Current Trends in Substance Abuse Presentation to Jamesburg Parents. Ezra Helfand Program Director

Transcription

1 Current Trends in Substance Abuse Presentation to Jamesburg Parents Ezra Helfand Program Director

2 Some Numbers Percent of students reporting recent tobacco use: 45% decline in ten years Percent of Students Reporting Daily Tobacco Use: Essentially unchanged since 2005 Percent of Students Reporting Past Month Use of Any Alcohol: Overall decrease of 14% from 2001 to 2011 Increase of 14% from 2008 to 2011 Percent of Students Reporting Binge Drinking in the Past Month: 27% decline in 10 years Percent of Students Reporting Marijuana Use In The Past Month: Down 16% from 2001 to But up slightly between 2009 and 2011 Percent of Students Reporting Past Month Use of Any Illicit Drug Overall decrease of 14% from 2001 to 2011 Between 2000 and 2011, past month use of ANY illicit substance has decreased overall *SOURCE: New Jersey Dept of Education; 2011 Student Health Survey

3 Mixed News Use of Over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines Decreased for 8th graders 4.2% 2.7% Increased a bit for 10th graders 5.3% 5.5% Decreased for 12 th graders 6.9% 5.3%

4 Some Facts Youths cite cigarettes as the easiest substance for someone their age to get Youths cite beer as the second easiest substance for someone their age to get 44% of high school students know a classmate who sells drugs at school Teens who say they ve been left alone overnight almost 30% of those surveyed are about twice as likely to have used alcohol or marijuana and almost three times more likely to have tried tobacco than teens who ve never been left alone at night.

5 Alcohol #1 Drug of Choice for Youth

6 Alcoholic Beverage Options Have Expanded A wide array of new alcohol beverage products that appeal to young tastes include: Bottled pre-mixed drinks. Sweet tasting liquor-based beverages called alco-pops. The addition of Ice beer that contains a higher ethyl alcohol content than premium beer. Source: FACE Truth and Clarity on Alcohol, 2004.

7 Alcohol & Energy Drinks: A Dangerous Mix

8 Availability 60%-80% of 11th and 12th graders obtain alcohol from home or home parties. 30% of surveyed high school students consume alcohol at home with their parent s permission.

9 Teen Drinking & Driving Percent of teens in high school (aged 16 or older) who drove when they had been drinking alcohol decreased by 54 percent between 1991 and Teens responsible for approximately 2.4 million episodes of drinking and driving a month in Parents play a crucial role in keeping their teens safe on the road. Model safe driving behavior Set and enforce "rules of the road" by completing a parent-teen driving agreement with their teens. Check out:

10 Signs of Alcohol Abuse/Addiction Physical Appearance Alcohol detected on the breath. Extra-ordinary use of mints, mouthwash or even garlic. Eyes unusually bright Mannerisms or Behavior Speech will be slurred. Watch for drawn-out speech and rambling, sometimes illogical talk. Headaches Nausea Watch for telltale signs of hangover Disinterest in breakfast Late sleeping Overall grouchiness throughout the day. Other Hidden bottles or cans of alcohol; water bottles

11 Rx Drugs & OTC 35% say they could score prescription medication within a day. 26% say they could score prescription medication within an hour. 24% of teens say parents have spoken with them about Rx abuse. 18% of teens say parents have spoken with them about OTC drug abuse.

12 Rx Drugs & OTC New research shows that while only 6 percent of parents of teens believe their child has abused medicine, in fact one in 10 teens (10 percent) admit they misused/abused medicines in the past six months. A majority of teens (79 percent) say they know where their parents keep their prescription medicines, and 37 percent of teens say it s relatively easy to get medicines from home. Of those parents who said they keep medicines in their home, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) keep them in case they, or someone else, need them in the future.

13 NJ Findings on Prescription Drug Abuse Survey by: NJ Center for Prevention Research The Partnership For a Drug-Free New Jersey Parents 44% of parents said they know little or nothing about prescription drug abuse Principals 50% of Middle School Principals surveyed said prescription drugs are abused more than twice that of ecstasy & cocaine by students Students 30% of Middle School students believe using prescription drugs not prescribed to you does not have any real health consequences or have only mild health consequences, but they re not serious or too long lasting

14 Signs of Rx Abuse Physical Appear drunk, but not been drinking Mannerisms or Behavior Acts intoxicated Slurred speech Stumbling gate Droopy eyes Un-warranted sleep episodes fall asleep at dinner etc Listlessness Other: Bottles of prescription medicines, pills, blister packs

15 Narcotics/ Pain Medications The most commonly abused prescription drugs are narcotics Central nervous system depressant Medically used for treating moderate to severe pain Usually after surgery or dental procedures Prescriptions commonly abused: Vicodin, Oxycontin, Percocet, Darvon, Codeine, Ultram Highly addictive

16 Signs of Opiate Abuse Physical Constricted pupils; like pinpoints or small dots Red nose; needle marks May or not be pale, sweating when temperature is not hot Very sick one day (cold symptoms, cramps, diarrhea, upset stomach) then perfectly fine next day Extremely thirsty Someone is withdrawing from opiate abuse, they will show these signs: Flu-like symptoms Cramps Nausea and diarrhea Mannerisms or Behavior Nodding Off, lethargic Hyperactive Itch and scratch frequently Wear long sleeve shirts even in hot weather The person may go around asking others for money

17 Marijuana Most widely used illicit drug among youth Normalization in our popular culture Medical marijuana and legalization campaigns Widespread ambivalence and misinformation among youth and parents

18 Health Risks of Marijuana Regular use can lead to lung cancer or respiratory illnesses Regular use causes loss of short term memory Can lead to anxiety, panic attacks, depression and other mental health problems Marijuana speeds up the heart rate, which can be dangerous for those with heart problems

19 Signs of Abuse Physical Appearance Irritated, bloodshot, red eyes Dazed or expressionless appearance Dry lips or cotton mouth Strong odor of burnt rope or grass on person or clothes Mannerisms or Behavior Walking around in a daze or euphoric stupor Lack of emotion, whatever attitude Staring out into space or at nothing May go into fits of laughter or laugh when there is nothing to laugh about. Putting clothes in wash immediately upon coming home Taking a quick shower before being around other Suddenly very hungry, munchies Other: items around or hidden; pipes, plastic bags, cans

20 Emerging Trends K2 or Spice Dried herbal blend used as incense Sprayed with a potent psychotropic drug 4-100X more potent than THC Warning: not for human consumption

21 Bath Salts /Plant Food Powder sold as bath salts or plant food Fake cocaine Snorted, smoked or injected like cocaine Used to experience euphoria In 2010 there were 232 calls to poison control centers

22 Bath Salts Effects: Extreme panic attacks Paranoia Chest pains, irregular heartbeat Psychosis leading to psychiatric treatment Addiction Extreme risk-taking behaviors Suicides

23 Hand Sanitizer Teens are distilling hand sanitizer products, which contain at least 60 percent ethyl alcohol or more, using salt to separate the alcohol. This results in a 120 proof shot, about 50 percent more potent than vodka or tequila.

24 Just when you think you ve seen it all!

25 Just when you think you ve seen it all! Just weeks after synthetic bath salts were removed from shelves, another designer drug has stepped in to take their place. It's called Smiles and it's being talked about in poison control centers across the U.S. Kids are eating it with chocolate! Several deaths have already been reported, including a well known Hollywood actor. It's users are mostly teens, college kids and young partygoers. Everything you need to know is posted at:

26 Nothing to Smile About It s a psychoactive, hallucinogenic chemical that alter the brain s balance of dopamine and serotonin The effects, like those of LSD, can last up to eight hours But because the effects can take time to appear, users may think they haven t taken enough to get the desired high, and so take more, risking overdose The drug can be taken as small tablets, on pieces of blotter paper like LSD, or in powder form, often mixed with something else, like chocolate

27 And What About Bullying? It was reported last week that New Jersey public school students endured 12,024 instances of bullying, harassment and intimidation last school year. Nearly 10 percent of victims reported taunting because of their gender. In 8.4 percent of incidents, students were bullied because of their race, and in 9.4 percent of the cases, the harassment was because of a student s mental or physical disability. Jamesburg recorded 14 cases of violence; 2 cases of vandalism; and, 16 cases of HIB.

28 We Tell You This Because. Many adolescents suffering from depression find risk taking behavior such as violence, sex, and substance use a reprieve from their depression research showed a high correlation of those who were bullied became depressed or showed signs of depression. These are primarily young girls who were highly impacted. Of the adolescents suffering from depression many used drugs and alcohol. Source:

29 What do we do? Educate young people to help them gain knowledge and tools to deal with the demands and pressures in today s society Encourage collaboration between all community sectors to change norms Provide programs targeted at health care professionals, educators, parents, children, and others facing the challenges and affects of substance abuse every day.

30 What can you do? Be absolutely clear with your kids that you don't want them using drugs. Ever. Anywhere. Don't leave room for interpretation. And talk often about the dangers and results of drug and alcohol abuse. Once or twice a year won't do it. Be a better listener. Ask questions - and encourage them. Paraphrase what your teen says to you. Ask for their input about family decisions. Showing your willingness to listen will make your teen feel more comfortable about opening up to you. Give honest answers. Don't make up what you don't know; offer to find out. If asked whether you've ever taken drugs, let them know what's important: That you don't want them using drugs.

31 What can you do? Be informed. Use TV reports, anti-drug commercials, or school discussions about drugs to help you introduce the subject in a natural, unforced way. Don't react in a way that will cut off further discussion. If your teen makes statements that challenge or shock you, turn them into a calm discussion of why your teen thinks people use drugs, or whether the effect is worth the risk. Role-play with your teen. Practice ways to refuse drugs in different situations. Acknowledge how tough these moments can be. Visit: for more information and advice to help prevent children s drug use.

32 Questions?

33 For more information contact us at: NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc. 152 Tices Lane East Brunswick, NJ