Anti-Alcohol Policies in
Schools More Effective If Students Think They Are Enforced
School anti-alcohol policies are more effective when
students think they are being enforced, researchers at the University of
Washington have found. Students’ perceptions of the policies’ enforcement are
more important than the details of the policies.
Researchers studied school anti-alcohol policies in
Washington state and Australia, and how effective they were in deterring eighth
and ninth graders from drinking. Students were more likely to drink on campus
if they felt the school did not enforce its anti-alcohol policies, even if the
school had a suspension or expulsion policy, Science Daily reports. If students
believed school officials would enforce the policy, they were less likely to
drink, even if the policy required milder sanctions, such as counseling.
“Whatever your school policy is, lax enforcement is related to more drinking,”
lead researcher Richard Catalano said in a news release. The study also found
students were less likely to binge drink if they received an abstinence alcohol
message or a harm minimization message, and if they believed teachers would
talk to them about alcohol’s dangers. Catalano said harsh punishment for
drinking at school can have negative consequences, such as causing students to
feel disconnected from school. The students may end up drinking even more.
“What we’ve seen in other studies from this sample is suspension policies
actually worsen the behavior problem,” he noted. “What that says to me is,
although you want policies and you want enforcement of policies, there are
other ways of responding than suspension, expulsion and calling the police:
Getting a student to talk to a teacher about how alcohol might be harmful, or a
session with the school counselor.” The study appears in the journal Health
Education Research.
A Third Of Kids Taste
First Sips Of Alcohol As Early As Age 8
Despite several studies showing that drinking alcohol at an
early age can lead to problems later on in life, parents still continue to give
young children sips of alcohol. A new study shows that many children had their
first sip of alcohol as young as eight years old. Continue
reading here.
Tripping Up Memories of
Alcohol
For recovering alcoholics, memories associated with drinking
— the smell of a bar, ice clinking in a glass — are among the greatest threats
to sobriety. But what if retrieval of those memories could be blocked? Using a
drug typically given to organ-transplant patients, researchers at the
University of California, San Francisco, reduced the incidence of relapse in
rats by disrupting memories linked to past drinking. Read
more here.
About 18 women die every day of a prescription painkiller overdose in the US, more than 6,600 deaths in 2010. Prescription painkiller overdoses are an under-recognized and growing problem for women. Although men are still more likely to die of prescription painkiller overdoses (more than 10,000 deaths in 2010), the gap between men and women is closing. Deaths from prescription painkiller overdose among women have risen more sharply than among men; since 1999 the percentage increase in deaths was more than 400% among women compared to 265% in men. This rise relates closely to increased prescribing of these drugs during the past decade. Health care providers can help improve the way painkillers are prescribed while making sure women have access to safe, effective pain treatment. Continue here please.
Approximately Two-Thirds of Teens Who Already Use
Marijuana Report That Legalizing the Drug Would Increase Their Likelihood of
Using
Marijuana legalization would likely increase use among teens who already use marijuana, according to data from a survey of U.S. high school students. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of teens who reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetime said that legalizing the drug would make them more likely to use it. In addition, more than three-fourths (78%) of heavy marijuana users reported that legalizing the drug would make them more likely to use it. Only sixteen percent of teens who reported that they had never used marijuana agreed that they would be more likely to use marijuana if it were legal. According to the authors, “One possible scenario suggested by these data is that even if legalization does not drive up overall prevalence of teen marijuana use, it may lead to increased use among those already using, including teens who are already smoking marijuana almost daily” (p. 16). Both Colorado and Washington recently enacted laws legalizing small amounts of marijuana for recreational use by person over the age of 21. SOURCE: Adapted by CESAR from The Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation, The Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS): Teens and Parents, 2013.
Marijuana legalization would likely increase use among teens who already use marijuana, according to data from a survey of U.S. high school students. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of teens who reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetime said that legalizing the drug would make them more likely to use it. In addition, more than three-fourths (78%) of heavy marijuana users reported that legalizing the drug would make them more likely to use it. Only sixteen percent of teens who reported that they had never used marijuana agreed that they would be more likely to use marijuana if it were legal. According to the authors, “One possible scenario suggested by these data is that even if legalization does not drive up overall prevalence of teen marijuana use, it may lead to increased use among those already using, including teens who are already smoking marijuana almost daily” (p. 16). Both Colorado and Washington recently enacted laws legalizing small amounts of marijuana for recreational use by person over the age of 21. SOURCE: Adapted by CESAR from The Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation, The Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS): Teens and Parents, 2013.
Fentanyl Patch Can Be Deadly to Children
Young children have died or become seriously ill from accidental exposure to a
skin patch containing a powerful pain reliever. As a result of this, the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a safety alert to warn patients, caregivers
and health care professionals about the dangers of accidental exposure to and
improper storage and disposal of the fentanyl patch. Rest of
this article is here.
Treating addiction as a chronic disease - how do we
get from here to there?
We are at a watershed moment in the field of substance abuse treatment. Public awareness about addiction is growing, the research base is expanding so that we can better address social and biological determinants of the disease, and health reform and parity legislation will change the way substance use disorders are managed within healthcare. Now, more than ever before in history, there is a real opportunity to prevent, intervene earlier and effectively treat substance use disorders – but only if we come together to demand comprehensive quality that is on par with treatments for other chronic medical illnesses. Read more here.
We are at a watershed moment in the field of substance abuse treatment. Public awareness about addiction is growing, the research base is expanding so that we can better address social and biological determinants of the disease, and health reform and parity legislation will change the way substance use disorders are managed within healthcare. Now, more than ever before in history, there is a real opportunity to prevent, intervene earlier and effectively treat substance use disorders – but only if we come together to demand comprehensive quality that is on par with treatments for other chronic medical illnesses. Read more here.
Medical Marijuana Deemed
Kosher By Israeli Rabbi
Rabbi Efraim Zalmanovich, an orthodox rabbi of some
reputation, has issued a religious ruling sanctifying the use of marijuana as a
medicine prescribed by a doctor to treat pain or other symptoms. In Israel,
health care providers may prescribe marijuana for more than 30 health ailments,
including Parkinson's disease, cancer, and chronic pain. Zalmanovich specified
that smoking marijuana for a recreational high or as an escape from the rigors
of life is not sanctioned by religion, however. Rest
of this article is here.
Synthetic Cannabinoid
Users Report Using the Drug to Avoid Positive Drug Tests; Return to Marijuana
Use When Not Being Tested
Synthetic cannabinoids, also known as K2 or Spice, are not included in most routine drug test panels because they require specialized, more expensive testing. Furthermore, studies have shown that the types and amounts of synthetic cannabinoid (SC) metabolites can vary greatly between products, lots, and even within the same package1, making it difficult to decide which specific SC metabolite should be included in drug testing programs. Some SC users use the drug as a substitute for marijuana to avoid positive drug tests, according a qualitative study of SC users in Southern California. The study found that:
Synthetic cannabinoids, also known as K2 or Spice, are not included in most routine drug test panels because they require specialized, more expensive testing. Furthermore, studies have shown that the types and amounts of synthetic cannabinoid (SC) metabolites can vary greatly between products, lots, and even within the same package1, making it difficult to decide which specific SC metabolite should be included in drug testing programs. Some SC users use the drug as a substitute for marijuana to avoid positive drug tests, according a qualitative study of SC users in Southern California. The study found that:
• The
majority of synthetic cannabinoid users reported that they used the drug to
avoid positive drug tests, either because they were under community correctional
supervisions, seeking employment, residing in a sober living facility, or
joining the military. According to one user, “Spice would give you a weed
like effect without the positive test”.
• “Most
of the users of Spice-type products in this study consumed these products as a
substitute for marijuana during drug-testing periods, and returned to marijuana
use once that period ended” . According to one user, “I was trying to get a job
where they were going to drug test . . . so I got that stuff [Spice], and I
liked it enough. I enjoyed it. I did it for a while . . . Then, my job search
ended ‘cause I wasn’t going to do any of them. So I went back to the regular
stuff”.
• Nearly
all the SC users learned of the drug from someone who was using SC to avoid detection
on drug tests. For example, one user reported that he “was talking to some kids
that went to a Christian school, and they get drug tested. So, all the kids
there would smoke Spice instead of weed” .
• All
the SC users also used marijuana, and half had a history of drug problems, such
as sobriety attempts, drug-related offending, and negative drug experiences.
• Some
of the SC users expressed concern over the health effects of the drug. “I don’t
know what they’re putting in it. It kind of scares me, so I try not to do it
that often”. Others experienced negative side-effects. “It [Spice] just doesn’t
feel right. Way more of a stressor on your body, like your body is trying to
deal with whatever cannabinoid that is in there, and it’s just like you
experience it in a different way. It feels worse.” .
The authors note that while synthetic cannabinoid products
are labeled as not being for human consumption and thus cannot be regulated by
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “this tactic for circumventing the law
does not appear to detract potential users form purchasing and consuming these
untested, unknown and potentially harmful substances”. SOURCE: Adapted by
CESAR from Perrone, D., Helgesen, R.D., and Fischer, R.G., “United States Drug
Prohibition and Legal Highs: How Drug Testing May Lead Cannabis Users to
Spice,” Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy
NIH STUDY IDENTIFIES BRAIN
CIRCUITS INVOLVED IN LEARNING AND DECISION MAKING
Research
from the National Institutes of Health has identified neural circuits in mice
that are involved in the ability to learn and alter behaviors. The findings
help to explain the brain processes that govern choice and the ability to adapt
behavior based on the end results. Researchers think this might provide insight
into patterns of compulsive behavior such as alcoholism and other addictions.
"Much remains to be understood about exactly how the brain strikes the
balance between learning a behavioral response that is consistently rewarded,
versus retaining the flexibility to switch to a new, better response,"
said Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., acting director of the National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. "These findings give new insight into the
process and how it can go awry." The study, published online in
Nature Neuroscience, indicates that specific circuits in the forebrain play a
critical role in choice and adaptive learning. Like other addictions,
alcoholism is a disease in which voluntary control of behavior progressively
diminishes and unwanted actions eventually become compulsive. It is thought
that the normal brain processes involved in completing everyday activities
become redirected toward finding and abusing alcohol. The research, conducted
by investigators from NIAAA, with support from the National Institute of Mental
Health and the University of Cambridge, England, used a variety of approaches
to study choice. Researchers used a simple choice task in which mice
viewed images on a computer touchscreen and learned to touch a specific image
with their nose to get a food reward. Using various techniques to visualize and
record neural activity, researchers found that as the mice learned to
consistently make a choice, the brain's dorsal striatum was activated. The
dorsal striatum is thought to play an important role in motivation,
decision-making, and reward. Conversely, when the mice later had to shift
to a new choice to receive a reward, the dorsal striatum quieted while regions
in the prefrontal cortex, an area involved in decision-making and complex
cognitive processes, became active. Building upon these findings, the
authors next deleted or pharmacologically blocked a component of nerve cells
which normally binds the neurochemical glutamate (specifically, the GluN2B
subunit of the NMDA receptor) within two different areas of the brain, the
striatum and the frontal cortex. Previous studies have shown that GluN2B plays
a role in memory, spatial reference, and attention. Researchers found that
making dorsal striatal GluN2B inactive markedly slowed learning, while shutting
down GluN2B in the prefrontal cortex made the mice less able to relearn the
touchscreen reward task after the reward image was changed. "These
data add to what we understand about the neural control of behavioral
flexibility and striatal learning by identifying GluN2B as a critical molecular
substrate to both processes," said the study's senior author, Andrew
Holmes, Ph.D., Laboratory Chief and Principal Investigator of the NIAAA
Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience. "This is
particularly intriguing for future studies because NMDA receptors are a major
target for alcohol and contribute to important features of alcoholism, such as
withdrawal. These new findings suggest that GluN2B in corticostriatal
circuits may also play a key role in driving the transition from controlled
drinking to compulsive abuse that characterizes alcoholism."
FDA Approves New
Opioid Addiction Treatment Combining Buprenorphine and Naloxone
The
Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug to treat opioid addiction
that combines buprenorphine and naloxone. The drug, Zubsolv, is similar to
Subutex and Suboxone, according to Reuters. Zubsolv is
made by Swedish drugmaker Orexo. It dissolves under the tongue, and comes in a
menthol flavor. “Zubsolv is indicated for use as maintenance treatment for
people suffering from opioid dependence and should be used as part of a
complete treatment plan to include counselling and psychosocial support,” the
company said in a news release. The company states that compared with current
opioid drug treatments, patients will need to take less of the new drug in
order to achieve the same effect, the article notes. Zubsolv is expected to be
available in the United States in September, the company said. In May, the FDA
asked for more information on an implant designed to treat opioid addiction,
before making a decision on whether to approve the drug. The implant,
Probuphine, is a long-acting version of the opioid dependence medication
buprenorphine. It is implanted under the skin of the upper arm, in a procedure
that takes about 10 to 15 minutes in a doctor’s office. It remains in place for
about six months. The FDA asked for more information on the effect of higher
doses of Probuphine, and on how doctors would be trained to insert and remove
the implant.
Small, Cheap Devices
Measure Blood Alcohol Levels
A
growing number of small, inexpensive personal devices measure a person’s blood
alcohol level, providing drivers with an easier way to assess their fitness to
drive. Experts warn the devices do not guarantee a person can drive safely, The
New York Times reports. The costs for these devices can be as low as $30. Some
hang from a key chain, while others are sold as smartphone accessories. Critics
of the devices note they aren’t necessarily accurate, in part because
impairment from alcohol varies among people. Proponents note they could be
useful for parents who want to check whether their teens have been drinking.
BACtrack sells a hand-held unit that displays a graph predicting a person’s
blood alcohol levels in the hours to come on an iPhone, through a Bluetooth
link. Company owner Keith Nothacker says the device won’t guarantee whether a
drinker would be under the legal blood alcohol limit, but is simply an
education tool. Device manufacturers say personal blood alcohol testing units
will be particularly useful if states follow recommendations by the National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to lower allowable blood-alcohol levels for
drivers, from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent. The NTSB said thousands of people
are killed or injured each year by drivers who are not legally drunk, but who
are still impaired. Currently about 10,000 people die in alcohol-related car
crashes each year. A person with a blood-alcohol level of 0.05 percent is 38
percent more likely to be involved in a crash, compared with someone who has
not been drinking, according to the NTSB. A person with a 0.08 blood-alcohol
level is 169 percent more likely to be involved in an accident. Nothacker told
the newspaper that “law-abiding citizens can’t possibly be expected to know the
difference” between 0.05 blood alcohol content and 0.08 blood alcohol content
without doing a test.
Montreal Cops Seize Drug "40X Stronger
Than Heroin"
A
powerful new synthetic drug that is 40 times stronger than heroin and 80 times
stronger than morphine has hit the streets of Montreal, police warn. Seven
recent raids throughout the Canadian city resulted in the arrests of two
dealers inside a UPS store as they attempted to ship over 12,000 pills of the
narcotic known as Desmethyl Fentanyl, a derivative of the painkiller Fentanyl,
which were hidden inside a microwave oven and a toaster. Read
more here.
Little Evidence ADHD Drugs
Improve Students’ Grades: Study
Students taking attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) medication don’t perform better in school than their peers who do not
use the drugs, a new study concludes. Boys taking the drugs performed worse
than those with a similar number of symptoms who didn’t use ADHD medications,
The Wall Street Journal reports. Girls taking the medication reported having
more emotional problems. The study included almost 4,000 Canadian students, who
were followed over an average of 11 years. It was published by the National
Bureau of Economic Research, a nonprofit economics research firm. Experts say
they are surprised the drugs do not seem to translate into better grades, since
they appear to enhance memory. A study published in April in Pharmacology
Biochemistry and Behavior found ADHD drugs seem to improve memory in children
with the disorder. A study known as MTA examined the long-term effects of ADHD
treatment in 579 children, and did not find improvements in educational
outcomes six to eight years later. The newspaper notes the findings of these
studies suggest medication by itself is not enough to boost academic
achievement. A study released in April by The Partnership at Drugfree.org and
MetLife Foundation found in 2012, one in eight teens (about 2.7 million) reported
having misused or abused Ritalin or Adderall at least once in their lifetime,
and 9 percent of teens (about 1.9 million) reported having misused these drugs
in the past year.
More Clinics Treating
Pregnant Women Addicted to Opioids
A growing number of clinics around the country are treating
pregnant women who are addicted to prescription painkillers, according to The
Wall Street Journal. They are often associated with university medical centers,
and are free for patients. The clinics often provide obstetric care, as well as
counseling and addiction treatment. Some provide the opioid addiction treatment
buprenorphine to patients. A study published last year in the Journal of the
American Medical Association concluded a baby is born in the United States with
symptoms of opioid withdrawal every hour. The study found the number of pregnant
women who are addicted to opioids, and the number of infants born with opioid
withdrawal symptoms, has jumped in the past decade. An estimated 13,500 babies
are born with withdrawal symptoms each year in the United States. Many babies
who experience these symptoms must be hospitalized for weeks. Babies going
through opioid withdrawal can have seizures, dehydration, breathing problems,
tremors, difficulty feeding and irritability. Dr. John Thorp, a professor at
the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, says many doctors are
reluctant to treat pregnant women who are addicted to opioids. They often have
complicated personal lives that include histories of abuse and criminal
records. Many suffer from anxiety or depression. At the Maternal Addiction and
Recovery Center at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, pregnant
women are treated with buprenorphine, and must attend weekly group therapy
sessions. They also attend monthly individual therapy sessions, as well as
Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The clinic has seen some
promising results. Fewer babies are being born prematurely, and their average
birthweight has risen. About one-fourth of the babies have not needed any
treatment for withdrawal. However, more than one-third of the women who signed
up for treatment never showed up for their first appointment, and one-fifth of
those who were treated had to leave because they repeatedly violated the
program’s requirements.
Study Finds Poor and
Minority Patients Less Likely to be Prescribed Opioids
Patients in pain who are poor, black, or Hispanic are less
likely to be given opioids in the emergency room, compared with wealthier white
patients, a new study finds. Researchers from the University of Rochester
School of Medicine and Dentistry evaluated data from about 1,400 hospital
emergency rooms between 2006 and 2009. During that time, the emergency rooms
prescribed opioids to more than 50,000 people who reported being in moderate to
severe pain. The study found 46 percent of white patients were given opioids,
compared with 39 percent of black patients. In addition, 45 percent of
non-Hispanic patients received opioids, compared with 40 percent of Hispanics.
The study found 47 percent of patients from the wealthiest neighborhoods
received opioids, compared with 41 percent of those from the poorest
neighborhoods. The findings are published in the Journal of General Internal
Medicine. “The disparities are concerning and definitely warrant further
investigation,” lead researcher Dr. Michael Joynt told Reuters. He added that
there is probably not “any one single factor” that explains those disparities.
In a university news release, the researchers said the results point to a need
for a national discussion to increase awareness and to provide consistent and
unbiased treatments.
Medical marijuana for
kids? Some praise results while others worry about risks
Zaki Jackson was 6 months old when doctors diagnosed him
with a form of epilepsy so severe that it sparked as many as 250 seizures a
day. For years his mom, Heather Jackson, feared for his life. “He would stop
breathing,” she told NBC chief medical editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman. “All the air
leaves his lungs and he does not take another breath until that seizure is
over.” After 10 years and 17 medications, Zaki wasn’t getting any better. Then,
finally, his doctor wrote a prescription for a medication that calmed the
electrical storms in Zaki’s brain. The surprise was that it wasn’t for a
standard anti-seizure medication -- it was a prescription for marijuana. Rest
of this article is here.
N.J.'s Pallone proposes
restrictions to thwart prescription drug abuse through Medicare
New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D) said Monday he
will introduce legislation to address problems of prescription drug abuse among
Medicare’s Part D participants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
had a new report last week about the "skyrocketing" increase in
prescription opioid painkiller abuse and overdose deaths among women,
particularly middle-age and older women. But the CDC and the Food and Drug
Administration has had several reports in recent years about the increase in
misuse of the addictive opioid painkillers. Please
click here to read more.
Women Use More Moderate
Words to Describe Drunkenness
Women are more likely to describe intoxication with moderate
words such as “tipsy” or “buzzed,” while men tend to use harsher words such as
“hammered” or “wasted,” according to a new study. The findings come from
a study of 145 college students, who read vignettes that described people who
had been drinking, USA Today reports. “Results supported previous
research by showing that moderate intoxication terms such as ‘tipsy’ were
applied to female vignette characters more than male characters, even when female
characters were heavily intoxicated,” said study author Ash Levitt of the
Research Institute on Addictions at the University of Buffalo, State University
of New York. “Female participants applied these terms more than male
participants.” He said women may downplay intoxication to fit
expectations of how much they should drink. Men may overestimate how much they
are expected to drink, and how much their male friends consume. The study is
published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. Mark Wood,
Professor of Psychology at the University of Rhode Island, who was not involved
with the study, told the newspaper women may be at risk of sexual victimization
by underestimating how impaired they are from drinking. They also may increase
the risk of impaired driving, he added.
Prescription for
addiction: State probe finds poor oversight fuels 'epidemic' demand for heroin,
painkillers
Corrupt doctors, phony wellness clinics and organized crime
groups have exploited an under-regulated health care system to feed a growing
epidemic of prescription painkiller and heroin addiction across New Jersey,
according to a report released by state investigators Wednesday. From a heroin
mill in Cliffside Park and sham medical centers in Passaic and Wallington to
gangs in Paterson and addicts in northern Bergen County suburbs, the report by
the State Commission of Investigation highlighted North Jersey as a nexus of
the regional heroin and opiate painkiller trade. Please
continue reading here.
The efficacy of substance abuse treatment and the need for treatment is an interesting topic of discussion. Some believe that substance abusers cannot truly recover without treatment, while others feel treatment is unnecessary. We also see treatment displayed in various ways in the media, adding to the widely-varying perspectives about what it’s all about and what it really looks like. Maybe you or someone you love has made the first step by acknowledging your substance use has gotten out of hand and you are ready to get help. However, you’ve heard several things about attending treatment, some good and some bad. What’s the truth? It is important to be aware of the common myths about treatment for substance abuse. By becoming aware of the facts, we can make an educated decision regarding the need for treatment and whether it can be beneficial. Rest of this story is here.
To Keep Kids From Drinking
Alcohol In Classrooms, Make Sure Students Know Policies Will Be Enforced
Researchers found new ways of getting high school students
who drink while in class to stop, and they don't include suspension or
expulsion.
With adolescents trying alcohol at younger ages, schools
have taken measures to prohibit its consumption, particularly within the
school. But school policies will do nothing to curb teenage drinking, unless
school's officials are enforcing them, a new study confirmed. "Whatever
your school policy is, lax enforcement is related to more drinking,"
Richard Catalano, a professor of social work at the University of Washington,
said. Catalano and his team of researchers looked at enforcement policies among
eighth and ninth graders in public and private schools throughout Washington
state and Australia's Victoria state. Specifically, they looked at how
students' reports on alcohol policies and their drinking habits matched up to
self-reported alcohol use in eighth and ninth grade. Researchers found that 44
percent of Victoria eighth graders and 22 percent of Washington eighth graders
said they drank alcohol. Binge drinking was also prevalent among many more
Victoria students. They found that both adolescents in each state had similar
behaviors, even though in Washington — where the legal drinking age is 21 —
policies were focused more on a zero-tolerance approach, whereas in Victoria —
where the legal drinking age is 18 — policies were more about minimizing harm.
The researchers also found that such behaviors were reduced when students
thought they would have to undergo counseling by teachers if they were caught
drinking, rather than being expelled or suspended. Catalano said the students
could be reminded of this in personal messages about abstinence or harm
minimization. This tactic is much more positive, since suspension or expulsion
can have long-term negative effects. "What we've seen in other studies
from this sample is suspension policies actually worsen the behavioral
problem," he said. "What that says to me is, although you want
policies and you want enforcement of policies, there are other ways of
responding than suspension, expulsion, and calling the police." A recent
study found that kids and adolescents are trying alcohol at even earlier ages.
At eight years old, 37 percent of 452 children studied, had tried alcohol. Up
until age 12, most kids were either drinkers or non-drinkers, but from 13 to 18
years old, a third group emerged: the drinkers who experienced drunkenness. At
14 years old, 75 percent of the teens had tried alcohol, 19 percent were drank
a significant quantity, and 3 percent had at least three drinks on a single
occasion. By 18 years old, 96 percent of the group had tried alcohol and a
third of them had alcohol related problems. "Schools should focus on
zero-tolerance and abstinence in primary school and early middle school,
Catalano said, "but sometime between middle school and high school they
have to blend in zero tolerance with minimization. By the time they get into
high school, they need new strategies." Underage drinking results in almost
5,000 deaths each year, and may contribute to brain impairment, liver damage,
and abnormal growth and hormone production during puberty, according the the
National Institutes of Health. Source: Evans-Whipp T, Plenty S, Catalano R, et
al. The impact of school alcohol policy on student drinking. Health Education
Research. 2013. Donovan J, Molina B. Types of Alcohol Use Experience From
Childhood Through Adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2013.
College Students
Downplay or Underestimate Female Intoxication, Study Says
A new study suggests that college students are more likely
to downplay or underestimate intoxication in women than in men. “Our
participants were more likely to say that women are only tipsy even when they
are actually heavily intoxicated,” Ash Levitt, 32, a research scientist at the
Research Institute on Addictions at SUNY Buffalo, who published the study this
year, told ABC News. “On the contrary, our participants were able to accurately
say how drunk a male was,” Levitt added. Participation in the online survey was
open to the entire student body; almost one in three of those who participated
were in a fraternity or sorority, and they received academic credit for
participating. So while Levitt’s study is limited, according to the National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as part of the National Institutes of
Health, young adults ages 18 to 24 pose a higher risk for alcohol abuse than
older adults. Click
here for the rest of this story
.Justice Department Asks
For Reduced Sentences for Less Serious Drug Offenders
The Justice Department is asking for changes to sentencing
guidelines that would provide reduced or alternative sentences for less serious
drug crimes, USA Today reports. The proposal would not lessen penalties for
violent and repeat drug offenses. Jonathan Wroblewski, Director of the Justice
Department’s policy and legislation office, made the requests in an annual
report sent to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, which sets sentencing policies
for the federal courts. The Sentencing Commission reviews the policies
annually, and considers whether to amend them. “Violent crime in the United
States is now near generational lows,” Wroblewski wrote. “At the same time, the
U.S. prison population exploded and overall criminal justice spending with it.”
Many states have already implemented the types of changes recommended by the
Justice Department, in reaction to prison overcrowding and budget cuts. They have
implemented shorter sentences for non-violent offenders, and increased efforts
to prevent repeat offenses. “These changes have no doubt sprung in part out of
budgetary necessity,” Wroblewski stated. “But they have also come from a
growing understanding of new research into what works among various approaches
to sentencing and corrections.”
Smoking Rate in Teens
Declines to New Low
Smoking rates among teens are the lowest they have been since the U.S. government began keeping track, according to a new report. Just 5 percent of high school sophomores said they smoked cigarettes every day in the previous month, compared with 18 percent at one point in the 1990s. The survey also found record-low smoking rates for eighth graders and high school seniors, the Los Angeles Times reports. The findings come from the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, which is releasing a new report on the well-being of American children. American children are less likely than in previous years to be exposed to secondhand smoke, according to the report. Danny McGoldrick, Vice President for Research for the advocacy group Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, told the newspaper that tobacco taxes, laws limiting where people can smoke and smoking prevention programs, have contributed to the decline in teen smoking rates. He noted the reduction in teen smoking rates has slowed recently. “We need to invest in more of what has worked in the past to accelerate these declines,” he said. Binge drinking among high school seniors is on the rise, the report found. In 2012, almost one-quarter of high school seniors said they engaged in binge drinking in the previous two weeks, a slight increase from the previous year.
Smoking rates among teens are the lowest they have been since the U.S. government began keeping track, according to a new report. Just 5 percent of high school sophomores said they smoked cigarettes every day in the previous month, compared with 18 percent at one point in the 1990s. The survey also found record-low smoking rates for eighth graders and high school seniors, the Los Angeles Times reports. The findings come from the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, which is releasing a new report on the well-being of American children. American children are less likely than in previous years to be exposed to secondhand smoke, according to the report. Danny McGoldrick, Vice President for Research for the advocacy group Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, told the newspaper that tobacco taxes, laws limiting where people can smoke and smoking prevention programs, have contributed to the decline in teen smoking rates. He noted the reduction in teen smoking rates has slowed recently. “We need to invest in more of what has worked in the past to accelerate these declines,” he said. Binge drinking among high school seniors is on the rise, the report found. In 2012, almost one-quarter of high school seniors said they engaged in binge drinking in the previous two weeks, a slight increase from the previous year.
Breathalyzers of the Future Today
A quantified intoxicated self in the era of the social Web.
Even though it was invented in 1953, the breathalyzer still seems like
something out of science fiction. Think about it: A stranger can appear at any
point during an evening, have you blow into an electronic wand, and then can
tell you exactly how much you've had to drink. In the years since his
passing, though, technology has advanced by degrees. From analyzers that fit on
a keychain, to "stylish" inserts powered by smartphones, to those
that detect other drugs, the concept has seen more than a few changes. Please
click here to read more.
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