Over-the-Counter Drug Abuse More Common in Boys: Study
A new
study suggests boys are more likely than girls to abuse over-the-counter (OTC)
drugs. The study of middle school and high school students in 133 schools in
Cincinnati found 10 percent said they abused over-the-counter drugs such as
cough syrup or decongestants. University of Cincinnati researchers noted this
type of drug abuse can lead to accidental poisoning, seizures and physical and
mental addictions.
HealthDay
reports the researchers found high rates of over-the-counter drug abuse were
found among both female and male middle school students, but boys had a higher
risk of longtime use, compared with girls. Teens who admitted to abusing
over-the-counter drugs were more likely to say they had gone to parties where
the drugs were available, or had friends who abused the drugs. Teens involved
in school clubs, sports, community and church groups were less likely to report
abusing over-the-counter drugs. “Findings from this study highlight and
underscore OTC drugs as an increasing and significant health issue affecting
young people,” Rebecca Vidourek, Assistant Professor of Health Promotion, said
in a news release.
The study
was presented at the American Public Health Association meeting.
Teens Who Try Menthol
Cigarettes More Likely to Become Regular Smokers
Teens who
try menthol cigarettes are more likely to become smokers than those who start
experimenting with regular cigarettes, a new study finds. The research included
more than 47,000 students in middle school and high school, Reuters reports.
Young people who try menthol cigarettes are 80 percent more likely to become
regular smokers, according to researchers from RTI International, a research
institute in North Carolina. The study appears in the journal Addiction.
About 19
million Americans smoke menthol cigarettes. While sales of menthol cigarettes
in the U.S. have risen between 4 and 5 percent during the past decade, sales of
most regular cigarettes have decreased during the same period. Newport and KOOL
are the two most popular menthol brands. Critics of menthol cigarettes say the
additive makes them more appealing to new smokers, and may be especially likely
to lead to addiction. “This study adds additional evidence that menthol
cigarettes are a potential risk factor for kids becoming established, adult
smokers,” said study leader James Nonnemaker, of the research institute RTI
International in North Carolina.
Experts Say Mental
Health Effects of Hurricane Sandy Could be Powerful
Psychologists
warn the mental health effects of Hurricane Sandy could be powerful, HealthDay
reports.
“Sandy,
like all natural disasters, is considered a criterion ‘A1′ stressor in the diagnoses of acute stress disorder in
the first month after the event and post-traumatic stress disorder, at least a
month after the event,” said Simon Rego, Director of Psychology Training at
Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.
“I’d expect many people to display symptoms of acute stress disorder even if
they did not directly experience effects of Sandy.”
The
symptoms could include insomnia, irritability, feeling numb or detached from
others, restlessness, or feeling in a daze, Rego noted. Some people closest to
the destruction could experience flashbacks, while others may avoid people or
places that remind them of the event. Many of these effects are likely to be
temporary, Rego added. “Fortunately, people are quite resilient and for many of
these people, the symptoms will begin to abate on their own over time, as long
as they have a healthy support system that enables them to talk about what
happened and how they feel about it and do their best to return to as close to
as normal routine as they can manage, under the circumstances,” he said.
Children affected by the storm need reassurance from their parents, according
to Sara Rivero-Conil, a child psychologist at Miami Children’s Hospital. “Tell
them they needn’t worry, there is a plan in place and these events don’t happen
every day,” she said. Even watching the hurricane and its aftermath on
television can be stressful for children, Rivero-Conil added.
About
One-Third to One-Half of Youth Report That They Can Get Alcohol, Cigarettes,
Prescription Drugs to Get High, or Marijuana Within a Day or Less
Between 31% and 50% of youth ages 12 to 17 report that they
can get alcohol, cigarettes, prescription drugs to get high, or marijuana
within a day or less, according to data from the 2012 National Survey of
American Attitudes on Substance Abuse. Alcohol and cigarettes were the most
readily accessible substances, with 50% and 44%, respectively, of youth reporting
that they could obtain them within a day. Youth were least likely to report
that they could get marijuana within a day (31%); 45% report that they would be
unable to get marijuana at all. It will be interesting to see if reported
access to marijuana increases if more states pass medical marijuana and
marijuana decriminalization laws. While marijuana use remains illegal under
federal law, 17 states and the District of Columbia have some type of law
allowing for the medical use of marijuana and 14 states have some type of
marijuana decriminalization law. Medical marijuana laws are on the ballot in
two states (Arkansas and Massachusetts) in the coming election, and initiatives
to legalize marijuana for recreational use are on the ballot in three states (Colorado,
Washington, and Oregon).
SOURCE: Adapted by
CESAR from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia
University (CASA), National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse
XVII: Teens, 2012. Available online at http://www.casacolumbia.org/upload/2012/20120822teensurvey.pdf.
Half of Addiction
Counselors Say It’s OK for Some Patients to Drink Occasionally
A survey
of addiction counselors finds almost half say it is acceptable for at least
some of their patients to drink from time to time. The survey included 913
members of the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction
Counselors. About half of the counselors said they would not object if some of
their clients who abuse alcohol wanted to limit their drinking, but not totally
abstain, PsychCentral.com reports. That is double the number of counselors in a
1994 survey who said moderate drinking was acceptable for some clients.
The new
survey found about half of counselors said moderate drug use was acceptable as
an intermediate goal, while one-third said it was adequate as a final goal.
“Individuals
with alcohol and drug problems who avoid treatment because they are ambivalent
about abstinence should know that — depending on the severity of their
condition, the finality of their outcome goal, and their drug of choice — their
interest in moderating their consumption will be acceptable to many addiction professionals
working in outpatient and independent practice settings,” the researchers from
Bowling Green State University noted in a press release.
Counselors
were less accepting of occasional substance use for clients diagnosed with
alcohol or drug dependence, which is considered more severe than alcohol or
drug abuse. At least three-fourths of the counselors said they would not
approve of limited or moderate consumption for these clients.
“In light
of this study, we suggest that clients ask about their counselor’s openness to
limited or moderate consumption as an outcome goal, and that agencies
acknowledge their policy regarding negotiation of outcome goals as part of
informed consent,” said researcher Harold Rosenberg, PhD.
The study
was published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
Living Near Bars May
Increase Risk of Heavy Drinking, Study Suggests
Living
near bars may increase the risk of heavy drinking, a new study suggests.
Researchers followed almost 55,000 adults in Finland for seven years. They
found those who moved closer to bars were more likely to consume a greater
amount of alcohol, according to Reuters. A person who moved one kilometer (0.6
mile) closer to a bar increased the odds of becoming a heavy drinker by 17
percent. The study defined heavy drinking as more than 10 ounces a week of
distilled alcohol for men, and seven ounces for women. The researchers noted
that the findings were similar among people who moved close to bars, and among
people who lived in neighborhoods where bars opened close to their homes.
The study
appears in the journal Addiction.
Researcher
Jaana L. Halonen told Reuters it is possible that restricting the operating
hours of bars and other alcohol retailers could limit local residents’ risky
drinking.
Five Potential Addictions We Sometimes
Overlook
When most people contemplate addiction, they think about
cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs like crystal methamphetamine, cocaine,
and heroin. And certainly those substances are highly addictive—they are
incredibly difficult to quit once a person is hooked, and prolonged use/abuse
typically results in any number of negative life consequences. But these
obvious potential addictions are far from the only possible problem areas. Read
the rest of the blog here.
Mother’s Smoking Not Linked to Children’s Substance Abuse
Mothers’
smoking during pregnancy probably does not lead to substance abuse in their
children, as earlier studies suggested, according to researchers at Indiana
University. Previous research indicated that mothers’ smoking in pregnancy
leads to a greater risk of substance abuse in their children, according to MedPageToday.
The new study suggests any link between mothers’ smoking and children’s
substance abuse is likely due to family background. The researchers note
siblings have similar rates of substance abuse regardless of their specific
exposure to their mother’s smoking. Brian D’Onofrio, PhD reports in the Archives of General Psychiatry that when mothers changed
their smoking habits during different pregnancies, there was no change in
substance abuse risk in their children.
Teen
prescription drug abuse: What to do
Prescription drugs like OxyContin, Vicodin, Ritalin and
Valium are the killer new teen high. One
in six teens say he or she has taken a prescription drug at least once
in the past year. One in 11 is drug-dependent and one in five show signs of
dependence, a new study says.
While kids swipe pills from medicine cabinets and purses,
trade them at school or pluck them from bowls at “pharma parties,” parents are
often clueless. We don’t think it can happen to our kids, so we say little,
miss early warning signs and fumble opportunities to educate and protect our
kids. During October and November, the Healthy Kids blog will look at this
issue through the stories of former teen prescription-drug users now in
recovery, their parents and local addiction-recovery experts working to treat
addicted teens and help parents prevent this under-the-radar and illicit drug
use.
Study: Cocaine
Increases Long-Term Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
PROBLEM: In the moment,
cocaine produces its stimulating cardiovascular effects by constricting blood
vessels while increasing heart rate and blood pressure. This high-inducing
physiology is also why the drug's been known to cause heart attacks in users --
but only while they're actually under the influence.
METHODOLOGY: This Australian
study looked at the MRIs of 20 "recreational" users -- who reported
having used cocaine at least once a month for the past year -- as compared to
20 non-users. The users, 17 men and 3 women, were otherwise healthy and had an
average age of 37.
RESULTS: The users showed
an increase in aortic stiffening of 30 to 35 percent, higher systolic blood
pressure, and an 18 percent greater thickness of the heart's left ventricle
wall -- all symptoms associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
CONCLUSION: The persistent
hypertension and vascular stiffness seen in users, according to lead researcher
Gemma Figtree, makes cocaine "the perfect heart attack drug."
IMPLICATION: While this study
didn't look at the actual incidences of heart attacks among cocaine users, the
observed effects are known contributors to an increased risk of heart disease.
Even though Figtree expressed great distress over cocaine users who,
"despite being well-educated professionals ... have no knowledge of the
health consequences of regularly using cocaine," most people are probably
aware of the risks associated. The real significance here is that even though
it may seem like recreational users are getting away with something, this study
is the first to document worrisome long-term effects of cocaine use on the
heart.
The full study, "Cardiovascular
Impact of Cocaine In Regular Asymptomatic Users Assessed By Cardiovascular
Magnetic Resonance Imaging" was presented at the American Heart
Association's Scientific Sessions.
Highest
Number of Arrests in the U.S. Are for Drug Abuse Violations
There were an estimated 12,408,899 arrests in the United
States in 2011, according to data from the national Uniform Crime Reporting
(UCR) Program. The highest number of arrests were for drug abuse
violations—selling, manufacturing, or possessing drugs, followed by
larceny-theft and driving under the influence (see figure below). The majority
(82%) of these arrests were for possession and one-half of these drug abuse
violations involved marijuana (data not shown). A poll conducted in 2011 found
that one-half of U.S. residents think that marijuana should be legalized.
SOURCE: Adapted by
CESAR from U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime
in the United States, 2011, 2012 (available online at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/persons-arrested/persons-arrested).
Study Details
Cocaine’s Damaging Effect on Heart
A new
study presented at the American Heart Association annual meeting suggests
people who use cocaine may have stiffer arteries, higher blood pressure and
thicker heart muscles, all of which can lead to a heart attack.
“It’s so
sad,” lead researcher Gemma Figtree of the University of Sydney in Australia
said in a news release. “We are repeatedly seeing young, otherwise
fit individuals suffering massive heart attacks related to cocaine use. Despite
being well-educated professionals, they have no knowledge of the health
consequences of regularly using cocaine.”
The
researchers used MRI scans to study the hearts of 40 healthy adults, CBS News reports. They also measured participants’ blood
pressure. Half of the study subjects admitted to using cocaine at least once a
month in the past year, while the other half did not use cocaine. Cocaine users
had more stiffening of the arteries, higher blood pressure and greater
thickness in their heart’s left ventricle wall, compared with non-users. The
study did not examine the rate of heart attacks among people who used cocaine.
The
researchers said their study is the first to document some of these heart
abnormalities in seemingly healthy cocaine users long after the immediate
effects of the drug have worn off.
Mixing Meds and Alcohol: Just How Dangerous
Is It?
Most
psychiatric drugs bear some version of the warning: “Do not drink alcoholic
beverages when taking this medication.” In reality, though, many people taking
psych meds drink anyway. They have various reasons: not wanting to curtail
their fun, not putting much stock in the warnings, or simply thinking it’s
easier to take a proffered drink than explain why they’re turning it down.
Doctors oftentimes don’t bother to talk to patients about potential dangers. Or
they tell patients not to drink, but don’t explain why. To make matters worse,
because of a lack of studies on the subject, patients inclined to do their own
research will have a hard time just how risky it is to drink while taking
various kinds of psychiatric medications.
A widely
publicized study that came out last month in the journal Neurology underscores
the problem. The findings, which pooled data from 16 studies, showed that
people taking SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft or Celexa were 40 percent more
likely to suffer a type of stroke caused by bleeding in the brain and 50
percent more likely to suffer any bleeding in the skull.
The Almost Addicted
Where substance use may be disrupting one's relationships
and showing signs of worsening, it may be an "almost addiction." A
new book makes the case for attending to the regular user whose habit causes
pain but fails to meet the criteria of addiction. Click here to
read the rest of the review from Hazelden.
Helping Those in Need
Find Counseling
Just
about everyone knows a friend or relative who has shown signs of emotional or
behavioral turmoil. Yet trying to reach that person can sometimes feel
overwhelming. Author Dr. Mark Komrad offers guidance on helping others find
help.
Excerpted from his book for family members, psychiatrist Dr.
Mark Komrad provides practical advice on engaging people most in need of and
most resistant to therapy. Click here
to read more.
Highs and lows
of using marijuana
On Tuesday, Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize
recreational use of marijuana. The referendums come at a time when more than a
third of states have approved the cannabis plant for medicinal purposes.
Proponents for legalizing marijuana tout its pain-relieving benefits and use by
cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments; opponents
stress that science has yet to prove the drug is safe.
It's a bit like the fairytale, "Jack and the
Beanstalk." This "magic" plant that could help with everything
from glaucoma to Lou Gehrig's disease could also contain unknown dangers to our
heart, lungs and brain. The real question is, if we legalize marijuana, will we
all live happily ever after?
More students
drop out in bullying ‘climates’
The link between teasing
and bullying and a school’s dropout rate exists independent of other
demographic factors, according to the new report, published online in the Journal
of Educational Psychology.
“This study suggests that
teasing and bullying at the high school level is a noteworthy problem that is
associated with the most serious negative outcome—failure to graduate,” says
Dewey Cornell, a professor at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of
Education.
Rest of the story is available
here.
Chugging Alcohol
Before Going Out to Drink Leads to Trouble, Study Finds
College
students who drink alcohol before going out to a bar, club or sporting event
are more likely than their peers who don’t “pre-drink” to experience blackouts,
hangovers, alcohol poisoning or absence from work or school, a new study finds.
Pre-drinking also leads to an increased risk of unprotected sex and unplanned
drug use or injury, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“Changing
the location during a night increases the overall amount of alcohol
consumption,” lead researcher Florian Labhart said in a news release. “It’s
important that young people count the number of drinks they have during a night
and to remember how many drinks they had already when they reach a new drinking
location.”
The
researchers studied the drinking habits of more than 250 Swiss students for
five weeks. They found when students drank before going to a club or bar, they
consumed more than they would normally. Students engaged in pre-drinking had an
average of seven drinks, compared with just over four drinks for those who
drank only at a bar or event. Students who drank before going out had a 24
percent chance of experiencing negative consequences, compared with 18 percent
for those who did not pre-drink.
The study appears in Alcoholism: Clinical &
Experimental Research.
Adult Smoking Rate
Remained at 19 Percent Last Year
The
smoking rate of American adults, which declined slightly between 2005 and 2011,
held steady at 19 percent between 2010 and 2011, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) announced this week. In 2005, an estimated 20.9
percent of adults smoked, HealthDay reports. That rate declined to 19.3 percent in
2011. The smoking rate among adults with disabilities is more than 25 percent,
compared with 17 percent among people without disabilities. There are almost 44
million adult smokers in the United States, according to the CDC. Among young
adults ages 18 to 24, smoking rates decreased from more than 24 percent in 2005
to almost 19 percent in 2011, the CDC noted in its report.
“While it
is good news that smoking continues to decline, there is an urgent need to
accelerate progress against the nation’s number one cause of preventable
death,” Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said
in a statement. “It is unacceptable that 43.8 million American
adults still smoke and some 443,000 Americans still die every year from
smoking-related diseases.”
Dr. Tim
McAfee, Director of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, told HealthDay more
needs to be done to reduce the nation’s smoking rate. “We are making some
progress, but the progress is slower than we need to see given how important
the effect of smoking is on our nations’ health,” he said. McAfee noted smoking
rates have not been further reduced because states are not adequately funding
tobacco-control programs. “There has been a 35 percent decrease in funding of
state programs over the last few years,” he said. “These are programs that have
been incredibly effective.”
Parental Monitoring
Can Help Overcome Teens’ Genetic Predisposition to Drinking
Parents
who closely monitor their teens’ behavior and friends can help counteract their
children’s genetic predisposition to an alcohol use disorder, a new study
indicates. In a previous study, lead researcher Robert Miranda, Jr. of Brown
University found teens with a single difference in their genes were more
predisposed to alcohol use disorders, according to HealthCanal. In the new study, Miranda found this risk was
largely overcome in teenagers whose parents closely monitored their behavior,
and who spent less time with ‘deviant’ friends.
The study
included 104 teens, who were interviewed about their alcohol use, parental monitoring
and friends. They also provided a DNA sample for genetic analysis. The
researchers report in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research that 30
of the teens had the genetic variant that increased their risk of an alcohol
use disorder. “The key finding of this study is that while genetics appear to
play a role in the development of alcohol problems among teenagers,
environmental factors can considerably reduce this risk,” Miranda said in a
news release.
“If you
are a parent, pay closer attention to your child’s whereabouts, and with whom
your kids are affiliating socially, both of which can pay enormous dividends in
reducing problems,” added John F. Kelly, Associate Director of Massachusetts
General Hospital-Harvard Center for Addiction Medicine. “Beginning an open and
ongoing conversation with your child along these lines, including discussing
the nature of alcohol-specific risks, could eradicate a potentially devastating
problem.”
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