WAKE UP: Holidays are here, Secure your Prescriptions before Welcoming Guests

Tis the season of giving, but as you invite family and friends into your home for holiday festivities, beware – for some, it is also the season for taking. According to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, most teens initially get prescription pills from family and friends, including straight from home medicine cabinets.  And it’s not just teens.  

Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in the United States. Deaths from prescription drug overdoses have become the second leading cause of accidental deaths nationwide, and the leading cause in as many as 15 states.

“Prescription pill abusers are no different than those that are addicted to illicit drugs like meth or heroin.  They will go to great lengths to get their fix. I can’t stress enough the importance of safeguarding your medications,” says Lora Brown, MD, a Pain Management Physician and Medical Director for WAKE UP!, a community educational campaign created to combat the increase in prescription drug abuse among teenagers.

Brown says that you should always safeguard your medicine, but it’s especially important during the holidays when friends, family, neighbors and sometimes strangers are invited into our homes.  Don’t discuss what medications you are taking with anyone but your medical or mental health team, and keep the medications in a secure place at all times. Often these medications are stolen from medicine cabinets and nightstands. Addicts have been known to break into homes where they suspect they can find meds, as well as assault someone who is in possession of the prescription medication they desire.

About WAKE UP!:

WAKE UP! is a community educational campaign established by The Pain Truth, a Florida 501(c)(3), to combat the increase in prescription drug abuse among teenagers. It is designed to use science, not scare tactics, to educate teenagers of the effects and dangers of prescription drugs. The program uses a school “takeover” approach to reach thousands of students and their families with an extended program designed to teach not preach about the dangers of abusing and misusing prescription drugs. This program is unique in many ways. One of the most important aspects is sustainability through a school-based CORE of students and educators that remain present and active long after the original campaign is complete. 

Follow them on Twitter and use hashtag #WAKEUP

Stop Medicine Abuse: Starting The Conversation

Teen Drug Use: A parent's fear is when their teen or tween starts using drugs and it doesn't have to be marijuana or even street drugs - cough medicine and other household items are being used by teens to get high.

Stop Medicine Abuse is proactive in helping parents become educated and giving tips and resources to talk to your kids about the risks and dangers of substance abuse.

Here are some conversation starters:

Figuring out what to say to your teen on some of life’s tougher issues, like medicine abuse, can be challenging. During adolescence these conversations can sometimes result in verbal bouts, rather than calm, informative discussions. Fear not! There are ways to broach these topics with your teenager – the trick is to know the right questions to ask!

Cut out and use these conversation starters for opening the dialog with your teenager about serious teen issues, such as drug use or bullying. Remember to ask questions in an open-ended manner to avoid “yes” or “no” answers!

Click here for full details.

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National Prescription Drug TAKE-BACK INITIATIVE: April 28th

Clean out your medicine cabinets before your kids do!

Now available online, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day collection site locator allows consumers to search for a convenient location to dispose of unneeded medications, including prescription pain pills and other controlled substance medications, on Saturday, April 28, 2012. On this day, from 10 AM to 2 PM, thousands of DEA-coordinated collection sites will be available across the country, and consumers are encouraged to use this unique opportunity to safely and legally dispose of any unneeded pills, including controlled substance medications, as these pills can only be accepted for disposal when law enforcement is present.

DEA reminds consumers that the take-back service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked. Sites will accept tablets, capsules, and all other solid dosage forms of unwanted medication. Personal information may be blacked out on prescription bottles, or medications may be emptied from the bottles into the bins provided at the events. Check the DEA collection site locator often, as new locations will be added until April 28, 2012.

Road to Recovery March 2012

You may know someone that needs the road to recovery, but unless they ask for directions it is likely they are not ready to get on the road.


Road to Recovery March 2012 is here!


We know that almost 1 in 10 Americans struggle with a substance abuse disorder and 1 in 5 Americans have a mental illness.  Treatment and recovery are a pathway forward.

The National Recovery Month (Recovery Month) campaign offers help and hope not only for individuals receiving recovery services and in recovery but also for families, loved ones, and friends. The benefits of treatment and recovery-oriented services and supports in behavioral health ripple out across entire communities throughout our Nation, proving there are effective treatments and that people do recover.

As the Road to Recovery series kicks off its 12th season, this episode will highlight the many accomplishments of the 2011 Recovery Month campaign and look forward to a successful September 2012 Recovery Month.

Visit http://www.recoverymonth.gov for more information.

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Stop Drug Abuse with Teens: Red Ribbon Campaign

Did you know:  Children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those who don’t, yet only a quarter of teens report having these conversations.
 
SAMHSA invites you to participate in the 26th annual Red Ribbon Week.

Red Ribbon Week—the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the Nation—is a way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs. This year’s theme, “It’s Up to Me To Be Drug Free,” reminds us that we each share individual responsibility in creating a drug-free environment.

WHAT IS RED RIBBON WEEK?
It is an ideal way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs. Show your personal commitment to a drug-free lifestyle through the symbol of the Red Ribbon, October 23 – 31st.

WHY?
The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered DEA agent Kiki Camarena  in 1985. This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a DRUG-FREE AMERICA.

WHO?
The National Family Partnership is the national sponsor of the Red Ribbon Campaign. We are helping citizens across the state come together to keep children, families and communities safe, healthy and drug-free, through parent training, networking and sponsoring the National Red Ribbon Campaign.

WHY SUPPORT THE NATIONAL THEME?
A theme unifies each year’s campaign and helps to broadcast one message creating a tipping point to change behavior.

HOW?
Plan a Red Ribbon celebration. Order and display Red Ribbon materials with the National Red Ribbon Theme.  Proceeds from the sale of Red Ribbon theme merchandise helps support prevention programs across America. Order  for your family, students, staff, patients, employees and customers and encourage them to wear the Red Ribbon symbol  during Red Ribbon Week, October 23rd-31st.
Sponsored by National Family Partnership.

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Fake Cocaine and Bath Salts

Be an educated parent.

Bath salts are being misused as 'fake cocaine' and Florida teens are going to the hospital after using these bath salts.

According to the Florida Sun-Sentinel, "We're seeing teenagers experiment with this," said Dr. Nabil El Sanadi, chief of emergency medicine for Broward Health. "They will do stuff that they wouldn't normally do, like dive from a third-story window into a pool. It's very, very dangerous."

Users usually snort the powder and experience effects similar to cocaine and crystal meth, Dr. El Sanadi said. But the euphoria often leads to paranoia, chest pains and irregular heart beats.

"They come in confused, disoriented, with high blood pressure," said El Sanadi, who first noticed the trend in spring 2010. "I guarantee you most parents don't even suspect their kids might be doing it."
As we read about this latest trend with teens and drug use, it reminds us of the last year's craze of K2 Spice.  This is a very serious concern as there has been at least two suicides in Louisiana, 21 calls to Florida poison control centers and dozens of hospital visits in Central and South Florida in the past year that have links to the use of bath salts as a drug.

A DEA ban is in the works for synthetic marijuana chemicals found in incense blends, which made headlines in 2010 as thousands of smokers of brands such as K2 and Spice were hospitalized across the country. Federal officials announced plans in November to outlaw the drug, and local authorities say retailers may be looking at fake cocaine as a new way to make money.


Raising teens today is challenging and when we have these types of worries and concerns it makes it twice as hard.  These are times that communication is your key to prevention.  Remaining in a state of denial can only further the danger your teen could be in.  Even if you believe they would never use this or participate in this sort of behavior - continue to talk to your kids about the dangers of substance abuse.

Of course, "not my kid" is a common answer - but just imagine it is your kid.  Never take anything for granted.  If it's not your kid it may be a friend or relative.

Be an educated parent, you will have safer and healthier teens.


Sources: Broward County Sun-Sentinel

Read more.

Youth360 is part of PACT360: Community Education on Drug Prevention

Youth360 (wreckED) is a community-based program designed to educate youth about substance abuse through an engaging presentation meant to challenge their behavior toward alcohol and other drugs. The program provides the opportunity for teens to fully reflect upon the choices and consequences associated with alcohol and drug abuse and to continually keep themselves and their friends in check.

 

Q:What are the program assets available to me for the Youth360 program?

A:There are three components to the program that you can use interchangeably:

• wreckED DVD – a ten-minute video depicting all aspects of today’s drug and alcohol scene, as well as real-life teens talking about their own addiction and recovery
• wreckED card game – an interactive card game designed to start teens talking about the issues presented in the video, simulating real life choices, behaviors, and consequences
• wreckED group discussion– the facilitator continues the conversation with the teens to underscore the importance of taking personal responsibility of their own actions

Q:I want Youth360 to come to my community. What can I do?

A:There are two easy ways you can get involved:

• Become a Facilitator - co-deliver presentations to audiences within your community, help organize the program by arranging logistics, respond to community requests for presentations, and schedule presenters
• Become a Champion - contact key players, introduce them to the presentation, and lead the process to help make your community healthier and safer

Q:I want to have access to all the materials I need to implement, champion or present this program. What can I do?

A:You can get access to the materials by:

Registering and Downloading all materials to bring this program to your community

Q:I’m a teen who wants to learn more about the effects and consequences of alcohol and substance abuse. Where can I get more information?

A:You can find all the information you need here:

• Whether you want to check yourself or someone you know, go to www.checkyourself.com/wrecked. Here you can interact with other teens, answer scenarios about what you’ve seen or heard and educate yourself further on the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Learn more at PACT360.org

Teen Lingo: What is their Culture Really Saying?

Let's face it -- whether it is their texting lingo or their speech, many parents are not in tune with what today's teens are really saying.  When it comes to parenting, it should be a priority to learn about today's teen culture and especially their lingo.

Have you overheard their conversations or listened to them talk with their friends? Have there been times you wondered what exactly they meant, and just assumed it was teen talk, when in fact it could have a reference to drug use? Seriously, doesn't recipe or trail mix have to do with culinary arts? No, not always.
Get started by being informed and being an educated parent.

You may not know what pharming is, but your teenagers do. Your first step in helping protect your teens is to speak the same language. Knowing the vocabulary surrounding prescription drug abuse can help you take a proactive approach in communicating with your teen and safeguarding their health and safety.

Some examples of teen lingo:


Big boys, cotton, kicker: Various slang for prescription pain relievers.
Chill pills, french fries, tranqs: Various slang for prescription sedatives and tranquilizers.
Pharming (pronounced "farming"): From the word pharmaceutical. It means kids getting high by raiding their parents' medicine cabinets for prescription drugs.

Pharm parties: Parties where teens bring prescription drugs from home, mix them together into a big bowl (see 'trail mix'), and grab a handful. Not surprisingly, pharm parties are usually arranged while parents are out.

Pilz (pronounced pills): A popular term used to describe prescription medications. Can also include over-the-counter medications.

Recipe: Prescription drugs mixed with alcoholic or other beverages. Trail mix: A mixture of various prescription drugs, usually served in a big bag or bowl at pharm parties.

 

Teenagers turn to prescription drugs because they perceive them as less dangerous than illegal drugs. Because of this, teenage prescription drug abuse is on the rise. But the good news is, as a parent, you can influence your teen's decision not to use drugs. The majority of teens still report that their parents -- not their peers or the media -- have the biggest influence on their decision to stay drug-free. Use this influence to talk to your teen about the danger of misusing prescription drugs.

 

Help StopMedicineAbuse.org and the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) raise awareness at the local level about cough medicine abuse and prescription drug abuse. Get your community together and you could win an iPad! Learn more.

 

Sources: Not In My House, Partnership at DrugFree.org

 

Be an educated parent; you will have safer and healthier teens.

2010 Family Dinners Report findings: Shocking results of teens and drug use

Last week a revealing report was released about teens and substance abuse.

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five to seven per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are more than twice as likely to say that they expect to try drugs in the future, according to The Importance of Family Dinners VI, a new report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA*) at Columbia University.

The CASA family dinners report reveals that nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of teens think that eating dinner frequently with their parents is very or fairly important. Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners, those who have infrequent family dinners are:

• Twice as likely to have used tobacco;
• Almost twice as likely to have used alcohol; and
• One and half times likelier to have used marijuana.

The report found that compared to teens who talk to their parents about what’s going on in their lives at dinner, teens who don’t are twice as likely to have used tobacco and one and a half times likelier to have used marijuana.

The report also reveals that teens who have fewer than three family dinners per week are twice as likely to be able to get marijuana or prescription drugs (to get high) in an hour or less. Teens who are having five or more family dinners per week are more likely to say that they do not have any access to marijuana and prescription drugs (to get high).

This year the trend survey found that 60 percent of teens report having dinner with their families at least five times a week, a proportion that has remained consistent over the past decade.

Family Dinners and Having Friends Who Use Substances

Teens who have frequent family dinners are less likely to report having friends who use substances.
Compared to teens who have five to seven family dinners per week, those who have fewer than three family dinners per week are:

• More than one and a half times likelier to have friends who drink regularly and use marijuana;
• One and half times likelier to have friends who abuse prescription drugs (to get high); and
• One and a quarter times more likely to have friends who use illegal drugs like acid, ecstasy, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.

Broward County Office of Prevention Programs offers a vast variety of resources to help parents and teens.  From health and wellness to teen substance abuse, visit www.browardprevention.org for more information.

For the complete press release from CASA, click here.

As Recovery Month Awareness is nearly over, please continue all year round in educating teens and others about the dangers of addiction.

So, what is for dinner tonight?

Read more.

TIME TO ACT! Prevent Teen Drug Abuse, Teens Fitting In

Many teens feel like an outsider and long to feel included and liked by their teenage peers. This need can be so strong that they engage in teenage drinking or drug use to help them make friends, fit in or be accepted. 

Teenage drinking and drug use may give kids an in with a desired clique
If the kids your teen wants to hang out with are drinking or doing drugs, they may feel like they need to do them as well, or risk being left out. This may be true — but you can talk to your teen about why it's so important to fit in with this particular group if they're asking him to do something he doesn't want to do. (The kid could also feel pressure even if no one specifically asked him/her to take drugs).


Kids may use drugs or drink to change their image
Some teens use drugs or engage in teenage drinking as way to alter their image at school or work to one they perceive as more "dangerous" or "edgy."

Teens may use alcohol or drugs to fit in when moving to a new school or town
Keep a special eye on your teenager if you've just made a move to a new town or if she's just started at a new school. Some kids perceive drugs or teenage drinking as a way to easily fit in and make friends in an unfamiliar environment.

Read more.