The information included on these pages was compiled from the following sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – www.cdc.gov
Parents, The Anti-Drug – www.theantidrug.com
Live Above the Influence – www.abovetheinfluence.com
Stop Medicine Abuse – www.stopmedicineabuse.com
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – www.nhtsa.gov
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – www.samhsa.gov
ALCOHOL
A product that is only legal for those that are 21 years of age to purchase, possess or consume, alcohol is a depressant that comes from organic sources including grapes, grains and berries. These products are fermented and distilled into a liquid. Alcohol is carried through the bloodstream and affects every part of the body – brain, stomach, internal organs, liver, kidneys, muscles – everywhere. It is absorbed quickly (as short as 5 - 10 minutes) and can stay in the body for several hours.
Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the US, more than tobacco and illicit drugs.
MYTH: “It’s only alcohol. At least they’re not doing drugs.”
FACT: Youth who drink alcohol are more likely to:
•Use illegal drugs
•Develop alcohol dependence later in life
•Have unplanned, unprotected sex
Youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience:
•School problems: higher absence, poor or failing grades.
•Social problems: fighting, dropping out of activities
•Legal problems: drunk driving arrest, minor in possession citation
•Physical problems: disruption of normal growth, physical and sexual assault, and unintended injuries (including car crashes)
•Mental health problems: depression, memory loss, altered brain development
•Personal problems: unwanted, unplanned and unprotected sexual activity
•Death: unintentional injury, alcohol poisoning, abuse of other drugs, suicide
Check out this website for more in-depth information on alcohol and underage drinking: http://www.theantidrug.com/drug-information/commonly-abused-drugs/alcohol.aspx
MYTH: “It’s o.k. because we take their keys.”
FACT: Actually, it’s not ok for parents or any adult to give alcohol to someone under the age of 21, or to let someone under 21 drink alcohol on their property. Michigan law states:
•A person who sells or gives alcohol to a minor can be fined up to $2,500 and spend 90 days in jail.
•If that minor is hurt or killed, the person who gave the alcohol is guilty of a felony punishable by 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
•If that minor hurts or kills someone else or damages someone else’s property, the person who gave the alcohol can be sued and will not be protected by homeowner’s insurance.
•If an adult allows a minor to drink on his or her property, the adult is liable for any damages caused by the intoxicated minor, whether or not the adult bought the alcohol.
•A person who rents a motel room knowing that a minor will consume alcohol is guilty of a misdemeanor.
•A minor in possession of alcohol can be fined up to $500 and ordered to participate in substance abuse treatment and complete community service.
•A person who gives a fake ID or uses a fake ID to purchase alcohol can face up to three months in jail, a $100 fine, and lose his or her driver’s license.
PRESCRIPTION (Rx) AND OVER-THE-COUNTER (OTC) DRUGS
# teens using illegal drugs = # teens abusing Rx and OTC drugs
•2 out of 10 teens have used Rx and OTC drugs to get high
•4 out of 10 teens think Rx and OTC drugs are much safer than using street drugs to get high
•3 out of 10 teens think Rx and OTC drugs are not addictive
•8 out of 10 parents have NOT talked to their kids about Rx and OTC drug abuse
Rx and OTC drugs are the new gateway drugs because they are easy to get and teens believe these drugs are safe and legal way to get high. They’re wrong.
The truth, courtesy of www.abovetheinfluence.com:
•Getting and using Rx drugs without a prescription is illegal.
•Many Rx drugs are addictive. More than 29% of teens in treatment are dependent on tranquilizers, sedatives, amphetamines and other stimulants (all types of Rx drugs). Between 1995 and 2005, treatment admissions for dependence on Rx painkillers grew more than 300%.
•About 10% of teens have abused cough syrup in their lifetimes. At levels above the recommended dosage, DXM (the main ingredient in many cough syrups) is a dangerous dissociative like PCP and ketamine. Cough syrup often also contains decongestants, which, when abused, can cause hypoxic brain damage (not getting enough air to the brain).
•Health effects of abusing Rx and OTC drugs include: Respiratory failure (breathing problems), Dizziness, Slurred speech, Excessive sweating, Nausea, Vomiting, Tremors, Convulsions, Increased heart rate, Increased blood pressure, Heart attack, Numbness, Psychosis, Brain damage, Kidney failure, Seizure, Coma, and Death
WANT TO LEARN MORE? CHECK OUT THESE SITES…
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact
http://www.addiction411.com/prescription-drug-abuse-and-addiction/
http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_rx1.php
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/topics-in-brief/prescription-drug-abuse
MARIJUANA
Facts from www.abovetheinfluence.com:
Marijauna has a chemical in it called tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. It also has about 400 other chemicals, some of which cause cancer. Smoking pot affects a user’s judgment, motor coordination, short-term memory, and heart rate. Smoking pot also causes some changes in the brain similar to those caused by long-term use of cocaine and heroin. Marijuana users are more likely to have bad grades, and less likely to participate in sports or other school activities. They are also more likely to be depressed.
Myth: Driving high is not as bad as driving drunk.
Fact: Smoking pot affects alertness, concentration, perception, coordination and reaction time, many of the skills required for safe driving and other tasks. These effects can last several hours after smoking.
Myth: You can’t become addicted to marijuana.
Fact: More teens are in treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined.
Myth: Smoking pot is safer than smoking cigarettes.
Fact: Marijuana has some of the same cancer-causing substances as tobacco. One joint can deliver four times as much cancer-causing tar as one cigarette.
Myth: Everyone in high school smokes pot.
Fact: 4 out of 5 Chelsea youth haven’t recently used any drugs or alcohol. Stay with the in crowd, the majority, and let your brain and body develop normally.
WANT TO LEARN MORE? CHECK OUT THESE SITES…
FOR TEENS: http://www.abovetheinfluence.com
FOR PARENTS: http://www.theantidrug.com
TIPS FOR KIDS
Everyone knows how to “just say no” to someone who offers you tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. But what if that someone is your friend? It’s harder to “just say no” to someone you like and care about. So how can you get out of that tough situation without doing something you don’t want to do, or hurting your friendship? Learn these five steps, and practice them with your parents.
Five steps to have fun, stay out of trouble, and keep your friends:
1.Ask questions – Where are we going? What are we going to do? Who is going to be there? Do our parents know about it? If you feel like what your friend is asking you to do will get you into trouble, ask questions until you are sure.
2.Name the trouble – Once you know what they’re asking you to do, be completely clear by saying it out loud. “That’s ________.” For example, if they’re asking to copy your homework, you can say, “That’s cheating.” If they’re asking you to drink a beer, you can say, “That’s illegal.”
3.Name the consequences – Explain what will happen if you do what they’re asking you to do. If they want you to cheat, say, “If I do that, we’ll both fail the assignment, and I need to get a good grade in that class.” That way, it’s not about your friend, it’s about the thing they’re asking you to do.
4.Suggest an alternative – Think of something else you could do that would be fun, and help you get out of the situation. For the cheating example, you could offer to help your friend study.
5.Move it, sell it, and walk away – Once you’ve offered an alternative, make it sound really appealing, then physically walk away and leave the door open for your friend to follow. You can say, “I’m going to the library to study for the test. When I get through this chapter, maybe I’ll go to Twisters for some ice cream. If you want to come, I’ll be in a study room upstairs.” By making it sound fun, and then walking away, you take control of the situation and show that you still want to be friends.
Want to practice these steps with other kids your age? Ask your parents to sign up for Guiding Good Choices. Kids come with their parents for the third workshop, and we all work on these steps as a group.
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Most Chelsea teens choose not to use drugs or alcohol. The #1 reason kids say they don’t drink: their parents told them not to. Talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol; they’ll listen.
Tell them it is important to you that they not drink or do drugs. Be a positive role model for your kids. That doesn’t mean you can’t drink alcohol, but you should think about how your alcohol use influences the kids around you. Do not drink and drive, and do not use illegal drugs.
Encourage your kids to have fun without alcohol by hosting a party at your house. Talk to the parents of kids who are invited, and make it clear to them that you’ll make sure no one is drinking. The other parents will appreciate the phone call – they worry about their kids just as much as you do!
A quick and easy way to let your kids, friends and neighbors know how you feel about youth substance abuse is to join the list of SRSLY-Safe Homes. These families agree that they will not give drugs or alcohol to youth, and they will not allow youth to use drugs or alcohol in their homes.
For more information about talking with your teen about alcohol, tips for your teen to handle peer pressure, and warning signs of a drinking problem, please refer to: The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's pamphlet: Make A Difference: Talk to Your Child About Alcohol - Parents Booklet
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