This is an option that is different then 12 steps. It is a science based resource for addiction and alcohol abuse, and even includes online meetings and more. http://www.smartrecovery.org/
The average age a child will first try drugs is 13.
Studies indicate that people who reach 21 without engaging in destructive behaviors are likely to never do so, which is why we passionately educate about current trends, warning signs and the long-term impact of destructive behaviors. In a recent survey of Kamiah Youth we learned that the average age of onset to first try marijuana was 11 in the 6th graders; just over 12 in the 8th grade; 14 in the 10th grade and just before 15 for the 12th grade. 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 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:
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