The truth about drugs: Teens Lie, but so do their parents!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlq4rz_0ZLqvvc33YpEo2B50EOQ2mPDZngA2kC35vC6gbaWy4uFTtm2UWZrjFJ6rA0_7GymAiDMGi1dseiBz-Ave18bUsm7xeEvAxOXJC5JcTl6h67DIFlkC1JcUihdAJ7anJr7TfYx5v/s1600/3_22-Drug-Abuse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlq4rz_0ZLqvvc33YpEo2B50EOQ2mPDZngA2kC35vC6gbaWy4uFTtm2UWZrjFJ6rA0_7GymAiDMGi1dseiBz-Ave18bUsm7xeEvAxOXJC5JcTl6h67DIFlkC1JcUihdAJ7anJr7TfYx5v/s200/3_22-Drug-Abuse.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Teenagers' confidential reports about illicit drug use are used by doctors and public health experts to measure the extent of the problem, and to help teens in trouble. But it turns out that teens fib big time in those anonymous surveys—and their parents do, too.<br /><br /><div></div>A study conducted by researchers asked 432 African-American teenagers and their parents to participate in an anonymous survey about their use of cocaine, opiates, and marijuana, and said they would also be drug-tested. Of the 211 teenagers whose hair was tested for cocaine, 2 said they used it—while 69, or 34 percent, tested positive, according to a new study in Pediatrics. Of the 244 parents tested, 15 said they had used cocaine, while 69, or 28 percent, tested positive.<br /><br /><div></div>The parents surveyed were pretty bad at guessing if their child was using alcohol or drugs. For instance, 9.6 percent of the parents said their teenager drank alcohol, while 25 percent of the teenagers said they did. With marijuana, 9.5 percent of parents said their teenager smoked dope, while 17 percent of the teens said they did.<br /><br /><div></div>This is not the first time that a study to found parents are clueless about teens' drug and alcohol use. That may be because parents tend to shrug off drug and alcohol use as standard teen behavior, according to a survey published last January in Pediatrics. But that cluelessness comes at a price. Early drug and alcohol abuse increases a child's risk of addiction and health problems in adulthood, and also of teenage suicide.<br /><br /><div></div>But the key take-home here is not so much that teens are using drugs, but that they are not likely to admit it. That's not a huge surprise, given that we're talking about illegal behaviors that can have big consequences. The self-reported drug use in the study was typical of the amount reported in national anonymous surveys of drug use for urban neighborhoods. The researchers, at Wayne State University in Detroit, say that relying on anonymous surveys could lead researchers, parents, and pediatricians seriously astray in estimating the health risks teenagers face.<br /><br /><div></div>Parents can increase the likelihood that their children will come to them with questions and concerns about drugs and alcohol if they:<br /><br /><div></div><ul><li>Start talking about the risks of drugs and alcohol when children are still young. Children who learn about drugs and alcohol from their parents are half as likely to use as are children who learn from peers, according to the <a href="http://www.drugfree.org/prevent">Partnership for a Drug-Free America.</a></li><li>Help children rehearse what they will say to peers who want them to drink or use drugs with them; studies have found that practicing responses makes it much more likely that teenagers will successfully fend off peer pressure. </li><li>Use brain science. Researchers now think that teenage brains are more vulnerable to tobacco, drugs, and alcohol because they are still forming vital connections. Drug-prevention efforts increasingly include information on how to keep a teen brain healthy and powerful.</li></ul><br /><div></div>There are a lot of reasons for teenagers (and parents) to say "I don't" when asked about drug use. But by making the perils and lure of illicit substances part of ordinary family discussion, parents may be doing their children a big favor—and may get a clearer sense of the realities of teenage life.<br /><br /><div></div>

The truth about drugs: Teens Lie, but so do their parents!

Teenagers' confidential reports about illicit drug use are used by doctors and public health experts to measure the extent of the proble...

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Finaly some good Prevention News

<br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuy7B7NwZb0ZpKDWXhKoDsy2CZ_FMY5idINPZ4jWhp1pngdavvM92NABjn7s9c3bPAcD-oyDKsopMkevnC9lV910hQXSv2iyfd3qiR80EJG9M3h5pZo5fVRx48cHPDXuJ4VAL0499ttXj/s1600/crystal-meth-pipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuy7B7NwZb0ZpKDWXhKoDsy2CZ_FMY5idINPZ4jWhp1pngdavvM92NABjn7s9c3bPAcD-oyDKsopMkevnC9lV910hQXSv2iyfd3qiR80EJG9M3h5pZo5fVRx48cHPDXuJ4VAL0499ttXj/s320/crystal-meth-pipe.jpg" width="320" /></a>The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) – a nonprofit organization that facilitates cooperation between law enforcement, healthcare professionals, state regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the prevention and investigation of drug diversion – today released the following statement in response to a survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) showing the number of past-month methamphetamine users declined from 731,000 in 2006 to 353,000 in 2010:</div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">"News that the number of methamphetamine users across the nation has declined so substantially demonstrates that the real-time, stop-sale system enacted in 19 states is working. With only two states having put in place prescription-only mandates, it is clear that electronic technology is stopping criminals from obtaining safe and effective medicines containing pseudoephedrine, which in turn is dramatically dropping the number of meth users," said Charles Cichon, executive director of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI). "As state leaders consider policies that impact the access law-abiding citizens have to popular and reliable medications, they should consider this newly-released data as it validates that a common sense yet effective approach can be implemented to combat meth production and abuse."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div>About NADDI - The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that facilitates cooperation between law enforcement, healthcare professionals, state regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical manufacturers in the investigation and prevention of prescription drug abuse and diversion. NADDI also sponsors and conducts specialized educational seminars and conferences.<br /><br />SOURCE National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators

Finaly some good Prevention News

The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) – a nonprofit organization that facilitates cooperation between law enforce...

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Gateway Gazette is now out!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8TM5_8GWhO_GVEACUXbA04tsZ5PO4biO_Mk6m1kJK1PD_uKJIwZ53KrDTtgWRnXF_zNxld2K7Hm4si2hr7E6GtiToE-r87t1Tm-r2JIxhyuzjvPi_wlMgJR2CSr7gUFe-xfIyR3TQxaW/s1600/0309_teen_drug_abuse_170x170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8TM5_8GWhO_GVEACUXbA04tsZ5PO4biO_Mk6m1kJK1PD_uKJIwZ53KrDTtgWRnXF_zNxld2K7Hm4si2hr7E6GtiToE-r87t1Tm-r2JIxhyuzjvPi_wlMgJR2CSr7gUFe-xfIyR3TQxaW/s1600/0309_teen_drug_abuse_170x170.jpg" /></a>Our newest edition of our online newsletter is now available. Read the latest information on gang prevention, drug trends, youth violence and everything prevention related. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Follow the <a href="http://www.openthegate.org/pdf/newsletter/currentissue.pdf">link</a></div>

Gateway Gazette is now out!

Our newest edition of our online newsletter is now available. Read the latest information on gang prevention, drug trends, youth violence an...

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Misuse of Pain Medication is Pathway to High-Risk Behaviors

<div>A recent research study released at Drexel University School of Public Health found a link between those that abuse prescription pain mediation may be an gateway to the use of injected drugs such as heroin. This study was published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, and it explored factors surrounding young injection drug users initiation into the misuse of opioid drugs. The study discovered common factors which included family history of drug misuse and receiving prescriptions for opiod drugs in the past. The result of the study support a need for efforts to prevent misuse of prescription drugs, particularly adolescence.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfWMSiu6Cgt7HJHYBz-s1nOJiVISA4jZWOIXoiLhJxVqM1dtsy4W0G1i90aL6YsEFTfVw1shnDIA-O0Sr_M5y6Qq-aQOLhHpaqTpkYJ9HdsMG6CKilt8-D9AXdWCNYQDObvHJAOXaV7Rb/s1600/prescription_drugs_and_bottles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfWMSiu6Cgt7HJHYBz-s1nOJiVISA4jZWOIXoiLhJxVqM1dtsy4W0G1i90aL6YsEFTfVw1shnDIA-O0Sr_M5y6Qq-aQOLhHpaqTpkYJ9HdsMG6CKilt8-D9AXdWCNYQDObvHJAOXaV7Rb/s200/prescription_drugs_and_bottles.jpg" /></a></div><div> Dr. Stephen Lankenau stated the study showed, “Participants were commonly raised in household where misuse of prescription drugs, illegal drugs, or alcohol, was normalized.” As well as “Access to prescription medications – either from a participant’s own source, a family member, or a friend – was a key feature of initiation into prescription drug misuse.”</div><br />In numerous cases, the desire to experiment with a prescription opioid drug (the common class of drugs that includes codeine and oxycodone), combined with financial incentives or pressures from friends to sell available quantities, resulted in escalated patterns of opioid misuse, according to the study.<br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Lankenau and fellow researchers detailed two key findings as evidence of an emerging dynamic among misuse of opioid drugs and the use of injection drugs. First, four of five IDUs misused an opioid before injecting heroin, in contrast to more conventional patterns of using opioids as a substitute drug after initiating heroin use. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18o7kYNq_WwlJfiJL4X63J0BJ2Ppl1nmEBL8Rv-T4WwJ1U_qTkn61R8LUUdn84Ss_2Kep3J8o3MFfitBg7Rg6cMeMF74-GsdVvznbjbxFBpaJxZV3Yu6UNyiCYp_KZ4vM9bE2pPo8_mmh/s1600/opiate-abuse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18o7kYNq_WwlJfiJL4X63J0BJ2Ppl1nmEBL8Rv-T4WwJ1U_qTkn61R8LUUdn84Ss_2Kep3J8o3MFfitBg7Rg6cMeMF74-GsdVvznbjbxFBpaJxZV3Yu6UNyiCYp_KZ4vM9bE2pPo8_mmh/s200/opiate-abuse.jpg" /></a>Second, in nearly one out of four young IDUs in this study, a prescription opioid was the first type of drug they injected. Prescription opioids are rarely reported at initiation into injection drug use amongst young IDUs. All but two of these participants later transitioned into injecting heroin.</div><br /><div>Opioid misuse is an important public health concern due to the increasing association of opioids with drug dependence and fatal overdose, and much research has focused on the factors affecting how and when people initially misuse opioids. However, descriptive data about initiation into prescription opioid misuse among young injection drug users are scarce.</div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlq4rz_0ZLqvvc33YpEo2B50EOQ2mPDZngA2kC35vC6gbaWy4uFTtm2UWZrjFJ6rA0_7GymAiDMGi1dseiBz-Ave18bUsm7xeEvAxOXJC5JcTl6h67DIFlkC1JcUihdAJ7anJr7TfYx5v/s1600/3_22-Drug-Abuse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlq4rz_0ZLqvvc33YpEo2B50EOQ2mPDZngA2kC35vC6gbaWy4uFTtm2UWZrjFJ6rA0_7GymAiDMGi1dseiBz-Ave18bUsm7xeEvAxOXJC5JcTl6h67DIFlkC1JcUihdAJ7anJr7TfYx5v/s200/3_22-Drug-Abuse.jpg" /></a>To fill this gap, in this study researchers interviewed 50 young IDUs aged 16 and 25 years old in New York and Los Angeles, who had misused a prescription drug at least three times in the past three months, to study contextual factors leading to their use of opioid drugs. Participants were recruited in natural settings, such as parks, streets, and college campuses, during 2008 and 2009. A mixed-methods research design was utilized that collected both quantitative and qualitative data.</div><br /><div> Additional findings and descriptors of the study population include:</div><ul><li>Most were white, heterosexual males in their early 20s </li><li>Many did not complete high school, were expelled from school, or held back a grade </li><li>Nearly all were homeless at some point, most were currently homeless, and most regarded themselves as “travelers,” (i.e., moving from city to city in search of work, housing, or adventure)</li><li>Most had received a psychological diagnosis, such as depression, anxiety, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and many had a history of drug treatment</li><li>Most generally regarded prescription opioids as readily accessible, valued commodities that could be traded or sold</li><li>Nearly three-quarters had been prescribed an opioid in their lifetime, which occurred on average at 14.6 years old, often for common ailments such as dental procedures or sports injuries</li><li>Most witnessed family members misuse one or more substances during childhood and adolescence, ranging from alcoholism to injecting heroin</li><li>The authors conclude that prevention efforts, especially during adolescence, are needed, and that parents and guardians need to carefully monitor and safeguard all prescription medications, particularly opioids, within the household. Although households where drug use is normalized or where broader social or psychological problems exist are more difficult to remedy with prevention efforts or policy changes, future research examining prescription opioid misuse among a range of adolescents and young adults to better understand the contextual and environmental factors of drug use may yield additional solutions.</li></ul>The article was co-authored by Karol Silva (Drexel University); Michelle Teti (University of Missouri); Alex Harocopos (National Development and Research Institutes); and Jennifer Jackson Bloom and Meghan Treese (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles).<br /><br />Lankenau is also principal investigator of two studies evaluating the effectives of overdose prevention programs in Los Angeles and Philadelphia.<br /><br /><div>Lankenau is an associate professor in the Department of Community Health & Prevention at the Drexel University School of Public Health. He received his PhD and MA degrees in Sociology from the University of Maryland. He earned his BA in Sociology at the University of Vermont.</div><br /><div> <strong><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: newswise.com</span></strong></div><br /><div></div>

Misuse of Pain Medication is Pathway to High-Risk Behaviors

A recent research study released at Drexel University School of Public Health found a link between those that abuse prescription pain mediat...

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5 Myths about Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPRFNEJXYYiotlf1TXIVmtBqC5_u7AZUX4KGO5ipiOGbcOg1Pm1XvJ0s8MR5zhL_sjW7motpGGLwAhO4cKXv_8ER4VtzZ0-nii-BuZfmSOnD8PdC5E6jkiP8CyD1LYrUUAFlWs7KiBa1J/s1600/teen+drug+addict2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPRFNEJXYYiotlf1TXIVmtBqC5_u7AZUX4KGO5ipiOGbcOg1Pm1XvJ0s8MR5zhL_sjW7motpGGLwAhO4cKXv_8ER4VtzZ0-nii-BuZfmSOnD8PdC5E6jkiP8CyD1LYrUUAFlWs7KiBa1J/s200/teen+drug+addict2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><strong>MYTH 1:</strong> Overcoming addiction is a simply a matter of willpower. You can stop using drugs if you really want to. Prolonged exposure to drugs alters the brain in ways that result in powerful cravings and a compulsion to use. These brain changes make it extremely difficult to quit by sheer force of will. <br /><br /><strong>MYTH 2:</strong> Addiction is a disease; there’s nothing you can do about it. Most experts agree that addiction is a brain disease, but that doesn’t mean you’re a helpless victim. The brain changes associated with addiction can be treated and reversed through therapy, medication, exercise, and other treatments.<br /><br /><strong>MYTH 3:</strong> Addicts have to hit rock bottom before they can get better. Recovery can begin at any point in the addiction process—and the earlier, the better. The longer drug abuse continues, the stronger the addiction becomes and the harder it is to treat. Don’t wait to intervene until the addict has lost it all. <br /><br /><strong>MYTH 4:</strong> You can’t force someone into treatment; they have to want help. Treatment doesn’t have to be voluntary to be successful. People who are pressured into treatment by their family, employer, or the legal system are just as likely to benefit as those who choose to enter treatment on their own. As they sober up and their thinking clears, many formerly resistant addicts decide they want to change.<br /><br /><strong>MYTH 5:</strong> Treatment didn’t work before, so there’s no point trying again; some cases are hopeless. Recovery from drug addiction is a long process that often involves setbacks. Relapse doesn’t mean that treatment has failed or that you’re a lost cause. Rather, it’s a signal to get back on track, either by going back to treatment or adjusting the treatment approach.

5 Myths about Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse

MYTH 1: Overcoming addiction is a simply a matter of willpower. You can stop using drugs if you really want to. Prolonged exposure to drugs...

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