing with pressures and managing school-related stress is cited as the number one reason teens use prescription drugs. The statistics regarding teen drug use are startling. Consider these facts:
According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the rate of current alcohol use has dropped among youth aged 12 to 17 years, from 28.8 percent in 2002 to 26.4 percent in 2008. More good news in the survey findings: among people aged12 to 20, both past-month use of alcohol and binge drinking have fallen since 2002. Evidence that underage drinking prevention messages are reaching youth and adults is also in the new survey findings:
Drug slang is constantly changing and evolving. Some terms are universal, yet others solely exist among groups of friends. Whether you're a parent, teacher, law enforcement officer, or simplay a concerned friend - it's important to stay up to date on the latest drug related slang terms. Bainbridge Public Safety Investigative Unit wants parents to be aware of a new danger for your kids. "Skittles" is the nickname for Coricidin when taken as a drug.
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