Click on the following topics for information on alcohol and other drugs and other topics of interest to parents.
Alcohol( including information about Beach Week)
Preventing Drug Use: Caring Adults
Parenting and Substance Abuse Prevention -- Parenting Wisely/The Wise Parent
Substance Abuse and the Family
Water Activities and Alcohol Don't Mix
Also check out the National Partnership for a Drug Free America web site in their "Help for Parents" section. This site provides excellent information about how to keep your child drug free and what to do if you suspect your child may be using. Another helpful site is Parents:theantidrug. This has much useful prevention information and also an excellent section if you suspect or find that your child is using and don't know what to do ( Is your teen using?) A good site for parents of children from grades 3 to 6 is called Common Sense and is sponsored by the National PTA.
According
to the national Youth Risk Behaviors Survey, youth begin using
alcohol before any other drug, including tobacco. Almost one-third
of teenagers report having had their first drink (more than a
few sips) before their 13th birthday.
Alcohol is a powerful drug, and the dangers of alcohol use are
greater for teens than for adults. Alcoholism in teens can develop
in a year or two while the process may take 5 to 10 years to develop
in an adult. The earlier a youth starts drinking, the greater
the risk. Research by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism has shown that youth who drink before age 15 are
four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those
who begin drinking at age 21. For each year's delay in the initiation
of drinking, the likelihood of later alcohol abuse problems decreases
markedly.
In addition, new research shows that heavy drinking during the adolescent years can cause damage to thinking abilities, particularly information recall, a critical function in the educational process. It is unclear whether the damage can be reversed.
Teen alcohol use also presents additional risks: alcohol-related car crashes; other injuries such as falls and drowning; poor judgment regarding sexual decisions, leading to increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy; violent behavior; and legal penalties.
Binge drinking--drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time--can cause alcohol poisoning, which can result in death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of high school students have binged on alcohol in the past month; however, in a 1999 Peter Hart Poll, just 3 percent of high school students' parents thought their teen had.
Some parents waffle about underage drinking, allowing their child to drink only in supervised situations or as long as they're not driving. They may think that they are protecting their teen from some of the dangers of underage drinking. Research, however, has shown that such attempts are ineffective. Children whose parents permit them to use alcohol for any reason are more likely to drink in unsupervised situations and to drink and drive (or ride with a driver who has been drinking) than young people who report their parents take a firm no-use position regarding alcohol (Johnson Institute's StudentView research).
What
can parents do to address the problem of underage drinking?
Talk about alcohol use early and often.
Set clear no-use limits regarding alcohol
use by your child.
Follow through with consequences.
Keep the lines of communication open and be
a good listener. Some youth may be tempted to use alcohol to cope
with stress or problems in their lives. Stay aware of what's happening
in your child's life.
Monitor any alcohol you may have in your home,
lock liquor cabinets and be alert to signs your alcohol is being
consumed by your child and his or her friends. Youth report that
when they first start drinking, they generally get alcohol from
home.
Monitor your child. Know where and with whom
he or she is. Be awake when your child comes home or ask him or
her to awake you upon arriving home. Be alert for signs of drinking.
Establish clear guidelines for your child
about holding and attending parties. Insist on adult supervision.
Discuss how to handle a situation in which alcohol is available
at a party. Role play with your child possible responses or actions
he or she may take.
Don't leave teenage children unattended for
a week or weekend.
Model responsible choices.
Talk to your child about alcohol use.
See also the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's website for tips on talking to your child about alcohol.
BEACH WEEK
Many high school seniors celebrate their graduation from high school with a week at the beach. SAFE hosts workshops that focus on Beach Week, from signing contracts to personal liability to underage drinking and law enforcement issues. A lawyer, a police officer and a representative from the medical community provide useful information for parents and their teens. Workshops are offered in the fall and early winter. Click on the highlighted link for a copy of the Surviving Beach Week handbook.
Cocaine is a white powder that comes from the leaves of the South American coca plant. It belongs to a class of drugs known as central nervous system stimulants. Stimulants tend to give a temporary illusion of limitless power and energy. This period is usually followed by a severe crash that leaves the user feeling depressed, edgy, and craving more.
Crack is a smokable, fast-acting form of cocaine hydrochloride that is processed into white or off-white chips, or "rocks." Cocaine and crack are highly addictive. Addiction erodes physical and mental health and dominates all aspects of the user's life.
Even first time users of cocaine may experience seizures or heart attacks, which can be fatal.
Cocaine is easily available in the greater Richmond area. The Metro Interdiction Unit seized over 78 lbs of cocaine worth nearly four million dollars during the last three years, a significantly greater amount than any other drug seized except marijuana.
Talk to your children about the dangers of drugs.
Also see the Project KNOW Web Page for more information: http://www.theantidrug.com
Chesterfield police report an increase in confiscations of the drug MDMA, commonly called Ecstasy, in the county. Parents are probably unfamiliar with this drug. Ecstasy is usually used by young people at all-night dance parties commonly called raves. Raves may be held in a person's home, outside in a large field, in warehouses or at dance clubs. Although not everyone at these dance parties uses drugs, ecstasy and other "club drugs" [such as LSD, ketamaine (Special K), Methamphetamine (speed) and Rohypnol (roofies)] have been gaining in popularity across the country, threatening the health and safety of our youth.
Ecstasy can produce both stimulant and psychedelic effects. Rave-goers use it for energy to keep on dancing and for mood enhancement. Ecstasy increases the heart rate and body temperature which may lead to heart and kidney failure. The drug also masks the sense of thirst--potentially hazardous if one is dancing for hours in a crowded, hot room. Ecstasy users have died from acute dehydration. Ecstasy is extremely dangerous in high doses or when combined with alcohol. Chronic use can produce long-lasting, perhaps permanent, damage to memory and other brain functions.
Talk to your child about drugs.
Also see the Project KNOW Web Page for more information: http://www.theantidrug.com
Heroin has become the drug of choice among suburban youth and young adults. Heroin use (defined as using at least once in the past year) by 8th graders doubled and by 10th and 12th graders nearly tripled between 1991 and 1999, according to the national Monitoring the Future survey. Chesterfield County is experiencing this upsurge in heroin use.
One factor contributing to the increase in use is the availability of more potent heroin that does not need to be injected, giving some the impression that the drug is not as dangerous as people once believed.
However, the increased potency puts users at risk for overdose every time they use the drug. There have been tragic youth deaths from heroin overdoses in Chesterfield and the greater Richmond area in the last few years.
Heroin is a highly addictive narcotic analgesic drug. Symptoms of heroin use include euphoria, drowsiness, respiratory depression, constricted pupils and nausea. Possible symptoms of heroin overdose include shallow breathing, pinpoint pupils, clammy skin, convulsion, and coma.
Talk to your children about the dangers of drug use.
Also see the Project KNOW Web Page for more information: http://www.theantidrug.com
Increasing numbers of younger adolescents are getting high from inhaling chemical vapors found in common household products and risking their lives and health in the process. Many parents are unaware of this problem.
Most inhalants are extremely toxic to the body's organs. They can kill suddenly (from cardiac arrest), even a first time user. Inhalant use also can cause permanent brain damage, as well as damage to the muscles and organs. Inhalant use can become addictive.
The following products are frequently abused: whipping cream aerosols, glues/adhesives, nail polish remover, paint thinner, spray paint, butane lighter fluid, gasoline, typewriter correction fluid, household cleaners, and air conditioning coolants.
Signs of inhalant abuse include unusual breath odor or chemical odor on clothing; slurred or disoriented speech; red or runny eyes or nose; spots and/or sores around the mouth. Other signs are sitting with a pen or marker near the nose; constantly smelling clothing sleeves, showing paint or stain marks on the face, fingers or clothing; and hiding rags, clothes or empty containers of the potentially abused products in closets or other places.
Talk with your child about not experimenting, even once, with inhalants and be alert to the products commonly abused.
For more information visit: www.inhalant.org
The average age for first use of marijuana, the most frequently used illicit drug, is 13.5 years old. Have you talked to your child about the dangers of marijuana?
The active ingredient in marijuana is THC (tetrahydra cannabinol), a mind-altering (pscyhoactive) chemical. The marijuana sold today contains higher percentages of THC than that sold in the 60's and 70's.
Marijuana has both short and long-term health consequences. Short-term effects include problems with memory and learning; distorted perception; decreased thinking and problem solving skills; loss of motor coordination; increased appetite; and increased heart rate, anxiety. Long term effects include risk of cancer, respiratory problems, and negative effects on both the male and female reproductive systems.
Under the influence of marijuana, students may find it hard to concentrate and learn and may eventually lose their motivation for schoolwork and other activities they once enjoyed. Young athletes could find their performance is diminished, since both timing and coordination are affected by THC.
How can you tell if a youth is using marijuana? When high on marijuana, he or she might seem dizzy and have trouble walking; seem silly and giggly for no reason; have very red, bloodshot eyes; and have a hard time remembering things that just happened. When the early effects fade over a few hours, the user can become very sleepy. In addition, parents should be alert to marijuana paraphernalia, including pipes, rolling papers, and cigars (the tobacco in cigars is replaced with marijuana); odor on clothes or in the bedroom; use of incense and other deodorizers; and use of eye drops.
Also see the Project KNOW Web Page for more information: http://www.theantidrug.com
Anabolic steroids are artificial versions of the hormone testosterone. Testosterone not only brings out male sexual traits; it also causes muscles to grow. Some people take anabolic steroids (which are illegal) to try to build muscle faster.
While anabolic steroids can make some people stronger on the outside, they may create weaknesses on the inside. For example, they can weaken the immune system and can lead to liver damage or cancer, even in young people. They can permanently stop bones from growing in teens. They can cause an irreversible loss of scalp hair. They may also trigger hostile and aggressive behavior.
It is important that parents of athletes or body builders talk to their children about anabolic steroids and be alert to possible use. The 2001 national Monitoring the Future study found that only 2.1 percent of 10th graders and 2.4 percent of 12th graders had used steroids in the previous year. However, the percentages among athletes are higher.
For more information on steroids, visit www.steroidabuse.org.
One in every 11 middle school pupils smokes cigarettes at least once a month, a recent national survey shows, while one in three high school students uses tobacco. Boys and girls are lighting up at relatively the same rates. The survey was commissioned last fall by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While adult smoking has generally been decreasing, smoking among youth has increased steadily throughout much of the 1990's. Youth who smoke are at greater risk of using other drugs, especially marijuana.
Parents play a critical role in preventing youth smoking. They can talk with their children about the importance of respecting the human body and living a healthy lifestyle and about the negative health consequences of smoking. Parents can describe the effects of smoking on general attractiveness, such as bad breath, yellow teeth and smelly clothes. Pointing out the high cost of tobacco and that the money could be better spent on other activities youth enjoy might be a deterrent as well. Parents should set family policies about smoking and monitor their children's behavior, enforcing consequences if rules around smoking are broken.
Almost 90 percent of adult smokers began at or before the age of 18. If parents can prevent their children from lighting up while they are minors, the youth are far less likely to ever develop a smoking habit.
Talk with your children about tobacco use.
See the Project KNOW Web Page for more information: http://www.theantidrug.com
Also see the youth-oriented and youth-produced "Truth" webpage: http://www.Thetruth.com
Parents have one more reason to talk to their children about the consequences of illegal drug use. There is a clear link between acts of terror and illicit drugs. Income from drugs is a primary source of funding for many international terrorist groups. When individuals buy illegal drugs, they help fund acts of terror in our country as well as countries around the world. Drug use is not a victimless crime, and its victims can include innocent people harmed or killed by terrorists.
President Bush said, "It's so important for Americans to know that the traffic in drugs finances the work of terror, sustaining terrorists, that terrorists use drug profits to fund their cells to commit acts of murder."
For more information on the connection between terrorism and the drug trade, visit www.theantidrug.com.
Most youth do not use drugs. Results from the 2007 Monitoring the Future survey indicate that more than nine out of ten eighth graders, more than eight out of ten 10th graders and more than three out of four 12th graders had not used an illicit drug during the 30 days prior to the survey.
When youth think most of their peers are using drugs, this belief may impact their ability to resist peer pressure to use. Youth want to fit in, to belong. Adults can tell them the facts: non-users are the majority. If youth are being pressured to use, they won't have to look far to find others with whom to connect who are not using.
One of the visible warning signs that a youth may be using illegal drugs is spending time with friends who are users. Since most youth do not support drug use, users tend to form their own peer groups. If you suspect your child may be using, contact SAFE at 796-7100 for information about treatment resources
PREVENTING DRUG USE: CARING ADULTS
The love and support of at least one caring adult is key in preventing youth from using alcohol and other drugs. Young people need someone to help guide them through difficult times, someone to whom they can express their concerns and apprehensions without fear or rejection or recrimination. They need someone to talk with about their friendships, their need to fit in and belong, their fears and goals. When they learn to express their thoughts and feelings, they have an easier time dealing with peer pressure and stress.
Although parents are the primary persons who fill this role, there are times when your child might feel more free to talk about sensitive topics with another adult, such as an aunt, uncle, coach, teacher or religious leader. Parents can encourage their child to connect with adults who are good role models.
Not
wanting to harm the relationship between themselves and the caring
adults in their lives is the most common reason that young people
give for not using alcohol and drugs.
PARENTING AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION - THE WISE PARENT
Effective parenting is a critical component in preventing youth alcohol and drug use, but parenting an adolescent isn't easy. Most parents admit they could use some assistance.
There
is a computer resource available that helps parents deal with
the challenges of raising adolescents. The Wise Parent
is a computer-based program that parents use at their convenience
and at their own pace. The program presents nine typical problems
facing parents, such as getting your child to do chores, to turn
down loud music, to do homework, or to stop fighting with siblings.
A short video dramatizes the problem. The user then chooses one
of three possible responses to the problem. The video resumes,
playing out the user's choice and demonstrating whether or not
it solves the problem. The program then gives feedback on why
one solution is better than another.
The Wise Parent has received national recognition for its
effectiveness. More importantly, parents like it, finding it easy
to use, practical and helpful.
The
Wise Parent
is contained on three CDs and can be checked out of the library
for use at home. It is also available at each Chesterfield County
middle school for checking out, either through the middle school
library or guidance counselor offices.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND THE FAMILY
Family environment affects whether an adolescent is at risk for substance abuse. Findings from the 1999 CASA Survey of Teenagers and Parents found that the teens with lowest risk are those who have a positive relationship with both parents; who have had discussions about illegal drugs with both parents rather than just one parent; and who report their mother and father are equally demanding in terms of grades, homework and personal behavior.
However,
single mothers can compensate for the absence of the father by
having an excellent relationship with their teen. Their children
are at lower risk than teens from two-parent families with a distant
dad or with preoccupied parents who are not involved with their
teen (for example, infrequently having dinner together). In fact,
teens in families that have dinner together five times a week
have a significantly lower risk of substance abuse. If your family
is not eating dinner together regularly, increasing the number
of dinners a week your family shares is a simple, concrete change
you can make.
Research has shown that adolescents who eat at least five dinners a week with their parents - regardless of family structure - are less likely to use alcohol or other drugs. If you don't already share five family dinners a week, it's not too late to start. Here are some tips for family dinner time.
WATER ACTIVITIES & ALCOHOL DON'T MIX
It is important to be aware that alcohol-related accidents are related to many water activities. For example, swimming and diving become more dangerous if a person has been drinking. Alcohol inhibits the swallowing and breathing reflexes (both necessary for swimming) and makes a person feel warmer than he or she really is, increasing the risk for hypothermia in cold water. It affects the ability to judge distances and may lead a person to swim too far out into a lake or ocean. Alcohol is linked to 38% of all drownings.
The same things that make drinking and driving dangerous (such as impaired judgment, information processing and coordination) can be as deadly on water as on land. Boating, surfing, jetskiing and waterskiing - anything that involves speed and skill - can be dangerous to anyone who has been drinking. If a person is riding in a boat, alcohol can impair balance and increase chances of falling overboard. This danger, compounded by alcohol's affect on swimming ability, is a common cause of drowning.
Don't mix alcohol with water activities.