Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition

Early Intervention Proven to be Best Strategy for College Binge Drinking

2012-02-03T08:25:00.002-05:00

The Penn State Live website this week reported on new “early intervention” research conducted by their own scholars that may help students from becoming binge drinkers.

"Research shows there is a spike in alcohol-related consequences that occur in the first few weeks of the semester, especially with college freshmen," said Michael J. Cleveland, research associate at the university’s Prevention Research Center and the Methodology Center. "If you can buffer that and get beyond that point and safely navigate through that passage, you reduce the risk of later problems occurring."

The researchers tested two different methods of intervention on incoming freshmen— parent-based intervention and peer-based intervention. Cleveland and his colleagues found that students who were nondrinkers before starting college, and who received the parent-based intervention, were unlikely to escalate to heavy drinking when surveyed again during the fall semester of their first year.

Students who were heavy drinkers during the summer before college were more likely to transition out of that group if they received either parent-based intervention or peer-based intervention. However, if a heavy-drinker received both interventions, there was no enhanced effect.

Cleveland also reported online in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors that 8 percent of the incoming freshmen were heavy drinkers the summer before starting college. The researchers surveyed the students again during the fall semester and found 28 percent of the freshmen now drank heavily.

The results of the study were based on a study of 1,275 high-risk matriculating college students originally conducted in 2006 by Rob Turrisi, professor of biobehavioral health. Turrisi and his colleagues randomly assigned students to one of four intervention groups—parent-based intervention only, peer-based intervention only, both parent- and peer-based intervention or no intervention—and then surveyed the students on their drinking behaviors the summer before they entered college and then again during their first fall semester.

To read more about this research, visit Penn State’s website.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism both supported this research.

Number of Drug Poisoning Deaths Now Rival Motor Vehicle Traffic Deaths

2012-01-27T09:03:00.000-05:00

This week’s CESAR Fax from the University of Maryland, College Park’s Center for Substance Abuse Research says the number of drug poisoning deaths now rival motor vehicle traffic deaths.

Nearly as many people die each year from drug poisoning as from motor vehicle traffic accidents, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Drug poisoning deaths are now the second leading cause of death from injuries, second only to motor vehicle traffic accidents.

According to the authors, “Government agencies and other organizations joined together to achieve great reductions in the number of deaths from motor vehicle crashes in the past three decades. . . . Using a comprehensive, multifaceted approach, it may be possible to reverse the trend in drug poisoning mortality”

The number of drug poisoning deaths, which includes deaths resulting from illegal, prescription, and over-the-counter drug misuse, has increased nearly every year since 1980. The most significant increases, however, have occurred in the last two decades. Since 1990, the number of deaths related to drug poisonings has more than quadrupled, increasing from 8,413 to 36,450 in 2008 (the most recent year for which data are available).

This increase is largely due to an increase in drug poisoning deaths involving natural and semi-synthetic opioids.

New Resource Helps Families Navigate Addiction Treatment Options

2012-01-20T12:19:00.000-05:00

A new resource, “Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask,” will help individuals and families struggling with addiction ask the right questions before choosing a drug treatment program. It was developed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, and is available to the public free online or in hard copy through NIDA's DrugPubs service.

"Treatment options can vary considerably, and families often don't know where to begin," said NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow in a news release. "This booklet highlights the treatment components that research has shown are critical for success, to help people make an informed choice during a very stressful time."

The new publication is based on a NIDA resource describing the principles of drug addiction treatment from a research-based perspective. It recommends five helpful questions people should ask and explains what the research has found to be most effective.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2010 an estimated 22.1 million people aged 12 years or older were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year.

Don’t miss Dr. Volkow’s power session “NIDA: Progress and Priorities in Addiction Research” on Feb. 7 at 11 a.m. at CADCA’s National Leadership Forum.

CDC Finds Binge Drinking Worse Among Adults than Previously Thought

2012-01-13T09:43:00.001-05:00

The first issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2012’s Vital Signs includes the latest findings on binge drinking from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) which included combined landline and cellular telephone respondents.

The report found that U. S. adults binge drink more frequently and consume more drinks when they do.

Some key points include:

• Thirty-eight million U.S. adults binge drink an average of four times a month.

• On average, the largest number of drinks consumed is eight.

• While more 18–34 year olds binge drink, binge drinkers aged 65 years and older binge drink more often than other age groups—an average of five to six times a month.

• Although more people with incomes above $75,000 binge drink, those with incomes less than $25,000 drink more when they binge. The largest number of drinks consumed averages between 8 and 9 in the lower income group.

• Adult binge drinking is most common in the Midwest, New England, the District of Columbia, Alaska and Hawaii. However binge drinkers in the southern Mountain states (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah), Midwest, and some states where binge drinking is less common - including Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina - consume more drinks when they binge.

• Binge drinking is a costly and deadly behavior. Drinking too much, including binge drinking, is responsible for 80,000 deaths each year and cost the U.S. $223.5 billion in 2006, or $1.90 a drink. These costs include health care expenses, crime, and lost productivity.

• Evidence-based strategies exhibited every day by coalitions, can help prevent binge drinking. Binge drinking, defined as consuming four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men on an occasion, put themselves and others at risk for many health and social problems, including car crashes, other unintentional injuries, violence, liver disease, certain cancers, heart disease, sexually transmitted diseases, and both unintended and alcohol–exposed pregnancies.

“Binge drinking causes a wide range of health, social and economic problems and this report confirms the problem is really widespread,” CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. said in a news release. “We need to work together to implement proven measures to reduce binge drinking at national, state and community levels.”

“Binge drinking by adults has a huge public health impact, and influences the drinking behavior of underage youth by the example it sets,” said Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “We need to reduce binge drinking by adults to prevent the immediate and long–term effects it has on the health of adults and youth.”

Coalition Meetings at New Location

2012-01-10T11:52:00.002-05:00

The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (MCADC) meetings will be held in a new location in the Marshall County FRN's new office building located at 1501 Second Street in Moundsville, WV. The coalition will now meet in the FRN's new training room (door on the left) and as always lunch will be provided. Please remember to RSVP for all coalition meetings by emailing Jon Lewis at jon.lewis@marshallcountyfrn.com or call at (304) 845-3300. Our next meeting is the Quarterly Meeting with all three branches attending on March 2, 2012 at Noon.

AeroShot “Inhalable Caffeine” Linked to Binge Drinking and Other Health Risks

2012-01-05T15:57:00.000-05:00

Breathable caffeine dispensed from canisters that fit in pants pockets is a ‘club drug’ that may be dangerous to youth, according to New York Senator Charles Schumer. The senator wrote Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg asking her to review the safety and legality of the AeroShot Pure Energy caffeine inhaler, a yellow and gray canister of caffeine powder and B vitamins resembling a tube of lipstick. The inhaler is set to hit store shelves in New York and Boston next month.

AeroShot will be sold over the counter with no age restrictions and is touted for its convenience and zero calories. If taken with alcohol, the mixture may have effects similar to caffeinated alcohol drinks tied to hospitalizations in the past, Schumer said. Doctors say it may carry neurological and cardiovascular risks.

“The product is nothing more than a club drug designed to give users the ability to drink until they drop,” Schumer told The Washington Post.

The inhaler is sold online by Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Breathable Foods Inc. and The Lab Store, in Paris. AeroShot advertising in Europe focuses on drinking and partying, Schumer said in a statement, adding that he’s concerned it could be a health hazard to teens. The inhaler was created by David Edwards, a professor at Harvard University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, who also invented Le Whif, a calorie-free inhalable chocolate.

AeroShot delivers 100 milligrams of caffeine, the same amount in a large cup of coffee. The caffeine is absorbed in the mouth and digestive tract, not through the lungs, according to a fact sheet from Breathable Foods. AeroShot is priced at $2.99 and is not intended for anyone younger than 12, according to the product’s website.

The company’s claims are unsubstantiated, Schumer said, noting the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the non- medical use of caffeine by children and adolescents. The Elk Grove Village, Illinois-based doctor’s group wrote AeroShot’s manufacturer about concerns over caffeine’s effect on developing neurologic and cardiovascular systems and the potential for the product to exacerbate asthma. Their letter also raises concerns about the potential for the use of this product with alcohol, especially in light of the manner in which it is marketed.

Prevent Impaired Driving This Holiday Season

2011-12-28T13:11:00.000-05:00

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently kicked off a nationwide crackdown on drunk driving coinciding with the 2011 winter holiday season. New data show drunk-driving deaths declined in 2010 in many parts of the country. However, the data also show that fatalities from alcohol-impaired driving crashes continue to account for one in three deaths on American roadways each year.

"Safety is our focus year round at DOT. But this holiday season, we're stepping up our efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads and reminding Americans 'drive sober, or get pulled over,' " LaHood said in a news release. "We're making gains in our fight against drunk driving, but we cannot and will not let up."

New state-by-state data for 2010 released by the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show a decline in drunk driving fatalities in 32 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Compared with 2009, California and Florida saw the largest reductions — with each declining by more than 100 fatalities last year.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have outlawed driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. Yet NHTSA data show that last year, 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, including 415 during the second half of December alone.

The education and enforcement effort is the latest push in the Department's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign involving thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. The winter holiday enforcement crackdown is supported by a $7 million national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over advertisement campaign that started last Friday and goes through Jan. 2. The ads, which first premiered last summer, feature "invisible" law enforcement officers observing alcohol-impaired individuals and then apprehending them when they attempt to drive their vehicles. The ads are designed to raise awareness and support law enforcement activities in every state. They convey the message that law enforcement officers are vigilant in deterring drunk drivers. Due to the number of driving fatalities during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, President Barack Obama has declared December National Impaired Driving Prevention Month and set a national goal of reducing drugged driving by 10 percent by 2015.

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition Targets Youth in Marijuana Prevention Campaign

2011-12-20T12:59:00.001-05:00

Moundsville, WV – The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (MCADC) has launched a marijuana prevention campaign targeting youth in Marshall County. The campaign titled, “Don’t Get Defined,” focuses on youth making smart decisions when confronted with marijuana use.

The campaign includes a 15-second commercial, a billboard, and more than 200 posters distributed to local middle and high schools. John Marshall High School students in a video editing class created the 15-second commercial.

Marijuana remains the most popular drug among teens. Marijuana use increased for the fourth year in a row after a decade of decline. Nearly 7% of high school seniors report smoking marijuana daily, according to "Monitoring the Future," the nation's most comprehensive survey of teenage drug use.

"It's the highest percentage we have seen in about 30 years," said Jon Lewis, Drug Free Communities Coordinator. He added that this growing numbers of teens don't think marijuana is dangerous.

On the other hand, tobacco and alcohol use are at their lowest levels since the survey began in 1975, Lewis said. "Kids consider smoking cigarettes to be dangerous. They are staying away from it and I think this has a lot to do with all of the media campaigns against smoking.”

According to the survey, half of high school seniors reported having tried an illicit drug at some time, 40% reported using one or more drugs in the past year, and a quarter said they had used one or more drugs in the past month. Among 10th-graders, 38% said they had tried an illicit drug, the survey found.

To combat this growing problem for teens, the MCADC has developed a media campaign to try to educate youth that marijuana is not safe and not a smart decision. In addition to the campaign, the coalition hosted a two-day Highway Drug Interdiction Training last month for local law enforcement officials, and has provided Moundsville Police Department with funds to increase surveillance and patrols. The coalition will be hosting forums to help educate youth about the dangers and legal ramifications of marijuana use next year.

The MCADC is an initiative of the Marshall County FRN. The “Don’t Get Defined,” marijuana prevention campaign was paid for with Federal Drug Free Communities funds.

More Teens using Synthetic Drugs

2011-12-14T13:04:00.001-05:00

Nearly one in nine high school seniors have gotten high in the past year on synthetic drugs, such as "K2" or "Spice," second only to the number of teens who have used marijuana, a new survey shows.

"Monitoring the Future," the nation's most comprehensive survey of teenage drug use, found 11.4% of the high school seniors had used the synthetic substances, often packed as potpourri or herbal incense and sold in convenience stores, which mimic the effects of marijuana.

"It is astounding," said Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa. "I don't think they have any idea how dangerous these synthetic drugs are."

Latham co-sponsored a bill to outlaw 16 synthetic compounds that mimic marijuana and 15 synthetic hallucinogens after an Indianola teen shot himself after taking K2 in July 2010. Latham's bill passed last week. A Senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is awaiting action by the full Senate.

K2 and Spice emerged as a problem in 2008, and their popularity appears to be rising. Poison control centers handled 5,741 calls about the drugs in the first 10 months of 2011, nearly double the 2,915 calls received in all of 2010, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. People who smoke the chemical-coated herbs may experience euphoria, but bad reactions are common, including convulsions, anxiety attacks, dangerously elevated heart rates, vomiting and suicidal thoughts.

Federal officials became so alarmed that the Drug Enforcement Administration used its emergency powers in March to outlaw the substances. More than 40 states have also passed laws banning them.

"The next survey we do in spring 2012 will tell us a lot about how this ban has worked," said Lloyd Johnston, the survey's principal investigator.

"It's the highest rate we've seen in 30 years, so something is going on," Johnston said. He added that growing numbers of teens don't see marijuana as dangerous.

"That's a very bad indicator," said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Either we do something to change that, or we will continue to see increases."

Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office on National Drug Policy, said state legalization of marijuana for medical use is influencing teens.

"We're sending young people the wrong message when we call it medicine," he said.

Half of high school seniors reported having tried an illicit drug at some time, 40% reported using one or more drugs in the past year, and a quarter said they had used one or more drugs in the past month, the survey found. Among 10th-graders, 38% said they had tried an illicit drug.

Tobacco and alcohol use are at their lowest levels since the survey began in 1975, Johnston said. "Kids consider smoking (cigarettes) to be dangerous. They aren't even trying it," he said.

The survey, conducted by the University of Michigan, questions 47,000 students in the eighth, 10th and 12th grades in 400 public and private schools around the nation. It is sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institutes of Health.

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month

2011-12-14T11:49:00.000-05:00

President Barack Obama issued a proclamation naming December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, urging all Americans to make responsible decisions and take appropriate measures to prevent impaired driving:

Though we have made progress in the fight to reduce drunk driving, our Nation continues to suffer an unacceptable loss of life from traffic accidents that involve drugs, alcohol, and distracted driving. To bring an end to these heartbreaking outcomes, we must take action by promoting rigorous enforcement measures and effective substance abuse prevention programs. During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we recommit to preventing tragedy before it strikes by ensuring our family members and friends stay safe, sober, and drug-free on the road.

As we strive to reduce the damage drug use inflicts upon our communities, we must address the serious and growing threat drunk, drugged, and distracted driving poses to all Americans. Alcohol and drugs, both illicit and prescribed, can impair judgment, reaction time, motor skills, and memory, eroding a person's ability to drive safely and responsibly. Distracted driving, including the use of electronic equipment behind the wheel, can also put lives at risk. To confront these issues, my Administration is working to decrease the incidence of drugged driving by 10 percent over the next 5 years as part of our 2011 National Drug Control Strategy. We are collaborating with State and local governments to bolster enforcement efforts, implement more effective legislation, and support successful, evidence-based prevention programs. These ongoing initiatives are supplemented by our Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, which aims to deter impaired driving during the holiday season.

While enforcement and legislation are critical elements of our strategy, we know that the parents, educators, and community leaders who work with young people every day are our Nation's best advocates for responsible decision-making.

Research suggests that younger drivers are particularly susceptible to the hazards of drugged driving. To help our families and communities build awareness about impaired driving, my Administration released a toolkit that includes information about drugged driving, discussion guides, and tip sheets for preventing driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Appalachian States See Increase in Marijuana

2011-12-09T13:23:00.000-05:00

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Appalachian states have seen an increase in marijuana production, and a federal drug official said Thursday that a sour economy may have turned some people in need of cash to the clandestine crop.

Ed Shemelya, head of marijuana eradication for the Office of National Drug Control Policy's efforts in Appalachia, said helicopter spotters and ground crews found and cut more than 1.1 million plants worth some $2 billion in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia during the 2011 growing season.

That was an increase of more than 100,000 plants over 2010.

Shemelya estimated that local, state and federal authorities rooted out roughly half of the marijuana being grown in the impoverished central Appalachian region where, he said, economic woes are fueling cultivation.

"It is no secret that all three states have been adversely impacted by economic problems," he said. "The only thing that really separates them is the state line. There's not a lot of opportunity, and when things get really, really tough, people gravitate toward marijuana cultivation."

Shemelya said authorities confiscated 550,000 plants in Tennessee, 385,000 in Kentucky and 185,000 in West Virginia. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates the street value of an average mature plant at $2,000.

"It's hugely profitable, and that's why we continue to deal with it year after year," Shemelya said.

Marijuana growers in Appalachia, Shemelya said, can be hard-core criminals or hard-luck entrepreneurs supplementing their income. Most of the crops that authorities find in the region are less than 100 plants, which can easily be tended by a single grower.

The region, a haven for moonshiners during Prohibition, has a near-perfect climate for marijuana cultivation, plus remote forests that help growers to camouflage their crops.

Sociologist Roy Silver, a New York City native who has spent 30 years in central Appalachia, said several factors are at play, including the economy of a region that he said was suffering long before the national recession.

"Generally speaking, if people go to an alternative means of sustaining their family, if there's not employment opportunities, it's more likely that they turn to the illegal underground economy," Silver said.

Authorities point to stricter border controls that have made it more difficult to import pot from Mexico. They say that has pushed up demand for domestically grown marijuana at a time when law enforcement authorities are being pinched by budget cuts.

Shemelya said investigators were being told early in the year that growers believed those budget cuts would mean fewer spotters in the air over Appalachia and fewer cutters on the mountainsides, making this an opportune time for growers to plant.

"All the law enforcement agencies of the three states are feeling the fiscal impacts of our economy," he said. "And I am amazed by the quality of work that's being done. We do our very best to get everything, and work diligently to find it, identify who is cultivating it, and arrest those we can."

Early Intervention Program Reduces Youth Substance Abuse in WV

2011-12-08T11:25:00.001-05:00

A pilot program in Logan and Mercer counties is cutting down on youth substance abuse in the Mountain State. WV’s Substance Abuse Early Intervention Program (EIP) targets youth ages 12-18 who have just begun to use alcohol, tobacco, or other substances and/or are engaging in delinquent behavior often associated with substance use. Since its inception in 2010, 65 youth have completed the program, which enhances accurate understanding of the risks of alcohol, tobacco, & other drug (ATOD) use and develops ATOD refusal skills.

The program also provides an alternative option for youth who may be on their way into the juvenile justicesystem. “WV’s Early Intervention Program is appropriate for youth who fall BETWEEN the stages of needing primary prevention services and those who need actual substance abuse treatment,” says Jamie Albert, WV EIP Statewide Coordinator. “Youth in need of counseling, therapy or other treatment services are NOT appropriate candidates for the EIP.” Youth are referred to the local programs by the WV Department of Health & Human Resources (WV DHHR), school personnel, the court system, and parents. EIP Specialists conduct a screening assessment with referred youth to confirm eligibility to participate. Youth who opt to participate and their parents attend separate two-hour orientation sessions. Youth then experience a 12 hour evidence-based prevention education course. Classes are usually six two-hour sessions over a two week period. The curriculum addresses the consequences of substance use and decision making skills. A parenting and wellness workshop
is also available to parents.

WV’s EIP is based on a similar statewide initiative in Kentucky, which has proven to prevent teen substance use. A recent evaluation report on the pilot programs in Logan and Mercer counties confirms increased risk perceptions of substance abuse, increased disapproval substance abuse, and decreased intentions to further use drugs. The report is available at http://www.prevnet.org/earlyintervention/default.aspx.

WV’s EIP is funded by Drug Free WV grants (Purdue Pharma Asset Forfeiture Funds) and a federal Projects of Regional and National Significance grant. The program is administered by the WV Prevention Resource Center, an affiliate of Marshall University. Local contractors facilitate the EIP at the county level.

Chewing Tobacco Not Allowed by Major League Baseball Players

2011-12-02T08:33:00.000-05:00

This week, Major League Baseball announced it would no longer allow the use of chewing tobacco when fans are present, ending a longstanding tradition, but pleasing health advocates who say it’s a long overdue social norm change.

Since baseball became a professional sport in the mid-19th century, players and coaches have been tucking tobacco between their gums and cheeks and spitting out brown saliva. It's a ritual that has permeated the game.

Senate leaders and health officials have been calling on Major League Baseball to get tough on tobacco. Dr. Cynthia Simmons, Arlington, Texas’ public health authority, and Pamela Walker, her counterpart in St. Louis, Mo., asked their respective hometown baseball players to refrain from using smokeless tobacco throughout the recent World Series and asked the MLB Players Association to discuss a ban on smokeless tobacco in the 2012 contract negotiations. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig promised anti-tobacco groups that he would propose a ban on smokeless tobacco during 2012 contract talks.

Prevention advocates say a big part of the problem is that young people aren’t aware of the dangers posed by spit tobacco and many believe it’s safer than smoking cigarettes. However, research shows that spit tobacco can be as harmful as cigarettes. In fact, according to Tobaccofacts.org, a person who uses eight to 10 dips or chews of tobacco a day receives the same amount of nicotine as a heavy smoker who smokes 30 to 40 cigarettes a day. The American Cancer Society notes that oral tobacco can cause cancer of the mouth, pancreas, and esophagus, in addition to many other health problems, such as gum disease, destruction of the bone sockets around the teeth, and tooth loss.

The practice is such a problem among the communities that CADCA member-coalitions across West Virginia have joined forces to launch a campaign that aims to cut down on spit tobacco use—a growing problem in West Virginia. The campaign, "Save Face: Stop Spit Tobacco," counters the tobacco industry’s century-old advertising strategy to market their products by painting barns in rural areas.

Greg Puckett, Executive Director of West Virginia’s Community Connections, says this week’s news of the Major Leagues prohibiting players from using “snuff” is probably the best news he has heard about tobacco in the past several years.

“This is a huge environmental change shift, affecting fans of Major League Baseball and raising the bar for fans and players all the way down to the Little League,” Puckett said.

Rural Teens Who Volunteer, Help Others Have Lower Levels of Substance Use

2011-11-21T15:44:00.001-05:00

Young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 report the highest rates of substance use and dependence, according to the National Survey on Drug Use & Health. A new study from the University of Missouri found that rural adolescents who engage in pro-social behaviors, such as volunteering and helping others, are less likely to use substances as young adults.

Gustavo Carlo, Millsap Professor of Diversity in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, examined data from surveys given to a group of rural youths from junior high school to young adulthood. Carlo found that pro-social behaviors serve as protective factors against adolescents engaging in risky behaviors. Thus, teens who engage in more pro-social behaviors are less likely to get drunk or use marijuana as young adults.

"Pro-social behaviors are good for society and communities, but also they are a marker of moral development," Carlo said. "Parents want their kids to be kind, selfless, considerate and respectful. We now have evidence that these pro-social behaviors make adolescents less likely to break moral codes and engage in illegal activities like getting drunk and smoking marijuana."

The study focused on rural youths because previous research indicates they may be more apt to use illicit substances earlier, putting them at risk for developing addiction problems as adults. Rural communities tend to be more spread out, making it difficult for adolescents to get transportation to events and activities. In addition, rural communities often have less access to recreation centers, spaces for meetings, volunteers to run programs and funding for organized activities.

"There is a tendency for youths to take part in risky behaviors if they are not engaged in positive, structured activities," Carlo said. "Many rural communities have suffered from the economic downturn and are unable to offer opportunities for youth activities. Financial stress can also affect the psychological health of parents making them less cognizant of how children spend their time."

Carlo says the research has important implications for substance use prevention and intervention programs aimed at teens.

"Research shows that prevention programs are more effective and economical," Carlo said. "If we can develop programs that foster pro-social behaviors, we know the programs will decrease the likelihood that adolescents will use substances in adulthood.

The study, "The Longitudinal Relationships Between Rural Adolescents' Pro-social Behaviors and Young Adult Substance Use," was published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

NIDA Study Finds Sustained Buprenorphine/Naloxone Effective at Treating Painkiller Abuse

2011-11-16T12:26:00.000-05:00

People addicted to prescription painkillers reduce their opioid abuse when given sustained treatment with the medication buprenorphine plus naloxone (Suboxone), according to research published in yesterday’s Archives of General Psychiatry and conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. The study, which was the first randomized large scale clinical trial using a medication for the treatment of prescription opioid abuse, also showed that the addition of intensive opioid dependence counseling provided no added benefit.

"The study suggests that patients addicted to prescription opioid painkillers can be effectively treated in primary care settings using Suboxone," said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D. "However, once the medication was discontinued, patients had a high rate of relapse — so, more research is needed to determine how to sustain recovery among patients addicted to opioid medications."

Pain medications are beneficial when used as prescribed, but they have significant abuse liability, especially when taken for non-medical reasons. This study examined whether the FDA-approved medication Suboxone could help combat this growing problem. Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine to reduce opioid craving plus naloxone, which causes withdrawal symptoms in someone addicted to opioids if Suboxone were taken by a route other than orally, as prescribed. This combination was specifically designed to prevent abuse and diversion of buprenorphine and was one of the first to be eligible for prescribing under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act, which permits specially trained physicians to prescribe certain FDA approved medications for the treatment of opioid addiction.

In the study, more than 600 treatment-seeking outpatients addicted to prescription opioids received Suboxone in combination with brief standard medical management, in which physicians evaluated treatment effectiveness and recommended abstinence and self-help participation. Half of the participants also received varying intensities of addiction counseling as provided by trained substance abuse or mental health professionals.

Results showed that approximately 49 percent of participants reduced prescription painkiller abuse during extended (at least 12-week) Suboxone treatment. This success rate dropped to 8.6 percent once Suboxone was discontinued. Reductions in prescription painkiller abuse were seen regardless of whether or not the patient reported suffering chronic pain, and participants who received intensive addiction counseling did not show better outcomes when compared to those who did not receive this additional counseling.

The study can be found online at http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archgenpsychiatry.2011.121

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition Hosts Training for Law Enforcement

2011-11-09T12:07:00.001-05:00

Moundsville, WV – The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (MCADC) hosted two Highway Drug Interdiction trainings for law enforcement on October 24 -25 and October 26 – 27 at the Moundsville Training Center. The Highway Interdiction Training Specialists (HITS) based out of Texas presented the trainings.

Law enforcement from across 6 counties attended the training sessions, including; 23 law enforcement that attended the “Criminal Patrol/Drug Interdiction” course on October 24 – 25. As well as, 26 law enforcement in attendance for the “Advanced Roadside Interview Techniques For Patrol Officers” course on October 26 – 27. Each two-day course credited law enforcement attendees with 16 CEU hours for their continued education requirements. “First of all, I would like to thank the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition for sponsoring this invaluable training for law enforcement officers responsible for the safety of the community,” said Ronnie Stiltner, HITS Training Specialist.

“The training that Highway Interdiction Training Specialists Inc. provided to the officers from Marshall County and the surrounding area will play an instrumental role in how the police continue to impact the drug problem from a patrol perspective. The courses taught to these officers provides them with the training they need in order to detect drug offenses as well as other criminal activity that a person may be trying to conceal when contacted or stopped for a traffic offense,” said Stiltner.

Literally hundreds of thousands of patrol officers throughout the country conduct traffic stops on a daily basis. In fact, traffic enforcement is one of the most important public services performed by uniformed patrol officers. The majority of those motorists that are stopped are productive citizens of the community who have merely committed a traffic infraction. However, the remaining traffic stops involve those who are committing crime. The officer is tasked with conducting positive encounters with motorists as well as challenged with apprehending those who are committing unlawful acts. Many of these unlawful acts are not readily evident and require awareness and interview skills by the officer to uncover or detect the criminal activity; without those skills the officer is apt to unknowingly release those who are committing crime.

“The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition recognizes that there are many ways to help prevent substance abuse in our community. We know that working with law enforcement to better recognize those who may be transporting drugs into our community is an important issue,” said Jon Lewis, Drug Free Communities Coordinator.

Throughout the trainings, officers learned effective ways to communicate with people and to watch for deceptive behavior that allows them to assess someone for criminal activity. They also gained an understanding of the pervasive drug problem and proven techniques that allow them to seize drugs and arrest those responsible for making them available. The techniques and understanding that the officers received provides a professional law enforcement approach to the drug problem in the area.

“Officers will be able to go back to their respective agencies and immediately apply the training that will show for itself with positive results,” said Stiltner. “The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition is a great example of how law enforcement and the community work together to solve problems. I would like to thank everyone for an excellent training session. The officers were outstanding and greatly participated in answering questions and getting involved in the discussions during class.”

The HITS Specialists were paid for with Federal Drug Free Communities funds.

NIH Releases Clinician’s Guide for Screening Underage Drinkers

2011-10-28T09:44:00.000-04:00

Based on just two questions from a newly released guide, health care professionals could spot children and teenagers at risk for alcohol-related problems. “Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Youth: A Practitioner's Guide,” is now available from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Developed in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics, clinical researchers, and health practitioners, the guide introduces a two-question screening tool and an innovative youth alcohol risk estimator to help clinicians overcome time constraints and other common barriers to youth alcohol screening.

"We know that alcohol is by far the drug of choice among youth," NIAAA acting director Kenneth R. Warren, said. "Underage drinking is also a marker for other unhealthy behaviors and it often goes undetected. This new tool was designed to allow busy practitioners who manage the health and well-being of children and adolescents to conduct fast, effective alcohol screens and brief interventions."

Research has shown that over the course of adolescence, the proportion of youth who have had more than just a few sips of alcohol increases dramatically, from 7 percent of 12-year-olds to nearly 70 percent of 18-year-olds. Binge drinking is dangerous and common, and increases with age. Underage drinking is associated with many adverse outcomes, ranging from immediate consequences such as academic and social problems, injuries, and death, to longer-term consequences including increased risk for alcohol dependence as well as potentially enduring functional and structural changes in the brain.

To develop the shortest possible screening tool with the strongest evidence for predicting current and future alcohol problems in youth, NIAAA convened a working group of researchers to conduct extensive analyses of underage drinking data. Their analyses indicated that just two questions, one that asks about friends' drinking, and another that asks about personal drinking frequency, had the greatest predictive power. Examples of these questions, which vary slightly for elementary, middle, and high school ages, include:

• Friends' drinking: "Do you have any friends who drank beer, wine, or any drink containing alcohol in the past year?"

• Personal drinking: "How about you--in the past year, on how many days have you had more than a few sips of beer, wine, or any drink containing alcohol?"

The friends' drinking question is an early warning signal that strongly predicts future drinking levels, while the personal drinking question is the best predictor of current risk for alcohol-related harm in adolescents who are already drinking. These questions can be asked quickly, an extremely important factor for clinicians and their patients.

In addition to the new two-question screen, the guide presents the first youth alcohol risk estimator chart, which combines information about a patient's age and drinking frequency to give a clinician a broad indication of the patient's chances for having alcohol-related problems. Coupled with what a clinician already knows about a patient, the risk estimator can help determine the depth and content of the clinician's response. The guide outlines different levels of intervention, with tips for topics to cover. It also presents an overview of brief motivational interviewing, an interactive, youth-friendly intervention that is considered to have the best potential effectiveness for the adolescent population.

“Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Youth: A Practitioner's Guide,” and its accompanying pocket-sized version, can be downloaded or ordered from the NIAAA website. It can also be ordered from NIAAA by calling 301-443-3860.

FRN Launches Smart Disposal Campaign in Region

2011-10-19T13:08:00.001-04:00

Moundsville W.Va - The Marshall County Family Resource Network (FRN) has launched a campaign to promote the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Oct. 29. The Safe Storage. Smart Disposal campaign is launching in 16 counties throughout the region as part of the United in Prevention Project. The focus of the effort is to get commonly abused prescription drugs out of circulation.

The campaign focuses on safe and responsible ways to store and dispose of prescription drugs. It also highlights the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Oct. 29 from 10am – 2pm. On this day, the community can take any expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs to local collection sites for disposal. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Marshall County has four collection sites including the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Moundsville Police Department, WV State Police Detachment, and the Cameron Volunteer Fire Department.

“Many people do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – this can have harmful effects to our water supply and pose a public safety issue. The Safe Storage. Smart Disposal Campaign encourages participation in the Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and highlights responsible ways to store and dispose of prescription drugs at home,” said Jon Lewis, drug free communities coordinator at the FRN.
More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Each day, approximately, 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet.

“Many people are unaware that the medicines in their home cabinets are highly susceptible to theft and misuse. Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing problem for our youth, and take-back events like this one are an indispensable tool for reducing the circulation of these commonly abused drugs,” said Lewis.

For more information on prescription drug abuse, the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, or The Safe Storage. Smart Disposal. Campaign, please visit United in Prevention’s website at www.unitedinprevention.com.

The FRN’s United in Prevention Project includes 16 counties: Brooke, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Hancock, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler, Wetzel, Wirt, and Wood Counties. This effort is the first of its kind to mobilize these counties in a unified force working for substance abuse prevention programs and practices. United in Prevention is funded by the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.

The Marshall County FRN is a non-profit organization that is helping to make Marshall County a better place to live and work. For more information on the FRN or United in Prevention, please contact the Marshall County FRN at (304) 845-3300 or visit www.marshallcountyfrn.com.

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition Dedicates Rx Return to Moundsville Police Department

2011-10-18T12:38:00.004-04:00

Moundsville, WV – The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (MCADC) dedicated a permanent prescription drug drop off box, named “Rx Return,” to the Moundsville Police Department on Thursday, October 13. The MCADC and the Moundsville Police Department have partnered to provide the community with a safe and responsible way to return unused, unwanted or expired prescription drugs for disposal.

The misuse of prescription medications that are intended for treating many health conditions has become the leading cause of prescription drug abuse—making prescription pain reliever medications one of the leading abused substances nationwide, second only to marijuana. “We are working together to combat this problem. We have a common goal and that is to educate the community on ways to properly dispose of prescription drugs,” said Moundsville Police Chief, Tom Mitchell. “We appreciate the coalition working with us and purchasing the Rx Return for the community.”

Prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed in recent years, affecting people of all ages and demographics. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), treatment admissions for prescription drug abuse had increased by 400% within the past decade, and hospital emergency department visits related to prescription drug misuse rose by 111% in four years. More than half of Americans who abuse prescription drugs received the medications from a friend or family member.

“Unfortunately, these abused medications are quite often easily obtained from the medicine cabinet,” said Jon Lewis, MCADC Coordinator. According to the Partnership for a Drug-free America, many teens believe prescription drugs are a safe way to get high; teens who wouldn't otherwise touch illicit drugs are abusing prescription drugs. “As adults, parents, and caregivers, we need to be mindful of this harmful trend. It is important that we keep track of our medications both location and quantity and dispose of these medications when they are no longer needed,” said Lewis.

The Rx Return is located at the Moundsville Police Department at 608 Tomlinson Ave., Moundsville. Items that are acceptable to return are prescription and over-the-counter medications. Certain items cannot be accepted in the Rx Return, including; needles, aerosol cans, and leaking liquid containers. The Rx Return is open to anyone in the community, no questions asked.

The MCADC is part of the United in Prevention Project, led by the Marshall County FRN and funded by the Substance Abuse Prevention Services and Treatment (SAPT) Grant. United in Prevention is a sixteen county initiative to reduce substance abuse in each community.

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CDC Report Shows about 112 Million Annual Incidents of People Drinking and Driving

2011-10-11T09:06:00.002-04:00

Adults drank too much and got behind the wheel about 112 million times in 2010—that is almost 300,000 incidents of drinking and driving each day—according to a CDC Vital Signs study released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The four million adults who drink and drive each year put everyone on the road at risk,” CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden said in a news release. “In fact, nearly 11,000 people are killed every year in crashes that involve an alcohol–impaired driver.”

For the study, CDC analyzed data from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey.

The study also found that:

• Men were responsible for 81 percent of drinking and driving in 2010.

• Young men, ages 21–34, made up only 11 percent of the U.S. population in 2010, yet were responsible for 32 percent of all episodes of drinking and driving.

• Eighty–five percent of drinking and driving episodes were reported by people who also reported binge drinking. Binge drinking means five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women during a short period of time. Linda C. Degutis, director of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, recommended the following coalition strategies to prevent alcohol–impaired driving:

• Sobriety checkpoints: At sobriety checkpoints drivers are stopped to assess their level of alcohol impairment. According to the Transportation Research Board, more widespread, frequent use of these checkpoints could save about 1,500 to 3,000 lives on the road each year.

• Minimum legal drinking age laws: These laws prohibit selling alcohol to people under age 21 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Keeping 21 as the minimum legal drinking age helps keep young, inexperienced drivers from drinking and driving.

• Ignition interlocks: These devices prevent drivers who were convicted of alcohol–impaired driving from operating their vehicles if they have been drinking. Interlocks are effective in reducing re–arrest rates from drinking and driving by about two–thirds while the device is on the vehicle.

A policy issue brief, "Policy Impact: Alcohol–Impaired Driving," features more information on state policies to prevent alcohol–impaired driving. For a copy of this data brief, visitwww.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/alcoholbrief.

Radio Alcohol Ads Still Reaching Youth

2011-09-26T14:05:00.001-04:00

A new study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that youth ages 12-20 were more likely per capita than adults to hear 32 percent of alcohol advertising placements.

According to the study, almost one out of 11 alcohol radio ads in 75 markets across the nation in 2009 failed to comply with the industry's voluntary standard for the placement of advertising. In 2003, trade groups for beer and distilled spirits committed to placing alcohol ads in media venues only when underage youth comprise less than or equal to 30 percent of the audience, since 30 percent of the audience is 20 years old or younger. The CAMY analysis found that 9 percent of the ads in 75 markets that account for almost 50 percent of radio listeners age 12 and older failed to meet the industry standards.

Based on its study, CAMY stated that it supports calls by The National Research Council, the Institute of Medicine and 24 state attorneys general that the industry implements a more stringent standard and meet a “proportional” 15 percent placement standard, given the fact that the group most at risk for underage drinking – 12 to 20 year-olds – is approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population.

“A nine percent failure rate for an already weak standard means that a significant number of young people are being overexposed to alcohol advertising on the radio,” said Dr. David Jernigan, CAMY director in a news release. “Reducing the voluntary standard to 15 percent would go a long way to keeping our young people safe and away from the undue influence of alcohol marketing.”

For this report, CAMY analyzed alcohol advertisements placed on the radio in the 75 local markets in the United States in 2009 for which full-year data from a consistent survey methodology were available. These markets represent 46.5 percent of the U.S. population age 12 and above.

California Becomes First State to Prohibit Sale of Cough Medicines Containing DXM to Minors

2011-09-06T12:47:00.001-04:00

This week, California became the first state to prohibit the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines containing the active ingredient dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors. The legislation, SB 514, authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), was signed into law Wednesday.

DXM is a safe and effective ingredient found in more than 100 OTC cough and cold products. But while millions of Americans rely on DXM-containing medicines for relief from cough symptoms, some teens abuse large amounts of cough medicine containing dextromethorphan – sometimes as much as 25 to 50 times the recommended dose – to get high.

CADCA and its long-time partner, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), have been trying to educate families and communities about the dangers of abusing DXM for many years, including developing a toolkit about this problem, entitled A Dose of Prevention: Stopping Cough Medicine Abuse Before It Starts, in 2007.

“The makers of over-the-counter cough medicines never want to see products abused or misused in any way. We take very seriously our obligation to educate and raise awareness about cough medicine abuse among teens,” said CHPA President and CEO Scott M. Melville. “This unprecedented action by California lawmakers will help address medicine abuse and sets a high standard that we would ultimately like to see enacted nationwide.”

For more tools about this issue and to get involved in CADCA’s current campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of medicine abuse, CADCA 50 Challenge, visit www.preventrxabuse.org.

CASA Columbia Releases 2011 Teen Survey: National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVI: Teens and Parents

2011-08-26T09:32:00.000-04:00

This week, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University released the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVI: Teens and Parents. This year’s survey reveals that teens who regularly use social networking sites are at increased risk of smoking, drinking and using drugs. The survey finds that compared to teens who in a typical day do not spend any time on a social networking site, those who do are five times likelier to use tobacco, three times likelier to use alcohol, and twice as likely to use marijuana.

The CASA Columbia survey also reveals that 40 percent of all teens surveyed have seen pictures on Facebook, Myspace or other social networking sites of kids getting drunk, passed out, or using drugs and kids who have seen such pictures at also at increased substance abuse risk.

This year’s survey explored teen TV viewing habits in relation to teen substance abuse and found that compared to teens that do not watch suggestive teen programming, those who do are likelier to smoke, drink and use drugs.

According to Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA Columbia’s Founder and Chairman and Former U.S. Secretary for Health, Education, and Welfare: “The relationship of social networking site images of kids drunk, passed out, or using drugs and of suggestive teen programming to increased teen risk of substance abuse offers grotesque confirmation of the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. The time has come for those who operate and profit from social networking sites like Facebook to deploy their technological expertise to curb such images and to deny use of their sites to children and teens who post pictures of themselves and their friends drunk, passed out or using drugs. Continuing to provide the electronic vehicle for transmitting such images constitutes electronic child abuse.”

CADCA Responds to National Poll Showing Drug Abuse Ties Childhood Obesity as Top Health Concern

2011-08-18T16:07:00.000-04:00

This week, the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital released the results of its 5th annual national poll, in which Americans rated drug abuse and childhood obesity as the top health concerns for our nation’s youth.

“With drug use increasing by 9 percent in one year, it’s only natural that Americans are now waking up to the fact that this is a major public health concern that requires our immediate attention. We’ve always believed that substance abuse can and does have a major impact on children and youth, but this new survey confirms that it’s now on the radar screen of average Americans, said CADCA Chairman and CEO, Gen. Arthur T. Dean, in a media statement.

“This shift in perception is consistent with the findings of various national surveys showing a rise in overall drug use among those 12 and older, and in marijuana use among 12- to 17-year-olds. I hope this sends a message to our nation’s lawmakers that preventing and reducing drug abuse must continue to be a top national priority.”

The poll asked adults to rate 23 different health concerns for kids in our communities, ranging from drug abuse, alcohol abuse and smoking to bullying, internet safety and teen pregnancy. One-third of adults (33 percent) rated drug abuse as “a big problem” for kids, making it the number one health concern along with childhood obesity.

Among the other concerns that ranked in the top ten were smoking and tobacco use (25 percent), teen pregnancy (24 percent) and alcohol abuse (20 percent).

Mid-Year Session Will Consider Social Norms Campaigns for Coalitions

2011-08-01T15:23:00.000-04:00

Everyone else is doing it.” At least that is what many youth and young adults believe when they engage in risky behaviors including substance abuse practices, particularly when they live in college communities.

Current research is mixed on the effectiveness of applying marketing practices to social norms campaigns in collegiate environments, and practically no research has been conducted on the efficacy of social norms marketing among middle school and high school students. CADCA, through a course offered by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), helps demystify the research surrounding these interventions and how they fit into a comprehensive set of population-level change strategies in “Community/College Interventions to Reduce Alcohol Misuse” on Thursday, July 28 from 9 a.m. to noon at CADCA’s 2011 Mid-Year Training Institute, July 24-28 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Anaheim, Calif.

Social norms represent people’s attitudes and expectations toward certain behaviors and activities with the context of a specific social environment. According to Bill DeJong Ph.D., professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health and co-trainer for “Community/College Interventions to Reduce Alcohol Misuse,” college students tend to overestimate the use of alcohol among their peers, leaving many unaware of the gap between the actual drinking norms and perceived drinking norms of their community.

Because of this disparity, some research suggests that social norms marketing campaigns and normative feedback interventions can help correct this misperception to reduce dangerous habits among college students by using strong survey data to identify clear patterns of healthy behavioral norms.

“Many young people enter college believing that the vast majority of students drinks heavily,” DeJong said. “The perceptions we carry around about what others do can serve as major drivers of our decisions. Fact-based, social norms interventions can provide students with accurate norms data to help reduce alcohol use and promote safe behaviors among students.”

DeJong believes social norms marketing can be helpful in supporting environmental policy change and that the two approaches must operate together to have a significant impact. He says that the actual number of students that support policy changes is often much higher than most students perceive the number to be, particularly in relation to stricter enforcement of policies around alcohol-related violence. The pairing of multiple strategies provides a comprehensive approach for community-level change.

“Using social norms strategies to make people aware of the fact that the majority does engage in healthy and responsible behavior can set the stage for environmental strategies, especially if we collect data about student support for policy change and other programs,” DeJong said. “Environmental strategies are also a way for the community to declare its expectations.”

While research remains limited outside of higher education institutions, DeJong also believes social norms successes hold positive implications for non-collegiate communities and younger target audiences by using data to get out the message that most young people are making healthy choices. He also indicates that social norms do not need to be narrowly applied to youth, but also parents and other influential community members whose behaviors affect the culture of a community.

“For example, parents may think that, while they wouldn't mind getting a call from a parent whose child has been invited to a party at their home to check on whether adults are monitoring the party, other parents would mind receiving such a call, and therefore they don't check,” DeJong said. “A social norms campaign could be used to correct that misperception and thereby contribute to creating a safer social environment for youth.”

CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute is the only intensive, coalition-specific training opportunity of its kind, providing in-depth courses specifically designed to address a community leader’s biggest concerns and obstacles. “CADCA + Coalitions = Formula for Community Change,” the theme of CADCA’s 2011 Mid-Year Training Institute, provides an opportunity for you to attend a variety of lecture and “lab” sessions to expand your knowledge in prevention science and improve your skills in implementing evidence-based strategies. These in-depth courses are relevant for established as well as emerging coalitions. Half-day to two-day courses have been planned.

Study Connects Binge Drinking to Advertising

2011-07-15T08:35:00.001-04:00

Advertising effectively promotes alcohol brands to teens, researchers from Dartmouth Medical School and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found in a study published in this month’s issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Dartmouth pediatricians Susanne Tanski, Auden McClure and James Sargent found a correlation between alcohol companies’ annual advertising expenditures and underage drinkers’ preferred brands in the study “Alcohol Brand Preference and Binge Drinking among Adolescents.”

The researchers also found that respondents who said they had a favorite brand were significantly more likely to report having engaged in binge drinking than those who did not specify a favorite. “

Youths chose distilled spirit brands in large numbers, brands preferred by youth have tended to have high advertising expenditures, and choosing a favorite brand was associated with binge drinking,” the researchers concluded.

“The important take-home message is that kids who said they have a favorite brand were far more likely to binge drink,” Tanski said in a Dartmouth news release.

Two-thirds of those surveyed said they had a favorite brand of alcohol, with Smirnoff and Budweiser leading as the first and second favorite brands among women, respectively, and Budweiser and Smirnoff as the first and second favorite brands among men.

The correlation between binge drinking and brand favoritism “suggests that the ‘drink responsibly’ message is being swamped by other advertising messages that associate alcohol brands with partying and drinking to excess,” Tanski said, citing a recent Captain Morgan rum commercial as an example.

Future studies will also measure brand consumption, according to David Jernigan, an author of the study and associate professor at the Bloomberg School. He told The Dartmouth that half of the respondents chose a distilled spirits brand as their drink of choice.

"A Time for Action: Preventing Underage Drinking in West Virginia"

2011-07-12T11:38:00.005-04:00

"A Time for Action: Preventing Underage Drinking in West Virginia"

With production support provided through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), the following States and Territories have created videos that highlight their local challenges and successes in preventing underage drinking. CSAP will be providing video production support to additional States and Territories during the next 3 years. You can view completed videos by clicking on the links below or by visiting this SAMHSA YouTube page. See the audience and messagematrix at the end of the video list to help select videos of particular interest.

Click here to watch "A Time for Action: Preventing Underage Drinking in West Virginia."

Alaska
Underage Drinking Prevention in Alaska: A Collective Responsibility (WMV - 16:45 min)
Arkansas
Underage Drinking Prevention in Arkansas (WMV - 8:44 min)
Colorado #1
Underage Drinking: It's an Adult Problem (WMV - 2:00 min)
Colorado #2
Underage Drinking: It's an Adult Problem (WMV - 3:04 min)
Colorado #3
Underage Drinking: It's an Adult Problem (WMV - 2:29 min)
Connecticut
Connecticut and Underage Drinking: Partnering for Prevention (WMV - 9:03 min)
Delaware
Time to Re-Think Teens and Drink© (WMV - 6:36 min)
Florida
Building a Wall Between Teens and Alcohol (WMV - 5:00 min)
Georgia
Taking Action on Preventing Underage Drinking in Georgia (WMV - 7:20 min)
Guam
Fan Mak Måta (Wake Up!): Underage Drinking is a MAJOR Minor Problem (WMV - 13:25 min)
Iowa
Time for Action: Preventing Underage Drinking in Iowa (WMV - 12:39 min)
Kentucky
Kentucky’s Parents & Youths: Partners in Preventing Underage Drinking (WMV - 7:40 min)
Louisiana
Underage Drinking Prevention in Louisiana (WMV - 12:35 min)
Mississippi
Underage Drinking Prevention in Mississippi: A Collective Perspective (WMV - 12:26 min)
Missouri
Prevention of Underage Drinking in Missouri (WMV - 5:12 min)
Montana
Keep Talking, Montana: You Can Prevent Underage Drinking (WMV - 10:40 min)
Nebraska
The Power of Prevention: Nebraska Communities Take Action (WMV - 10:35 min)
New York
Underage Drinking Prevention: Taking Action in New York (WMV - 15:40 min)
Oklahoma (Video #1 — Youth)
Underage Drinking: What a Waste (WMV - 5:43 min)
Oklahoma (Video #2 — Adults)
Underage Drinking: What You Can Do (WMV - 9:09 min)
Texas
Underage Drinking: A Problem as Big as Texas (WMV - 16:42 min)
Utah
Preventing Underage Alcohol Use in Utah: Statewide Collaboration, Local Action (WMV - 11:38 min)
Vermont
Prevention Works, When we work together (WMV - 10:22 min)
Virgin Islands (Video #1)
It's Our Responsibility: Talking With Your Kids About Alcohol (WMV - 6:12 min)
Virgin Islands (Video #2)
the courage to Say "No": Teens in the Territory Wait Until the Legal Age to Drink (WMV - 4:21 min)
Washington
Underage Drinking in Washington: Something to Talk About (WMV - 8:12 min)
West Virginia
A Time for Action: Preventing Underage Drinking in West Virginia (WMV - 14:35 min)
Wyoming
Underage Drinking Prevention in Wyoming: a Call To Action (WMV - 10:12 min)

Study Shows Drugged Driving is Prevalent

2011-07-08T08:09:00.001-04:00

USA Today reports that drivers who die in crashes test positive for drugs 25 percent of the time, a new study finds.

Researchers examined data on more than 44,000 drivers in single-vehicle crashes who died between 1999 and 2009. They found that 24.9 percent tested positive for drugs and 37 percent had blood-alcohol levels in excess of 0.08, the legal limit. Fifty-eight percent had no alcohol in their systems; 5 percent had less than 0.08.

Study co-authors Eduardo Romano and Robert Voas of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Calverton, Md., told the paper that their study is one of the first to show the prevalence of drug use among fatally injured drivers. Among drivers who tested positive for drugs, 22 percent were positive for marijuana, 22 percent for stimulants and 9 percent for narcotics.

CASA Calls Teen Substance Use America's No. 1 Problem

2011-07-01T15:06:00.001-04:00

This week the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University released a report calling teen substance use the worst public health problem in America.

CASA’s national study declares teen smoking, drinking, misusing prescription drugs and using illegal drugs a public health problem of epidemic proportions. The report reviews current knowledge of the science of addiction as a complex brain disease with origins in adolescence, documents how adolescence is the critical period for the initiation of substance use, and reveals the enormous and costly health and social consequences of teen substance use.

The study looks at how American culture increases the risk that teens will use addictive substances and how the messages sent by adults, and glamorized by the tobacco and alcohol industries and the media, normalize substance use and undermine the health and futures of our teens.

Highlights from the report include:

•90 percent of Americans who meet the medical criteria for addiction started smoking, drinking, or using other drugs before age 18.

•1 in 4 Americans who began using any addictive substance before age 18 developed an addiction, compared to 1 in 25 Americans who started using at age 21 or older.

•75 percent of all high school students have used addictive substances including tobacco, alcohol, marijuana or cocaine; 1 in 5 of them meets the medical criteria for addiction.

•46 percent of all high school students currently use addictive substances; 1 in 3 of them meets the medical criteria for addiction.

“The problem is not that we don’t know what to do, it’s that we are failing to act. It is time to recognize teen substance use as a preventable public health problem and addiction as a treatable medical disease, and to respond to it as fiercely as we would to any other public health epidemic threatening the safety of our children,” Susan Foster, CASA’s Vice President and Director of Policy Research and Analysis said in a news release.

Underage Drinking Rates Increase During the Often-Times Unmonitored Summer Months

2011-06-28T13:13:00.000-04:00

With students out of school and parents at work, the summer months provide a prime opportunity for teens to be unmonitored. The tips below can shared with parents to set the community-wide tone that underage drinking is unsafe, unhealthy, and unacceptable.

Set Summertime Rules: Make clear your rules regarding unsupervised time spent with friends, as well as your expectations surrounding drinking, smoking and other risky behaviors.
Supervise: This can be challenging for parents of high school students; however, be physically present when you can. And when you can’t, try asking a neighbor to randomly check in.
Monitor: Know with whom and where your child is at all times. Randomly call and text your teen to check in, and don’t be afraid to check up on your child by calling another parent.
Engage: Provide some structure to your teen’s summer by helping him/her find a summer job or engaging him/her in a supervised activity (sports, camps, classes, etc.).
Team Up: Get to know the parents of your teen's friends. Speak with them to ensure you have a unified and consistent no-use stance.
Stay Involved: Show your teen you care by taking time out of your busy schedule to do something fun and interactive together this summer (head to the movies, volunteer together, take a bike ride, etc.).
Communicate: Regardless of season, it is always a good time to talk to your teen about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Open (or maintain) the lines of communication and be your child’s trusted source of information.

Ohio, Marshall County Host Merchant Roundtable

2011-06-13T16:30:00.001-04:00

Moundsville, W. Va. - The Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition have joined together to host a "Merchant Roundtable" for tobacco and alcohol merchants on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at Grand Vue Park's Banquet Hall in Moundsville, W. Va. Participants are able to choose from one of two sessions: the morning session will run from 9:00-10:00am and the afternoon session will run from 2:00-3:00pm. Community members are also encouraged to attend.

Marshall County Sheriff John Gruzinskas will speak on the laws against selling to minors, and a Trooper from the West Virginia State Police, Wheeling Detachment will speak about the SYNAR compliance inspections. The SYNAR legislation, passed in 1992, requires states to conduct random, unannounced inspections in order to stop the illegal sale of tobacco to minors.

Forty-five merchants from Ohio County and 38 merchants from Marshall County have been invited to attend the roundtable. Merchants will be given information and marketing materials from the merchant education campaign, “WE Hold UP IDs” developed by United in Prevention. The campaign focuses on aiding businesses to identify underage customers, thus helping to prevent the illegal sale of tobacco and alcohol.

The “WE Hold UP IDs” Campaign presents the message to vendors to always ask for id and “Hold UP IDs” in their hands to check the shape, background color, and date of birth. The campaign includes several components to help aid and educate vendors in recognizing minors’ ids, including: a brochure, flyer, poster, counter mat, cash register sticker, window cling, and employee button.

United in Prevention is a regional collaboration in substance abuse prevention lead by the Marshall County Family Resource Network. United in Prevention serves Marshall, Ohio, Brooke, Hancock, Wetzel, Tyler, Pleasants, Wood, Wirt, Calhoun, Gilmer, Ritchie, Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, and Monongalia counties. For more information on United in Prevention, please visit www.unitedinprevention.com.

For more information on the merchant roundtable, contact Ohio County Coalition Director, Susan Oglinsky at soglinsky@ysswv.com or (304) 641-8655 or Drug Free Communities Coordinator, Jon Lewis at jon.lewis@marshallcountyfrn.com or (304) 845-3300.

Only 8 Percent of Patients Taking Opiates Are Screened for Drug Abuse

2011-06-09T09:45:00.002-04:00

Few primary care physicians pay adequate attention to patients taking prescription opioid drugs — despite the potential for abuse, addiction and overdose, according to a study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

The study found lax monitoring even of patients at high risk for opioid misuse, such as those with a history of drug abuse or dependence. The findings are especially concerning considering that prescription drug abuse now ranks second (after marijuana) among illicitly used drugs, with approximately 2.2 million Americans using pain relievers nonmedically for the first time in 2009, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

"Our study highlights a missed opportunity for identifying and reducing misuse of prescribed opioids in primary care settings," said lead author Joanna Starrels, M.D., M.S. , assistant professor of medicine at Einstein in a news release. "The finding that physicians did not increase precautions for patients at highest risk for opioid misuse should be a call for a standardized approach to monitoring."

The researchers studied administrative and medical records of more than 1,600 primary care patients for an average of two years while they received regular prescription opioids for chronic, non-cancer pain. They looked at whether patients received urine drug testing, were seen regularly in the office, or received multiple early opioid refills.

Only a small minority (8 percent) of patients were found to have undergone any urine drug testing. While such testing was more common in patients at higher risk for opioid misuse, the rate of testing among those high-risk patients was still low (24 percent). Only half of patients were seen regularly in the office, and patients at higher risk of opioid misuse were not seen more frequently than patients at lower risk. Although fewer than one-quarter (23 percent) of all patients received two or more early opioid refills, patients at greater risk for opioid misuse were more likely to receive multiple early refills.

The study’s authors noted that while most primary care physicians are attuned to abuse and addiction problems, they haven’t put enough strategies in place to reduce risks. They recommend that physicians adopt the following risk-reduction strategies: standardize a plan of care for all patients on long-term opioids, which includes urine drug testing; schedule regular face-to-face office visits to evaluate patients' response to opioids and evidence of misuse; and stick to a previously agreed-upon refill schedule.

The paper, "Low Use of Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies in Primary Care Even for High Risk Patients with Chronic Pain," was published in the March 2 edition of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Prescription Drug Take-Back Nets 654 in Region

2011-06-07T14:00:00.001-04:00

Moundsville, WV – The Marshall County Family Resource Network (FRN) launched a new campaign to promote the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 30, 2011. The Safe Storage. Smart Disposal Campaign was launched in 16 counties throughout the region as part of United in Prevention. The campaign focused on safe and responsible ways to dispose of prescription drugs both at home and through take-back events.

The Take-Back Day held on April 30, 2011 collected 654 pounds of prescription drugs throughout the region (only 10 counties reporting). This is a huge step in preventing prescription drug abuse and misuse.

The FRN would like to thank the law enforcement agencies and community partners that volunteered to host the collection sites in Marshall County including the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, WV State Police Detachment in Moundsville, and the Cameron Volunteer Fire Department.

National Take-Back Days are hosted twice a year. On these days, the community can take unused, unwanted, or expired prescription drugs to a collection site for disposal. The service is free and anonymous. The effort is to get commonly abused prescription drugs out of circulation.

On a national level, the Take-Back event on April 30^th turned in more than 376,593 pounds (188 tons) of medications for safe and proper disposal through 5,361 take-back collection sites across all 50 states. This is 55 percent more than the 242,000 pounds returned nationally last year.

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high—more Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin combined, according to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Studies show that teens who abuse prescription drugs often obtain them from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many people do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.

The Safe Storage. Smart Disposal Campaign materials can be downloaded online by visiting United in Prevention’s website. If anyone is interested in learning more about how to safely store and dispose of prescription drugs, please visit www.unitedinprevention.com.

United in Prevention is a regional collaboration in substance abuse prevention lead by the FRN. United in Prevention serves Marshall, Ohio, Brooke, Hancock, Wetzel, Tyler, Pleasants, Wood, Wirt, Calhoun, Gilmer, Ritchie, Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, and Monongalia counties.

The Marshall County FRN is a non-profit organization that is helping to make Marshall County a better place to live and work. For more information on the FRN or United in Prevention, the public may contact the Marshall County FRN at (304) 845-3300 or visit www.marshallcountyfrn.com.

Prescription Drugs Worth Millions to Dealers

2011-06-01T09:04:00.002-04:00

Prescription drug abuse, now the fastest-growing drug problem in the country, has created a ballooning street market for highly-addictive pain relief, anxiety and depression drugs. Here's a sampling of the street prices for a single tablet of some commonly trafficked drugs, compared to their retail prices:

--Oxycontin: $50 to $80 on the street, vs. $6 when sold legally

--Oxycodone: $12 to $40 on the street, vs. $6 retail

--Hydrocodone: $5 to $20 vs. $1.50

--Percocet: $10 to $15 vs. $6

--Vicodin: $5 to $25 vs. $1.50

Those street prices were gleaned from the latest data put out by federal law enforcement agencies, and the retail prices were from pharmacychecker.com.

Prescription drug abuse is spreading nationwide, but it is particularly rampant in cities like Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York, federal officials say.

For decades, Marijuana was the gateway drug for first-time drug abusers in the United States. But two years ago, prescription drugs won that dubious distinction, according to Rusty Payne, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

"It's a significant shift in trend," Payne said.

In 2009, there were seven million Americans abusing prescription pain and anxiety drugs, up 13% from the prior year, according to the most recent data from DEA. The agency expects 2010 numbers to show another double-digit increase.

And there's big money in it for criminals. The trafficking in prescription drugs is close to becoming a billion-dollar industry, industry experts say.

In Los Angeles, 80mg Oxycontin is the most popular drug on the street with addicts. A single pill can fetch $80 or more, said Sergeant Stephen Opferman of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"We are rounding up so much prescription [medication] off the street," Opferman said.

Prescription drugs leak out onto the street in a number of ways.

In some cases, thieves steal legitimate shipments. Or doctors write false prescriptions that dealers fill and then sell the contraband.

Medicare fraud is another route, according to Opferman, who has been battling illegal drug sales for more than 11 years.

Traffickers recruit Medicare beneficiaries who are willing to sell their monthly drug supplies for cash, Opferman said. The illegal activity costs Medicare billions of dollars a year, according to estimates from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

But the most troubling trend among drug abusers in Los Angeles, Opferman said, is the growing number of young teens abuse prescription drugs.

"The kids think these drugs must be safer than heroin because their parents take them," he said. "They hold what they call 'skittles parties' where they try out sleeping pills, anti-anxiety pills and pain medicine."

Researchers Suggest Internet Availability Contributes to Rx Abuse

2011-05-27T08:56:00.000-04:00

As internet availability has grown, so has treatment for prescription substance abuse, researchers found.

Anupam B. Jena, a resident at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and Dana P. Goldman, director of the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at the University of Southern California at Los Angeles, said the public health fear that Internet availability of commonly abused prescription drugs would increase drug abuse may be well founded.

The study, published in the journal Health Affairs, demonstrated a 10 percent increase in the availability of high-speed Internet service in a state was associated with an approximately 1 percent increase in admissions to a treatment facility center for prescription drug abuse.

U.S. households with internet access increased from 18 percent in 1997 to 61 percent in 2007. During this time, admissions for abuse of alcohol, cocaine and heroin—not readily purchased online— had minimal or negative growth.

However, from 2000 to 2007, states with higher internet growth experienced an accompanying rise in admissions to substance abuse treatment facilities, the study said.

"Our findings provide a first glimpse that growing Internet use may partially explain why U.S. prescription drug abuse rates have risen dramatically while other substance abuse rates have not," the researchers said in a statement.

Doctors Find that Synthetic Marijuana Causes Psychosis

2011-05-25T11:06:00.001-04:00

The Los Angeles Times reported this week that synthetic marijuana, known on the street as Spice, can cause a lengthy bout of psychosis in some users, according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting held this week in Honolulu.

Doctors at the Naval Hospital San Diego reported on 10 patients who were hospitalized for psychosis after using Spice. The synthetic cannabis is also known as K2, Blaze or Red X Dawn. The drug consists of plant material coated with synthetic chemicals meant to produce a high similar to marijuana.

However, symptoms in the 10 patients, who were ages 21 to 25, included auditory and visual hallucinations, paranoid delusions and thoughts of suicide. Most of the patients recovered from the psychosis in five to eight days but symptoms lasted as long as three months in some people.

Synthetic marijuana has become an issue in the military, in substance-abuse treatment facilities and other settings because it cannot be detected in standard, urine-based drug tests.

Last year, the DEA banned five chemicals found in K2. However, the ban will last only one year with an option to extend the ban for an additional six months. A bill introduced by Senators Grassley and Feinstein would permanently schedule 15 of the source chemicals identified in K2 and similar products, and place them as Schedule I narcotics. Coalitions across the country have been working to permanently ban the chemicals, as well.

W.Va Targeting Underage Drinking

2011-05-11T12:51:00.000-04:00

The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program and the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration are uniting with local law enforcement agencies to conduct statewide enforcement operations throughout the month of May aimed at reducing the access of alcohol to those who are underage.

During the months of May and June, many high school students are celebrating graduations and attending proms. Unfortunately, during this festive time, some students fall prey to the lure of alcohol, never considering or planning on its dramatic and oftentimes tragic effects. Car crashes, alcohol poisoning, fights, vandalism, sexual assaults and other crimes can all begin with the irresponsible and illegal use of alcohol.

Alcohol-related crashes, deaths and DUIs occur at an alarming rate and are the leading cause of death among people 16 to 21 years old.

To educate the public and to ensure compliance among businesses that serve and sell alcohol, various enforcement operations will be scheduled at ABCA-licensed establishments. Funding for the project is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through a grant administered by the Governor’s Highway Safety Program.

Officials encourage parents to engage in a frank discussion with their children about the dangers of alcohol and to make them aware of criminal penalties that may result from the illegal consumption of alcohol.

For more information, contact Natalie Harvey at 304-926-3836, Gig Robinson at 304-558-2481 or gary.l.robinson@wv.gov.

Colleges Band Together to Reduce Binge Drinking

2011-05-06T10:34:00.000-04:00

In an effort to curb the high rates of alcohol use on college campuses, 14 national colleges and universities have launched an initiative entitled, the Learning Collaborative on High-Risk Drinking. The initiative was created by Dartmouth University to address alcohol use and the 40 percent of college students who binge drink.

The collaborative is an information exchange partnership that will track the progress of initiatives designed to reduce harmful alcohol-related incidents and binge drinking on their campuses. The institutions involved include: Dartmouth University, Boston University, Cornell University, Duke University, Northwestern University, Ohio University, Princeton University, Purdue University, Stanford University, Wesleyan University, the University of Wyoming, Stony Brook University, Frostburg State University and Sewanee: The University of the South. The Collaborative will continue to accept member schools until May 20.

The collaborative’s member schools will attend three “learning sessions” every six months, which will require that schools collect, analyze and present data on any programs targeting high-risk drinking on their campuses with Dartmouth hosting the first one next month. The collaborative’s findings will be published at the conclusion of the meetings.

The Government Plans to Restrict E-Cigarettes

2011-05-02T08:02:00.000-04:00

The Food and Drug Administration announced it will act to ensure its right to impose marketing, manufacturing and safety restrictions on "electronic cigarettes."

In a letter posted to the FDA's website Monday, Dr. Lawrence R. Deyton, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, said the agency will act to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products. The agency will propose new regulatory language that would specifically define e-cigarettes as a tobacco product.

Electronic cigarettes do not burn tobacco directly, but allow a user to inhale heated nicotine derived from tobacco and suspended in a fluid canister. Instead of emitting tobacco smoke with a consumer's use, electronic cigarettes and their users release only water vapor. While those who make and sell electronic cigarettes maintain the devices are far safer than smoking cigarettes, the FDA contradicts that, noting that half of the 19 brands of e-cigarettes it sampled contained nitrosamines, a carcinogen found in real cigarettes, and many contained diethylene glycol, a poisonous ingredient in antifreeze.

Between 2008 and 2010, the FDA determined that certain electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) were unapproved drug/device combination products and detained and/or refused admission to those offered for import by Sottera, Inc. and other manufacturers. Sottera, Inc. challenged that determination in court.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, in Sottera, Inc. v. Food & Drug Administration, 627 F.3d 891 (D.C. Cir. 2010), recently issued a decision with regard to e-cigarettes and other products “made or derived from tobacco” and the jurisdictional line that should be drawn between “tobacco products” and “drugs,” “devices,” and combination products, as those terms are defined in the FD&C Act. The court held that e-cigarettes and other products made or derived from tobacco can be regulated as “tobacco products” under the Act and are not drugs/devices unless they are marketed for therapeutic purposes.

Have a Power Talk with Teens April 21

2011-04-18T14:11:00.000-04:00

Three out of four youth say their parents are the No. 1 influence on their decisions about drinking. To encourage discussions about alcohol use between parents and youth, Mothers Against Drunk Driving has launched PowerTalk 21 day, which will be observed on April 21. It's the first national day for parents and teens to start a conversation about alcohol. Tips on how to do it and what you might say are in a free handout and handbook.

Encourage parents in your coalition and in your community to visit madd.org/powerofparents to request a free copy of MADD’s parent handbook, a research-based program developed for MADD’s "Power of Parents, It's Your Influence" program that has been shown to significantly reduce underage drinking and associated risks when parents use it to talk with their teens about alcohol.

While parents will vary in how they handle the details of the PowerTalk 21 discussion, the best policy, MADD says, is to get teens to agree to:

• No drinking before age 21.

• No socializing in places where teens are drinking.

• No riding in a car with an underage driver who's had any amount of alcohol.

Here are some ways you can engage parents in your coalition and community around PowerTalk 21 day:

1.) Declare PowerTalk 21, April 21, the day your coalition, community, and family will focus on talking about alcohol.

2.) Distribute electronic or printed copies of the PowerTalk 21 handout with conversation starters about alcohol for teens and parents.

3.) Refer people to the parent handbook.

4.) Gather parents and contact your local MADD affiliate to facilitate a free, 30-minute parent workshop where parents will receive a free parent handbook. Visit madd.org to find a local affiliate.

5.) Learn about how you can implement MADD’s parent program, Power of Parents, in your community. Contact MADD for information on facilitator trainings 1-800-GET-MADD.

April Aims to Curb Underage Drinking

2011-04-11T10:20:00.001-04:00

The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (MCADC) is working to highlight April’s “Alcohol Awareness Month” through a new media campaign designed to curb underage drinking. The MCADC, with the help of local teens, is launching a new campaign “Not Everyone Is Doing It” on April 4 as part of Alcohol Awareness Month. The campaign is designed to prevent and discourage underage drinking.

The new campaign will highlight the old adage “Not Everyone Is Doing It” to remind youth that saying no to underage drinking is the popular choice as 7 out of 10 Marshall County teens do not drink, according to the 2010 Pride Surveys administered in local schools.

The campaign was completely designed by local teens. Cameron High School students chose the slogan. The commercial was designed and produced by John Marshall High School students in the Broadcast Department’s Video Editing class.

As part of their class assignment, 8 John Marshall students developed the concept, acted, taped, edited, and produced a 30 second commercial for the campaign. The class includes; Josh Hancock, Kelsey Kolinski, Carly Lucas, Jen Pequla, Thomas Stackhouse, Haley Wade, Austin Wright, Ryan Zacherl, and the class instructor Tony Wood.

The MCADC is working with Cameron High School, John Marshall High School, Sherrard Middle School and Moundsville Middle School to distribute the “Not Everyone Is Doing It” campaign’s promotional material. Each school will be hanging up posters, placing mouse pads in computer labs, and giving away t-shirts to students. All materials highlight the campaign slogan “Not Everyone Is Doing It…7 out of 10 Marshall County Teens Don’t Drink.”

The commercial will begin airing on April 4 on WTRF TV-7, Comcast Cable, and WJMH Channel 1. The commercial is part of the overall media campaign that also features billboards displayed in Marshall County.

The MCADC is a non-profit organization working to make Marshall County a safe and drug-free community. For more information on substance abuse prevention or the MCADC, please contact (304) 845-3300 or visit www.marshallcountyfrn.com. This campaign is paid for with Federal Drug Free Communities Funds. The Marshall County FRN is the grantee agency for Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition.

Don't be a Party to Drunk Driving this St. Patty's Day

2011-03-16T14:47:00.000-04:00

For many Americans, St. Patrick's Day has become a popular night out to celebrate with friends and family. Unfortunately, due to the large number of drunk drivers, the night out has also become very dangerous.

On St. Patrick’s Day 2009, 37 percent of the drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above, according to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Additional NHTSA statistics show that in 2009, there were 103 crash fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day. Out of that number, 47 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

Meth Bill Rejected

2011-03-11T09:01:00.002-05:00

Legislation requiring a prescription for most cold medicines was rejected by a tie vote in the West Virginia Senate on Thursday, and the four senators representing the Northern Panhandle also split their vote.

The bill was intended to curb the use of ephedrine in the production of the illegal drug crystal meth and would require a doctor's prescription for many current over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines. It was rejected by a vote of 16-16 in the 34-member Senate.

Not voting were acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, also the senate president, and Sen. Walt Helmick, D-Pocahontas.

Local senators voting in favor were acting Senate President Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, and Larry Edgell, D-Wetzel. Both said earlier this week they believed the bill would help curb a growing methamphetamine problem in West Virginia and that many cold and allergy medicines still would be available over the counter under the restriction.

Voting in opposition were Sens. Orphy Klempa, D-Ohio, and Jack Yost, D-Brooke.

"I had heartburn with that bill from day one - from the moment I saw it took a prescription," Yost said. "I know for a fact we have so many folks in the Northern Panhandle without health care, and they don't have a doctor. For them to get a prescription for a cold medicine is very expensive, and something they don't need.

"It hurts our seniors and those on fixed incomes," he added. "I couldn't support it. It put an extra burden on the poorest people."

The bill was supported by the West Virginia State Troopers Association, and members of the group sat together in uniform in the south gallery of the Senate for the vote, according to Yost. He said it was an intimidating sight for lawmakers.

Klempa, meanwhile, said he attended all public hearings on the bill and "heard all the comments." He also acknowledged the bill's sponsor, Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha, is a medical doctor and made good arguments that the bill would help curb West Virginia's meth problem.

Klempa said he voted for the bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee in order to bring it to a vote before the whole Senate, but he told Foster he couldn't support it on the floor.

"I got at least 50 phone calls and over 100 e-mails on the issue - and not one was in favor of the legislation," Klempa said. "It boils down to the border counties and that there are no regulations like that in Pennsylvania or Ohio. It's a commerce thing. People would go across the border to get what they wanted rather than pay $25 to $50 to a doctor for a prescription. And while they were there they would do other shopping.

"No matter what my own feelings were, the people I represent were overwhelmingly against the bill and I delivered their words to the Senate this morning," Klempa added.

Kessler, Edgell Back Cold Medicine Bill

2011-03-08T14:45:00.001-05:00

At least two local senators will support a bill before the West Virginia Legislature requiring prescriptions for most popular cold medicines.

Acting Senate President Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, and Sen. Larry Edgell, D-Wetzel, said they are leaning toward a "yes" vote on the measure. Sens. Orphy Klempa, D-Ohio, and Jack Yost, D-Brooke, could not be reached for comment Monday.

House Bill 2946 was debated in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. It requires a lawful prescription for dispensing drug products containing as an active ingredient ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine and other chemical precursors of methamphetamine - ingredients found in many popular cold and allergy medications.

The bill is intended to curb the use of ephedrine products in the production of the illegal drug crystal meth.

"I am extremely impressed by the success it has had in Oregon and in other states with meth problems," Kessler said.

He cited that before similar legislation was passed in Oregon, that state had 473 meth lab busts in 2003. That number has now decreased to a low of 13 in 2010, according to Kessler.

He also noted 44 meth labs were raided by police in the Charleston area last month.

"Over the course of the year, that amounts to a crisis of epidemic proportion," Kessler said.

Kessler also pointed out that not all cold and allergy medications would be subject to the law, and that consumers still could choose from about 150 other medications that would remain on the shelves.

The legislation also would permit physicians' assistants and nurses to call in prescriptions for newly regulated medications, eliminating the need for and cost of a doctor's visit.

"It's not too much to ask," Kessler said of taking the medications off the shelf. "An array of 150 drugs would be available. And if you would need something stronger, you can call the doctor's office to call it in for you. This bill won't deny access to the drugs but would deny excess to those walking out of stores with large quantities."

To view the full article, click here.

New nationwide study indicates alcohol and marijuana were the most commonly abused substances by those referred to treatment from probation or parole

2011-03-03T09:38:00.002-05:00

The criminal justice system is single largest source of referral to substance abuse treatment

A new study shows that the most commonly abused substances among those 18 and older referred to substance abuse treatment from parole or probation was alcohol, followed by marijuana and methamphetamines. The study, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), also shows that more than half (59.2 percent) of those who entered substance abuse treatment based on referrals from probation or parole reported using more than one substance at admission.

In 2008, 42.8 percent of the admissions 18 or older that were referred to treatment by the criminal justice system, were probation or parole referrals making the probation and parole system the largest source of criminal justice referrals to substance abuse treatment. Among the study’s more notable findings concerning treatment admissions in 2008 involving adults on probation or parole:

· The most common substances being abused were alcohol (30.6 percent), marijuana (26.4 percent), and methamphetamines (15.6 percent).

· The majority of admissions were male (76.6 percent), had never married (63.1 percent), were between the ages of 18 and 44 (81.3 percent), and were non-Hispanic White (52.3 percent).

· Over one-third had less than a high school education (39.6 percent).

· The majority were unemployed (36.8 percent) or not in the labor force (26.2 percent). (Unemployed describes persons who do not have a job, are layed off and who have looked for work in the past 30 days. Not in the labor force describes persons who do not have a job and who are not looking for work due to retirement, disability, going to school, taking care of the home/children, being in an institution, etc.)

· The majority had been in treatment at least once before (57.5 percent), and 18.4 percent reported three or more prior treatment episodes.

For more information on this study, please visit www.samhsa.gov.

Many Kids Who Drink Get Liquor from Home

2011-02-25T07:49:00.002-05:00

A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that 709,000 youth ages 12 to 14 in the United States are drinking beer, liquor and other alcoholic beverages.

And the surprise is that many of these underage drinkers aren't just getting a friend to buy a six pack for them or smuggling alcohol out of the family liquor cabinet. Some are getting the alcohol directly from a parent, guardian or another adult relative.

In the past month alone, more than 200,000 kids were given alcohol by a parent or other adult family member. About 45 percent got alcohol from a parent or other family member or they took it from their home without permission.

About 15 percent of these kids just took the liquor, but 15.7 percent got it directly from that parent or guardian and another 14 percent got it from another relative, according to the study.

“SAMHSA Data Spotlight: Young Alcohol Users Often Get Alcohol from Family or Home” is based on the combined data from SAMHSA’s 2006 to 2009 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and involves responses from more than 44,000 respondents ages 12 to 14. NSDUH is a primary source of information on national use of tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs (including non-medical use of prescription drugs) and mental health in the United States. The survey is part of the agency’s strategic initiative on behavioral health data, quality and outcomes.

"People who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are six times more likely than those who start at age 21 and older to develop alcohol problems. Parents and other adults need to be aware that providing alcohol to children can expose them to an increased risk for alcohol abuse and set them on a path with increased potential for addiction," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde, in the report.

For more information, please visit www.cadca.org.

The President's National Drug Control Budget: Continuing Increased Support for Prevention and Treatment

2011-02-15T09:35:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, President Obama announced his Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 budget requests, which includes the National Drug Control Budget request of $26.2 billion to reduce drug use and its consequences in the United States. This request demonstrates a continued commitment to the National Drug Control Strategy and its comprehensive approach to drug policy.

The FY 2012 budget request includes funding for critical areas of drug control policy, including:

• Prevention - Spearheaded by the Departments of Health and Human Services and Education, Federal resources totaling $1.7 billion support education and outreach programs aimed at preventing the initiation of drug use.

• Treatment - The FY 2012 Budget proposes $8.9 billion in Federal funds for early intervention and treatment services for substance abusers.

• Domestic Law Enforcement - Over $9.5 billion in FY 2012 Federal resources are requested to support domestic law enforcement efforts, including facilitating partnerships between Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, to identify, dismantle, and disrupt sophisticated national and international drug-trafficking and money-laundering organizations.

• Interdiction - The Federal budget for interdiction activities, which is designed to interrupt the trafficking of illicit drugs into the United States, totals $3.9 billion in FY 2012.

• International Activities - The FY 2012 Budget requests over $2.1 billion to provide international support for the disruption or dismantlement of significant international drug organizations.

In addition, the FY 2012 budget request includes funding to support programs to reduce prescription drug abuse and drugged driving.

Study finds sharp monthly fluctuations in levels of adolescent male visits to emergency department for drug related suicide attempts

2011-02-14T09:19:00.002-05:00

A new study examining monthly and seasonal trends in the number of emergency department visits involving drug related suicide attempts reveals considerable fluctuations among adolescent males. The rate for the general population varies little.

The study conducted by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) showed that only 2.5 percent of drug related suicide attempt emergency room visits by males aged 12-17 occur in February – as opposed to 18.9 percent reported in December.

December also marked the highest level of emergency department drug related suicide attempt visits by men aged 50 and older (12.9 percent). The lowest level of visits for males in this age group was in October (5.5 percent).

By comparison, the study showed that the rate of visits remained relatively constant for the rest of the population including males aged 18 to 49.

“Emergency departments present an opportunity to intervene in a way that can help prevent future attempts, said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “While the study does not identify the factors that lead to fluctuations in drug related suicide attempts, it does point to the need for additional research in the factors that play a role in suicidality, particularly among both younger and older males.

The study found that from 2004 to 2008, on average, each year emergency departments dealt with 178,423 visits for drug-related suicide attempts by patients 12 or older. Overall the number of visits reported by emergency departments ranged from12,656 in February (7.1 percent) to 16, 812 visits in September (9.4 percent).

The study’s findings are being announced in conjunction with today’s meeting of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, a public/private partnership (including SAMHSA) to update and advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. The Alliance’s goal is to enhance efforts to address what has become the foremost, preventable public-health tragedy in our nation: suicide. One of the meeting’s specific goals is to more effectively deliver suicide prevention services and messages to high-risk groups. The Action Alliance is engaging every sector of society, public, private and philanthropic to help reach people at risk and help them stay safe.

The study, Monthly and Seasonal Variation in Emergency Department Visits for Drug-Related Suicide Attempts: 2004 to 2008 is an effort to inform policy makers and service providers on the nature and scope of behavioral health issues. The report is part of SAMHSA’s Strategic Initiative on Data, Outcomes, and Quality and is based on SAMHSA’s Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report. DAWN is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related hospital emergency department visits reported throughout the nation. A copy of the study is available at http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k11/DAWN019/SuicideBySeason.cfm

For additional information about SAMHSA programs, please visit http://www.samhsa.gov.

Bath Salts Cause Concern in Some Communities

2011-01-28T09:23:00.001-05:00

Officials in 25 states are growing concerned about alarming numbers of adolescents and others ending up in emergency rooms and mental hospitals after intentionally snorting, injecting or smoking "fake cocaine," a powder legally sold as "bath salts," and are proposing bans.

Sold under such names as Ivory Wave, Red Dove, Bliss and Vanilla Sky, law enforcement officials and poison control center staff say the effects of the stimulants the powders often contain (mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, also known as MDPV) are a central nervous system stimulant that is not approved for medical purposes in the United States, and provide for users a cocaine-like high.

The chemicals in these bath salts can cause hallucinations, paranoia, rapid and irregular heartbeats and suicidal thoughts, authorities say. The chemicals are in products sold legally at convenience stores and on the internet as bath salts and even plant foods. A small packet of the chemicals typically costs around $20.

Mississippi lawmakers this week began considering a proposal to ban the sale of the powders, and a similar step is being sought in Kentucky. In Louisiana, the bath salts were outlawed this month by an emergency order after the state's poison center received more than 125 calls in the last three months of 2010 involving exposure to the chemicals. Dr. Mark Ryan, director of Louisiana's poison control center, told The Huffington Post that calls about the chemicals have dropped sharply since Louisiana’s ban.

Two other states have also taken steps. North Dakota's Board of Pharmacy banned MPDV and related chemicals, and legislation has already been put forward in Kentucky to outlaw MPDV. Abroad, the Great Britain banned these so-called bath salts last April when several people died after ingesting it.

The stimulants aren't regulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, but they are studying it as a “drug of concern.”

Bullied Girls at Risk for Substance Abuse

2011-01-20T13:39:00.000-05:00

A new study has found that adolescent girls who are victims of bullying are more likely to engage in substance use as a result of bullying-related depression.

As schools reopen following the holidays, the message to parents of adolescent girls is that bullying can have serious consequences: "If your daughter is a victim of bullying, take it seriously, do all possible to prevent recurrence, and attend to possible depression and substance use. For parents of boys who are bullied: depression is still an issue, but it may not explain the relation between victimization and substance use," according to Jeremy Luk of the University of Washington.

His study is the first to identify depression as a possible link to the relation between victimization and substance use among adolescents. The findings are generalizable because they are based on data from a nationally representative sample of 1,495 tenth graders.

The study was based on data on bullying from the 2005/2006 U.S. Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC).

"Bullying is a serious problem among adolescents. Previous research has shown that it is associated with loneliness, depression and suicide. But no previous national studies have identified depression as an explanation for the relationship between victimization from bullying and substance use," Luk said.

The findings have been published in the Prevention Science , a journal of the Society for Prevention Research.

Get Youth Involved in Counter Super Bowl Alcohol Advertising

2011-01-19T13:12:00.000-05:00

The NFL Super Bowl is known for its commercials as much as the game itself. Did you know that about 18 percent of the Super Bowl's total viewing audience will be youth under 21, meaning that children and youth will be exposed to the dozens of alcohol-related commercials shown during the Super Bowl? To help shed light on how alcohol advertising impacts youth, the Drug-Free Action Alliance is inviting youth to participate in their Big Bowl Vote 2011, an annual survey open to middle and high school students.

Last year, more than 40,000 middle and high school students in 39 states participated in the Drug-Free Action Alliance Super Bowl Survey 2010, which once again revealed the youth appeal of alcohol advertising. This year, the newly branded survey is called Drug-Free Action Alliance Big Bowl Vote 2011.

Through a simple, two-question, student survey given Monday morning following the Super Bowl, middle and high school students share their impressions on what advertisements they remember seeing and which commercial was their favorite. Drug-Free Action Alliance will collect and summarize the data, and you’ll receive the results just days after the Super Bowl. The NFL’s Super Bowl XLV is scheduled for February 6, 2011, with television coverage on FOX.

This valuable, fresh and local information can then be used to educate parents, students, lawmakers and the media about the effects of alcohol advertising on youth.

Why is this data important? Because, through research, we know that the more youth are exposed to alcohol in advertising, the more likely they are to consume alcohol underage. So getting this type of information out to lawmakers and the media is key.

Download the Big Bowl Vote Toolkit that includes everything you’ll need to quickly and easily implement your local student survey, with additional ideas on student engagement and follow-up activities. Visit www.DrugFreeActionAlliance.org or contact Michelle Morse at mmorse@DrugFreeActionAlliance.org with questions or for more information.

Pain Killers: A Growing Addiction

2011-01-13T17:10:00.000-05:00

According to the subscription-based Harvard Mental Health Letter article, "Pain killers fuel growth in drug addiction," prescription painkillers kill about twice as many people as cocaine and five times as many as heroin. Nearly two million Americans are dependent on or abusing opioid pain relievers—nearly twice as many as are addicted to cocaine.

Because opioid painkillers target the same brain receptors as heroin, causing euphoria, they carry the risk of addiction, the article states.

Dr. Michael Miller, editor in chief of the publication, explains that treatment for a painkiller addiction is most successful when it consists of two phases: detoxification to reduce or eliminate withdrawal symptoms after opioid use stops, followed by a longer (and sometimes indefinite) maintenance phase. Although counseling is an important part of treatment, most people addicted to painkillers require treatment a medication such as methadone or buprenorphine during both detoxification and maintenance therapy. Although most people addicted to opioids make multiple attempts to kick the habit, it can be done, he writes.

Check out a free educational webcast hosted by CADCA partner MCTFT "Preventing Prescription Abuse" from 1-2 p.m. EST Jan. 27. During this show, prevention and law enforcement leaders will discuss strategies to help prevent prescription drug abuse. See how takeback programs can help keep drugs from getting into the wrong hands. Find out how prescription drug monitoring programs are working in many states and how a center of excellence is working to improve them. Guests include Senta Goudy, Chief of Prevention, Florida Office of Drug Control, and Charlie Cichon, Executive Director, National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators.

Parenting Style Plays Role in Teen Drinking

2011-01-07T10:05:00.000-05:00

Researchers at Brigham Young University have found that teenagers who grow up with parents who are either too strict or too permissive tend to binge drink more than their peers. The study was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

"While parents didn't have much of an effect on whether their teens tried alcohol, they can have a significant impact on the more dangerous type of drinking," study author Stephen Bahr, a professor of sociology at BYU, told National Public Radio.

As part of the survey of 5,000 teens, researchers asked 7th- to 12th-grade students a series of questions about their alcohol such as how frequently they binge drink, how often they communicated, in general, with their parents, and what kind of parenting style did they think their parents possessed.

The teens being raised by “indulgent” parents who tend to give their children praise and warmth, but who don’t monitor bad behavior were among the biggest alcohol abusers.

"They were about three times more likely to participate in heavy drinking," Bahr said.

This was also true for teens whose parents were strict.

"Kids in that environment tend not to internalize the values and understand why they shouldn't drink," Bahr said. They were more than twice as likely to binge drink.

The parenting style that led to the lowest levels of problem drinking struck a balance between both styles: accountability and support.

Underage drinking-related emergency department visits increase more than 250 percent on New Year’s Day

2010-12-31T10:48:00.001-05:00

Hospital emergency department visits involving underage drinking increased more than 250 percent on New Year's Day, according to a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The brief study shows that on New Year’s Day 2009, there were an estimated 1,980 emergency department visits involving underage drinking, compared to 546 such visits on an average day that year - a 263 percent increase.

The New Year’s Day underage drinking admission levels even surpassed other National holiday levels, which past SAMHSA studies have revealed often far exceed normal daily rates. For example, the 2009 New Year’s Day estimate was 191 percent higher than the Memorial Day level (676) and 110 percent higher than the Fourth of July level (942).

"This stunning increase in underage drinking related emergency room visits on New Year’s Day should be a wake up call to parents, community leaders and all caring adults about the potential risks our young people face for alcohol-related accidents, injuries and death during this time of year," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. "Parents, clergy, coaches, teachers and other role models must do everything they can to positively influence young people including talking with them early and often about the many health dangers underage drinking poses to their physical and emotional health and wellbeing."

"This very troubling finding is in line with what we already know about the increase in alcohol-related problems during the winter holidays," says Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., Acting Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health. "For example, during Christmas and New Year’s, two to three times more people die in alcohol-related crashes than during comparable periods the rest of the year. And 40 percent of traffic fatalities during these holidays involve a driver who is alcohol-impaired, compared to 28 percent for the rest of December."

The study was developed as part of SAMHSA’s strategic initiative on data, outcomes, and quality - an effort to inform policy makers and service providers on the nature and scope of behavioral health issues. It is based on SAMHSA’s 2009 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report. DAWN is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related hospital emergency department visits reported throughout the nation. A copy of the study is available at: http://oas.samhsa.gov/. For those interested in helping to prevent underage drinking, SAMHSA offers a variety of educational and other materials at: http://www.underagedrinking.samhsa.gov/.

Smokers' Former Homes May Pose Threat to New Residents

2010-12-30T10:12:00.001-05:00

Residue in walls and ceilings could pose harm to new residents who move into former smokers' homes, HealthDay News reports.

Researchers at San Diego State University found that "third-hand smoke" was found on surfaces even after the homes had been vacant for two months and cleaned and repainted.

"We found that third-hand smoke is trapped on surfaces like walls and ceilings and in household dust and carpets left over by previous residents," study author Georg Matt, a psychology professor at the university said in a university news release.

Matt added that the homes of smokers become reservoirs of tobacco smoke pollutants. When new, non-smoking tenants come in contact with polluted surfaces and inhale suspended microscopic dust, they are unknowingly exposed to tobacco smoke toxins.

In the study, Matt's research team examined the homes of 50 nonsmokers and 100 smokers before and after they moved out. They measured levels of nicotine on surfaces within the homes, in the air and on participants' fingers.

The researchers found higher levels of tobacco-linked contamination in dust and surfaces of homes formerly inhabited by smokers versus nonsmoker homes. Levels of nicotine on fingers were also higher among new residents of former smokers' homes.

This study correlates to a recent one conducted by the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and the University of Rochester Medical Center that concluded children living in non-smoking apartments were exposed to smoke from neighbors' apartments that seeped through walls or traveled through building ventilation systems.

The health outcomes of “third-hand smoke” have not been assessed, the California researchers stated in their news release, but they suspect that the residues could pose risks to babies and toddlers.

New study shows dramatic shifts in substance abuse treatment admissions among the states between 1998 and 2008

2010-12-23T09:23:00.001-05:00

Nationwide percentage of treatment admissions primarily linked to alcohol has declined, while the percentage primarily linked to illicit drugs has increased

Although the overall rate of admissions to substance abuse treatment in the U.S. remained stable between 1998 and 2008, at about 770 admissions for every 100,000 persons in the population, a new study shows striking changes and variations in admission rates by region. For example, the rate of admissions for alcohol as the primary drug has declined by 15 percent nationally. However admission rates for alcohol in West North Central states (Ark., Iowa, Kan., Minn., Mo., N.D., Neb. and S.D.) remained the same.

At the same time that admissions for alcohol treatment were declining, admission rates per 100,000 population for illicit drug use were increasing. In fact, one consistent pattern in every region was the increase in the admission rate for marijuana use which rose 30 percent nationally. From 1998 through 2008, marijuana treatment admission rates were highest in the West North Central and Middle Atlantic states (N.J., N.Y. and Pa.).

As indicated in an earlier SAMHSA report, Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Involving Abuse of Pain Relievers: 1998 and 2008: http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k10/230/230PainRelvr2k10.cfm, the treatment admission rate for opiates other than heroin (mainly narcotic pain relievers) rose 345 percent nationwide during these 11 years. The new study shows that increased admissions for pain reliever abuse occurred in every region of the nation and were highest in the New England (Conn., Mass., Maine, N.H., R.I. and Vt.) and the East South Central states (Ala., Ky., Miss. and Tenn.).

Nationwide, the admission rate for methamphetamine treatment was 53 percent higher in 2008 than in 1998, although the level has dropped significantly and consistently from its peak in 2005. Methamphetamine admission rates were highest during this period in the Pacific (Alaska, Calif., Hawaii, Ore. and Wash.), West North Central and Mountain states (Ariz., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.M., Utah and Wyo.).

For more information or to view entire article, click here.

MONITORING THE FUTURE SURVEY FINDS INCREASED MARIJUANA USE AMONG 8TH, 10TH, AND 12TH GRADERS

2010-12-20T11:56:00.003-05:00

CADCA Calls for Increased Investment in Drug-Free Communities Program

Washington, D.C. – The 2010 Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey, released today by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan, showed an increase in marijuana use rates among all grades measured in the survey – 8^th, 10^th and 12^th graders. Particularly concerning are that more youth report smoking marijuana on a daily basis, with 6.1 percent of high school seniors, 3.3 percent of 10th graders, and 1.2 percent of 8th graders reporting daily use, compared to last year’s rates of 5.2 percent, 2.8 percent, and 1.0 percent, respectively. Among 12th graders it was at its highest point since the early 1980’s. The perceived risk of regular marijuana use also declined among 10th and 12th graders, suggesting that marijuana use among youth may continue its upward trend.

After marijuana, prescription and over-the-counter medications account for most of the top drugs abused by 12th graders in the past year. Among 12th graders, past year non-medical use of Vicodin decreased from 9.7 percent to 8 percent. However, past year abuse of OxyContin remains unchanged across the three grades and has increased in 10th graders over the past 5 years. When asked about ways to address prescription drug abuse, ONDCP Director Kerlikowske pointed to the DFC program as something that can make a real difference in tackling this and other drug problems.

To view entire article, click here

Teen Marijuana Use Up, Alcohol Use Down

2010-12-14T15:23:00.000-05:00

Associated Press -- America's teens are using more marijuana and less alcohol, according to an annual government study of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders across the country.

Some 6.1 percent of high-school seniors reported using marijuana this year, up from 5.2 percent in 2009, according to the Monitoring the Future survey released by the National Institutes of Health.

Marijuana use by 10th-graders climbed from 2.8 percent to 3.3 percent, and for eighth-grade students it edged up from 1.0 percent to 1.2 percent.

"These high rates of marijuana use during the teen and preteen years, when the brain continues to develop, place our young people at particular risk," said Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

On the other hand, binge drinking is on the decline. While 23.2 percent of high school seniors reported having five or more drinks in a row, that's down from 25.2 percent a year earlier. The binge rate for this age group peaked at 31.5 percent in 1998.

Each Year 30 Million People Drive Drunk

2010-12-09T10:50:00.002-05:00

A new survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicates that on average 13.2 percent of all persons 16 or older drove under the influence of alcohol and 4.3 percent of this age group drove under the influence of illicit drugs in the past year.

The survey’s state-by-state breakdown of drunk and drugged driving levels shows significant differences among the states. Some of the states with the highest levels of past year drunk driving were Wisconsin (23.7 percent) and North Dakota (22.4 percent). The highest rates of past year drugged driving were found in Rhode Island (7.8 percent) and Vermont (6.6 percent).

States with the lowest rates of past year drunk driving included Utah (7.4 percent) and Mississippi (8.7 percent). Iowa and New Jersey had the lowest levels of past year drugged driving (2.9 percent and 3.2 percent respectively).

Levels of self-reported drunk and drugged driving differed dramatically among age groups. Younger drivers aged 16 to 25 had a much higher rate of drunk driving than those aged 26 or older (19.5 percent versus 11.8 percent). Similarly people aged 16 to 25 had a much higher rate of driving under the influence of illicit drugs than those aged 26 or older (11.4 percent versus 2.8 percent).

The one bright spot in the survey is that there has been a reduction in the rate of drunk and drugged driving in the past few years. Survey data from 2002 through 2005 combined when compared to data gathered from 2006 to 2009 combined indicate that the average yearly rate of drunk driving has declined from 14.6 percent to 13.2 percent, while the average yearly rate of drugged driving has decreased from 4.8 percent to 4.3 percent. Twelve states have seen reductions in the levels of drunk driving and seven states have experienced lower levels of drugged driving. However according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) census, one in three motor vehicle fatalities (33 percent) with known drug test results tested positive for drugs in 2009.

“Thousands of people die each year as a result of drunk and drugged driving, and the lives of thousands of family members and friends left behind are forever scarred,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “Some progress has been made in reducing the levels of drunk and drugged driving through education, enhanced law enforcement and public outreach efforts. However, the nation must continue to work to prevent this menace and confront these dangerous drivers in an aggressive way.”

For more information or to read the entire article, please go to www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1012085048.

December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month

2010-12-02T11:19:00.002-05:00

Every day, 36 people in the United States die, and approximately 700 more are injured, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.

This December, during National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month (3D Month), consider what you and your community can do to make injuries and deaths from impaired driving less of a threat.

The Problem:

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives.

In 2006, 13,470 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (32%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.

In one year, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. This accounts for less than 1% of the 159 million self-reported episodes of alcohol–impaired driving among U.S. adults each year.

Alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost about $51 billion a year.

Protect Yourself and Your Family and Friends:

During the holiday season, and year-round, take steps to make sure that you and everyone you celebrate with avoids driving under the influence of alcohol. Following these tips from NHTSA can help you stay safe:

Plan ahead. Always designate a non-drinking driver before any holiday party or celebration begins.

Take the keys. Do not let a friend drive if they are impaired.

Be a helpful host. If you’re hosting a party this holiday season, remind your guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver, always offer alcohol-free beverages, and make sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver.

WV Voluntary Ban on Alcoholic Energy Drinks

2010-11-24T13:30:00.003-05:00

Associated Press - West Virginia is asking retailers to voluntarily stop selling caffeinated energy drinks that contain alcohol.

The state Alcohol Beverage Control Administration said it has the support of the West Virginia Beer Wholesalers' Association, West Virginia Retailers Association and the West Virginia Oil Marketers and Grocers Association.

The action Thursday came a day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that caffeine-infused alcohol drinks are illegal and should be removed from shelves nationwide.

Washington, Michigan, Utah and Oklahoma have all banned the products in their states. The West Virginia action is voluntary.

"We are looking at this very closely and very seriously to make a determination of what our next steps will be," said spokesman Gary Robinson. "At this moment we're waiting on what the federal government will do."

On Wednesday, the federal agency gave manufacturers 15 days to either remove added caffeine from their drinks or advise the agency in writing of how they plan to change their formulas. The drinks are particularly popular with college students - they're called "blackout in a can" by many - and contain a volatile mix of caffeine and alcohol.

"To be sold, manufacturers are responsible for meeting a legal standard that the ingredient added to the product is generally recognized as safe under its conditions of use," FDA Spokesman Michael Herdon said. "It is FDA's view that that standard has not been met."

This is not the first time the federal agency has taken action on such beverages. In 2008, it asked Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors to remove their Bud Extra, Tilt and Sparks products, which also had caffeine additives, from the market.

Proposal for New Institute to Focus on Substance Abuse

2010-11-23T12:16:00.001-05:00

This week, the Scientific Management Review Board recommended the creation of a new institute focusing on substance use, abuse, and addiction research and related public health initiatives. The proposed institute would integrate the relevant research portfolios from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and other National Institutes of Health institutes and centers.

In response to the recommendation, a task force was created to determine where substance use, abuse, and addiction research programs currently exist at NIH and make recommendations about what programs should be moved into the proposed new Institute. In addition, the task force will survey NIDA and NIAAA for programs that are not related to substance use, abuse, and addiction research and make recommendations about where such programs will go.

All existing substance use, abuse, and addiction research programs at NIH will continue unchanged. It is anticipated that the task force will produce a detailed reorganization plan for consideration this summer.

Minority Teens Using Drugs at Higher Rates

2010-11-18T08:17:00.002-05:00

This week, R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, highlighted recent data showing troubling increases in drug use among certain groups of minority teens, and urged parents and community leaders to act immediately to prevent drug use.

According to recently released data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency's 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, there were significant increases in drug use among young African American teen girls and Hispanic teen boys between 2008 and 2009.

Specifically, drug use among Black/Non-Hispanic females ages 12 to 17 years old increased from 7.3 percent in 2008 to 10.4 percent in 2009, and drug use by Hispanic males of the same age group rose from 9.2 percent in 2008 to 12.8 percent in 2009, increases of 43 percent and 39 percent, respectively. According to NSDUH data released in September, overall teen drug use increased between 2008 and 2009, with 1 in 10 youth ages 12-17 and 1 in 5 young adults between 18-25 reporting drug use in the last month.

"These data confirm that in addition to overall increases in youth drug use nationwide, certain minority populations are suffering from illegal drug use at even higher rates," Kerlikowske said in the agency’s news release. "As we continue to aggressively reach out to underserved populations with vital drug prevention and treatment resources, we ask parents, teachers, coaches, religious leaders, and community leaders do their part by taking action today to protect these at-risk youth groups from a lifetime of drug-related consequences."

Coalitions take action every day to help prevent and reduce youth drug use with environmental policy changes, media advocacy, and education. To view the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign ads geared towards youth, visit AboveTheIinfluence.com.

American Medicine Chest Challenge

2010-11-10T08:37:00.004-05:00

Join the American Medicine Chest Challenge! On Saturday, November 13th, from 10am-2pm, bring your expired or unused medicine to 1500 Chapline St. in Wheeling (Wheeling Police Dept). You will be safely and anonymously disposing of medications that are commonly abused.

The American Medicine Chest Challenge was created to help American families see their medicine cabinets through new eyes -- as an access point for potential misuse and abuse of over-the-counter and prescription medicine by young people. It provides an opportunity to properly dispose of unused, unwanted, and expired medicines and encourages families to take part in the American Medicine Chest 5-Step Challenge.

Step 1) Take inventory of your medicine.
Step 2) Secure your medicine chest.
Step 3) Take medicine only as prescribed by your doctor.
Step 4) Dispose of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine.
Step 5) Talk to your children about the dangers of prescription drugs.

For more information on the American Medicine Chest Challenge, please visit www.americanmedicinechest.com.

RX Abuse Heaviest in Rural Teens

2010-11-04T08:37:00.000-04:00

Teens living in rural areas were more likely than their urban peers to abuse prescription drugs, data from a large national survey suggested.

In the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included nearly 18,000 adolescents, 13.0% of rural teens reported non-medical use of prescription drugs at some point in their lives, compared with 11.5% of respondents living in suburban or small metropolitan-area counties and 10.3% of those in urban areas, according to Jennifer Havens, PhD, MPH, of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., and colleagues.

Relative to urban youths, teens from rural areas were especially more likely to report non-medical use of tranquilizers such as diazepam and opioid painkillers, the researchers reported online in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

"While we were able to identify potential targets for intervention such as increased access to health, mental health, and substance abuse treatment, this may be difficult for rural areas where such resources are in short supply or nonexistent," Havens and colleagues observed.

"Research into the causal mechanisms surrounding initiation of non-medical prescription drug use in rural adolescents is necessary to develop tailored interventions for this population," they added.

For more information on this study, please visit www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/addictions/23101

New Study: Alcohol More Lethal than Heroine, Cocaine

2010-11-03T10:51:00.004-04:00

Alcohol is more dangerous than illegal drugs like heroin and crack cocaine, according to a new study.

British experts evaluated substances including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and marijuana, ranking them based on how destructive they are to the individual who takes them and to society as a whole.

Researchers analyzed how addictive a drug is and how it harms the human body, in addition to other criteria like environmental damage caused by the drug, its role in breaking up families and its economic costs, such as health care, social services, and prison.

Heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, or crystal meth, were the most lethal to individuals. When considering their wider social effects, alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine were the deadliest. But overall, alcohol outranked all other substances, followed by heroin and crack cocaine. Marijuana, ecstasy and LSD scored far lower.

Experts said alcohol scored so high because it is so widely used and has devastating consequences not only for drinkers but for those around them.

When drunk in excess, alcohol damages nearly all organ systems. It is also connected to higher death rates and is involved in a greater percentage of crime than most other drugs, including heroin.

Experts said countries should target problem drinkers, not the vast majority of people who indulge in a drink or two. Furthermore, governments should consider more education programs and raising the price of alcohol so it isn't as widely available.

The study concludes that drugs that are legal cause at least as much damage, if not more, than drugs that are illicit.

For more information or to view the entire article, go to www.lancet.com or http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/01/AR2010110101765.html.

U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice award almost $76 million to enhance adult and Juvenile Drug Treatment Courts

2010-10-25T14:09:00.002-04:00

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) are awarding up to almost $76 million in Fiscal Year 2010 grants to enhance the court services, coordination, and substance abuse treatment capacity of adult and juvenile drug treatment courts. Drug treatment courts promote treatment approaches rather than traditional incarceration for people drawn into the criminal justice system because of substance abuse related problems.

There are more than 2,200 drug treatment court programs currently providing services to adults and juveniles across the nation. In judicially supervised settings, these specialized courts effectively integrate substance abuse treatment, mandatory drug testing, sanctions and incentives, and support services needed to recover and steer clear of further involvement with the juvenile and criminal justice system.

For more information on grants, please visit www.samhsa.gov/newsroom

Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act Approved

2010-10-18T14:43:00.002-04:00

States and private entities can now create prescription drug take-back programs to help people safely dispose of old or unwanted medicine.

President Barack Obama signed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act on Tuesday, October 12th.

The new law clears the way for more programs to collect and dispose of prescription drugs. Previously, it was illegal to turn over controlled substances to anyone but law enforcement.

In the past, unused prescription medications have been thrown in the trash, where drug-seeking criminals might find them, or flushed down the toilet, which can pollute the water supply.

A recent nationwide take-back day, organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration, collected more than 121 tons of medicine.

Support The Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act Reauthorization

2010-10-15T08:20:00.007-04:00

BACKGROUND

In 2006, an effort to combat underage drinking culminated with the passage of the Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act.

STOP ACT REAUTHORIZATION

Representatives Roybal-Allard (CA), DeLauro (CT), Wamp (TN) and Wolf (VA) have come together again to introduce H.R. 6241 to ensure that this landmark piece of legislation is formally reauthorized. The STOP Act reauthorization will build upon the success of the original Act by continuing all the authorities in the bill until FY 2015. It:

Authorizes an additional $4 million, for a total of $9 million for the Community Based Coalition Enhancement grants to current and past Drug Free Community grantees;

Doubles the original investment in a multi-media campaign to educate parents and communities about the dangers of underage drinking to $2 million;

Calls for an Institute of Medicine report on the literature regarding the influence of drinking alcohol on the development of the adolescent brain;

Establishes grants to train pediatric health care providers in how best to screen and treat children and teens who have had alcohol exposures; and

Maintains funding for critical underage drinking research.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Fax your Representative as soon as possible and ask him/her to sign-on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 6241, the Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act Reauthorization. Community Anti-Drug Coalition's of America's (CADCA) fax system allows you to automatically fax a sample letter on this issue to your legislator from CADCA's website. To send a fax to your legislator, click here: http://capwiz.com/cadca/home/

Substance Abuse Costs WV's Welfare System More Than $95 Million

2010-10-08T15:20:00.004-04:00

The financial impact of drug and alcohol abuse on West Virginia’s welfare sector is more than $95 million, according to the latest report from the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and the WV Prevention Resource Center (WVPRC). The welfare system includes programs providing income support and other social services to WV children and families.

Yetty Shobo, WVPRC Evaluation Specialist and author of the report, projects substance abuse could cost West Virginia’s welfare system more than $300 million by 2017 if current trends persist and intervention does not occur.

To view full report click here or go to www.prevnet.org.

Prescription Drug Roundup Nets 121 Tons

2010-10-06T08:20:00.004-04:00

An article from the Associated Press:

"A Daylong, Nationwide effort to get people to turn in old or unwanted prescription drugs collected more than 121 tons of unused medicine.

With prescription drug abuse on the rise, the goal was to keep drugs from falling into the hands of abusers and criminals. The Drug Enforcement Administration organized the national prescription drug "Take-Back" day on September 25th. Officials offered people across the country a free, anonymous and legal way to get rid of potentially dangerous prescription drugs that have been cluttering medicine cabinets".

U.S. Drug Policy Director Commends Passage of the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010

2010-10-05T11:08:00.002-04:00

Gil Kerlikowske, National Drug Control Director issued the following statement regarding the passage of the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010:

"Prescription drug abuse is America's fastest-growing drug problem, and one largely fed by an unlikely source -American's medicine cabinets. The passage of the Secure and Responsible Drug disposal Act of 2010 will save lives by providing patients with safe, environmentally sound ways to dispose of the unused or expired prescription drugs. I commend Congress on the enactment of this important measure - it represents a significant step forward to reduce drug use and its consequences in America."

For more information visit www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov.

Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Set

2010-08-31T14:51:00.002-04:00

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is asking for your help. As you know, prescription drugs are being misused and abused at alarming rates throughout the United States. As part of our efforts to address this problem, the DEA will be collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at sites across Marshall County on Saturday, September 25th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The service is free and anonymous.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash; both potential safety and health hazards.
The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition encourages you to take part in the program. Click here for a complete list of drop-off sites. Make sure you check back often. The site will be continuously updated with new drop-off sites.

WV Medical Journal - Special Edition on Substance Abuse

2010-08-31T11:46:00.001-04:00

The latest edition of the WV Medical Journal is a special edition focusing on substance abuse. Content includes: --Take Care WV RX Abuse Prevention PSA (PAGE 17)--Bringing All the Players to the Table: The WV Controlled Substance Advisory Board (PAGE 22)--Understanding the Cultures of Prescription Drug Abuse, Misuse, Addiction and Diversion (PAGE 64(articles by WV Partnership member Dr. Mike O’Neil)--Citation of the Governor’s Plan to Address Substance Abuse in WV (PAGE 28)--Preliminary Evaluation of the WV Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline (PAGE 38)--A Comprehensive Checklist for Prevention (PAGE 54)

West Virginians Most Medicated

2010-08-18T14:49:00.002-04:00

A study by Forbes magazine says West Virginia is the most medicated state in the country.
The study says the average WV resident fills about 18.4 prescriptions each year. The national average is 11.6. The mountain state also ranked No. 1 last year.
The study suggests one reason may be that West Virginia residents are generally older and less healthy than those in other states. The state has the nation's highest rates for smoking, arthritis and population of those who are obese or overweight.

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition September Meeting

2010-08-06T13:42:00.000-04:00

The next Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition meeting will be held on September 10th at noon in the Historic Federal Building, 324 7th Street, Moundsville, WV. All community members, young and old, who are interested in helping to reduce substance abuse in our county are welcome to attend. For further information or to RSVP, contact the Marshall County FRN @ 304-845-3300.

Smokeless Tobacco Products a Potential Poison for Children

2010-08-06T13:10:00.003-04:00

Smokeless tobacco products may look like candy to young children, but these alternative nicotine products can be poisonous if they fall into small hands and mouths. Dissolvable candy-like smokeless tobacco pellets can be tempting for children because they resemble Tic Tac candies both in their shape and packaging and are flavored with cinnamon or mint.
The Food and Drug Administration outlawed tobacco that tastes like fruit, candy or cloves in 2009 because the flavors mask the tobacco taste and appeal to adolescents. Non-tobacco flavored nicotine products still are sold legally, however. One of the most common calls parents make to poison control centers is about children who eat tobacco products. Most children are under age 6, and more than 70% are under 1 year of age, according to a study in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Smokeless products contain an average of 0.83 milligrams (mg) of nicotine. Ingesting just 1 mg of nicotine can cause a child to become nauseous and vomit. Larger doses can cause more severe reactions, including weakness, convulsions, unresponsiveness and rapid breathing.
The AAP has some great tips for parents who suspect their young child has swallowed tobacco or nicotine products.
If the child still has some of the product in his or her mouth, make the child spit it out or remove it with your fingers.
Keep the substance and package, if available, in case the child has a reaction.
If the child is not conscious or breathing or seems to be having convulsions or a seizure, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Otherwise, call the poison center hotline at 1-800-222-1222 for instructions.

The Most Beautiful Sport has the Ugliest Habit

2010-08-06T12:11:00.003-04:00

It is as common as hot dogs and Crakerjacks when you go to a baseball game, players using smokeless tobacco. But a new campaign to stop the dangerous habit may help athletes finally spit out tobacco for good. To find out more, click here.

New Drug Mimics Marijuana

2010-08-05T14:25:00.002-04:00

A blend of herbs laced with synthetic marijuana known popularly as K2 is being sold openly in head shops and online, often sending people who smoke it to hospitals with symptoms ranging from soaring heart rates to paranoia to near-death experiences, according to health professionals. Several states have already banned the substance. To read more about K2 and its effects click here. Then tell us what you think by clicking the comment link below.

2010-07-28T13:38:00.002-04:00

There is no such thing as a safe cigarette. No matter what they taste, smell, or look like, all cigarettes are harmful to your health. That's why the Substance Abuse Prevenion Center is launching a new website that exposes the myths on Light, Low, and Mild Cigarettes. The site features a 30 second audio PSA, Put Out the Myth: There Is No Such Thing as a Safe Cigarette, a sharable button with links to regulatory, health, and smoking cessation information, webpage content syndication information, and a basic consumer fact sheet. To view the site click here and tell us what you think.

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition August Meeting

2010-07-15T09:50:00.003-04:00

The next Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition meeting will be held on August 6th at noon in the Historic Federal Building, 324 7th Street, Moundsville, WV. All community members, young and old, who are interested in helping to reduce substance abuse in our county are welcome to attend. For further information or to RSVP, contact the Marshall County FRN @ 304-845-3300.

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition Featured

2010-07-08T10:21:00.001-04:00

The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition and the Marshall County Family Resource Network's efforts to curb children's access to alcohol was recently highlighted in The Intelligencer/Wheeling News Register. To read the story, click here then post your comments below.

Yet Another Reason To Quit!

2010-07-02T09:59:00.002-04:00

A new study finds mental health issues such as depression and anxiety increase along with exposure to second-hand smoke. Research also shows that smokers have a higher rate of mental illness, specifically depression.
The study adds to the long list of reasons to quit smoking. To read the complete story click here.

ER Visits Due to Prescription Drug Abuse More Than Double

2010-06-30T10:01:00.002-04:00

A recent study shows that Emergency Room visits due to prescription drug abuse rose 111 percent between 2004 and 2008. Officials say prescription pain-killer abuse is the number 1 reason for the increase. To read the complete story click here.
We would like you to share your thoughts on fighting prescription drug abuse. Please help us in the fight by joining the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition. Our next meeting is July 9th at noon in the Historic Federal Building on 7th street in Moundsville. For more information on the Anti-Drug Coalition please call 304-845-3300.

Is the Indoor Clean-Air Act working?

2010-06-25T14:29:00.002-04:00

Proponents for the Kanawha County, WV smoking ban are studying the effects it has had on the health of county residents.
The study will compare health data from 2000 to 2008, and whether the 2003 indoor smoking ban has reduced the number of heart attacks reported in smokers and nonsmokers.
For the complete story click here.
Do you think the Indoor Clean-Air Act helps reduce health risks for West Virginia residents? Login in to discuss this or any other topic.

Two West Virginia cities rank at the top of a not so good list

2010-06-23T10:07:00.003-04:00

Charleston and Huntington are at the top of a list of cities with the highest proportion of smokers, according to a new national ranking.
Charleston ranked No. 1 in the nation, followed by Huntington at No. 3 on a list of the top 10 cities nationwide with the most smokers, according to Healthways, a well-being company based in Tennessee. West Virginia has the highest smoking rate in the nation, at about 27 percent, compared to 20 percent nationwide. To read the full article, click here.
The question is why? Why do you think the state's smoking rate is so high? And do you support a new tax on cigarettes to fund tobacco-cessation programs?

Substance Use Treatment Admissions Have Significantly Changed

2010-05-14T09:39:00.003-04:00

Over the past decade, there have been significant changes in some patterns of substance use treatment admissions according to a new study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Between 1998 and 2008, treatment admissions for the abuse of drugs and alcohol declined from 44 percent to 38 percent; however the abuse of both substances has remained in tact. The study discovered some trends in treatment admissions found in teenagers. SAMHSA.com reports that, "The survey also showed that admissions for substance abuse treatment among those aged 12-17 increased by 13 percent between 1998 and 2002, but declined by 10 percent between 2002 and 2008. In addition, about four in five (79 percent) of adolescent treatment admissions involved marijuana as a primary or secondary substance, and almost half (48 percent) were referred to treatment through the criminal justice system...In 2000 only 24 percent of those 16 and older in treatment were unemployed in 2008 37 percent of people in this treatment age group were unemployed." The leaders of this survey hope these results will aid them in developing "more effective treatment programs."

Shoulder Taps Conducted in Marshall County

2010-05-12T13:18:00.008-04:00

The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition and the Marshall County Family Resource Network have been teaming up with local law enforcement and youth to prevent youth social access to alcohol. Throughout the past two months, local law enforcement officers have been conducting alcohol shoulder taps at all alcohol retailers in Marshall County. Youth decoys, under the supervision of a law enforcement agent, approach adults outside of retailer locations and ask them to purchase alcohol. If the adult says no, the youths thank him or her for not providing alcohol to minors. However, if the adults says yes, a law enforcement officer joins the youths and explains the shoulder tap program. The officer then outlines the criminal penalties the adult could have faced had he or she been caught purchasing alcohol for minors. The project is in effect now and will continue until the end of May. What are your thoughts on the program? Do you think that this is a good way to help fight substance abuse in Marshall County? Please list your comments below, or contact the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition through email at marshallcountyspfsig@comcast.net.

Teen Alcohol Use Affects Brain Development

2010-05-10T09:43:00.002-04:00

The American Academy of Pediatrics has been urging physicians to discuss substance abuse with their patients. The AAP issued a 2010 statement on teen alcohol use which was posted on the Pediatrics website last month. According to American Medical News online the statement "indicates that the brain's frontal lobes, essential for functions such as emotional regulation, planning and organization, continue to develop through adolescence and young adulthood. At this stage, the brain is more vulnerable to the toxic and addictive actions of alcohol and other drugs." It has been recommended by the Committee on Substance Abuse that physicians discuss the dangers of alcohol and other drugs during medical visits. It has also been suggested that parents should leave the room so that adolescents are able to talk openly and freely with their doctor. The AAP encourages physicians to conduct an annual screening of adolescents for alcohol and drug abuse. Motivational interviewing has been used as a way to help patients "attain the desire and confidence to make necessary behavioral changes." The same study has also discovered that teen girls who drink alcohol have a greater risk of benign breast disease compared to those who do not drink. American Medical News online states, "Researchers examined data on 6,899 girls age 9 to 15 who were enrolled in the Growing up Today Study. They followed the participants from 1996 to 2007. They found females who drank six to seven days a week were 5.5 times more likely to have benign breast disease than were those who didn't drink, or who had less than one drink a week. Participants who reported drinking three to five days a week had three times the risk." For more information on how to talk to your children about drugs and alcohol visit the Marshall County Family Resource Network.

Kids Are Likely To Pick Up Smoking From Their Mothers

2010-05-07T10:10:00.002-04:00

A recent study sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration discovered that children between the ages of 12 and 17 are three times more likely to pick up smoking if their mothers partake in the habit. According to WTOP.com, "Of the teens whose mothers smoke, 16.9 percent are smokers, compared to 5.8 percent of teens whose mothers are smoke-free." However, data from the study also shows that there has been a decline in teen smoking. Between 2002 and 2009, the rate of teen smoking has dropped 3.7 percent. The full report can be found through SAMHSA's website.

D.C. Council To Vote on Legalizing Medical Marijuana

2010-05-05T14:25:00.002-04:00

The D.C. Council is set to vote this week on legalizing medical marijuana. If the bill passes, it would allow people who are chronically ill to buy the substance from dispensaries in Washington. In an article published by the Washington Post on May 4, "Federal surveys put the District among the nation's leaders in pot consumption. More than 11 percent of Washingtonians older than 26 reported smoking marijuana in the past year -- the highest percentage of any state in the nation, according to a 2007 survey by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Vermont and Rhode Island were second and third, each with more than 10 percent of respondents reporting marijuana use." Washington D.C.'s arrest rate in 2007 for people caught in possession of marijuana was 677 out of every 10,000 residents and is among the nation's highest rate. Washingtonpost.com states, "the bill before the D.C. Council would allow physicians to recommend -- but not prescribe -- up to two ounces of pot in a 30-day period for patients with chronic, debilitating conditions." There are currently fourteen states that have already legalized the use of medical marijuana.

R-Rated Films Linked With Underage Drinking

2010-05-04T13:12:00.002-04:00

New research has discovered that children who are permitted to watch "R" rated movies are more likely to partake in underage drinking than children who were forbidden to watch the films. Researchers at Dartmouth Medical School conducted a study with over two thousand middle-schoolers and found that "among those whose parents let them watch R-rated movies 'all the time,' almost a quarter had tried a drink without their parents' knowledge. That compares with barely 3% who tried a drink among those who were 'never allowed' to watch R-movies." These results come from an article which was published on USAToday.com. The researchers also discovered that while parenting decisions definitely have an effect on a child's actions, the movies actually had a greater influence.

Substance Abuse Proves Costly For WV Schools

2010-04-29T09:16:00.002-04:00

Substance abuse treatment is a great help to many, but it is currently putting WV schools in debt. Substance abuse costs WV schools $13 million, and that number is expected to rise if something is not done to tackle the problem. The figure includes money spent on prevention, treatment, and school-based mental health programs in elementary and secondary schools, along with colleges and universities, according to the report by the West Virginia Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and the West Virginia Prevention Resource Center; however, this estimate does not take into account costs such as additional school staffing, special education programs, drug- and alcohol-related truancy, property damage, and legal costs linked to substance abuse. The report states that children ages 12 to 17 make up a main portion of those being treated in WV for drug and alcohol abuse. Data has shown that the percentage of that age group being treated for substance abuse rose from 5 to 8 percent between 1992 and 2006, while the percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds did not change. Late last year, Governor Joe Manchin appointed a state policy and planning board titled "The Partnership" to fight substance abuse. The plan the partnership came up with would cost $23.5 million a year for prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery services. Manchin wished to make the plan a priority last November, but his administration said that funding at the time was impossible. While the state does allocate money to the Department of Health and Human Resources for services related to substance abuse, it has proved to be not enough. Lawmakers are still working hard to find another way to fund these programs.

Community Development Expert To Visit Marshall County

2010-04-27T14:01:00.001-04:00

Local community members have an unique opportunity to learn from one of the nation’s leaders in community mobilization and development. Peter Hille, Director of the Brushy Fork Institute at Berea College in Kentucky will visit Marshall County on May 20 for a workshop about moving people to action, recruiting volunteers, and maintaining project focus. Hille will also talk about sustainability and strategic planning. The workshop is a great opportunity for people to become more involved in their community. The workshop will be held at Grand Vue Park’s banquet hall from 10 a.m. to noon. The event is free and refreshments will be served. Space is limited, so please register early by calling Latrisha Whitelatch at (304) 845-3300. The deadline for registration is May 17. The workshop is sponsored by the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition.

Prism Awards Held Last Week

2010-04-27T08:43:00.002-04:00

Jeff Bridges can now add another award next to his recently acquired Oscar trophy. He, along with "Crazy Heart" co-star Maggie Gyllenhal received Prism Awards last Thursday night for their roles in the film about an alcoholic singer. The Prism Awards were established in 1997 and honor actors, movies, and TV shows that "accurately depict and bring attention to substance abuse and mental health issues." Other winners included Hector Elizondo and Tony Shalhoub for the TV show "Monk," the film "The Soloist," and television shows "How I Met Your Mother," "Law and Order," "Breaking Bad" and "The Celebrity Apprentice." The awards are produced by the Entertainment Industries Council Inc. in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the FX Network. The award ceremony took place at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Study Shows That More Teens Are Likely To Drink On Prom Night

2010-04-26T10:03:00.002-04:00

With the end of the school year winding down prom and graduation season are currently in full swing. New research from Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) reveals that "90 percent of teens believe their counterparts are more likely to drink and drive on prom night and 79 percent believe the same is true for graduation night." This is according to a national survey of more than 2,500 eleventh and twelfth graders. CADCA's (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) website states that "there were 380 teen alcohol-related traffic deaths during prom and graduation season (April, May and June) in 2007, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports 1,009 total teen fatalities (alcohol and non-alcohol-related) in motor vehicle crashes during those same months in 2008." Parents may be enabling their children to drink and drive during these special occasions. More than one in three teenagers say that their parents have allowed them to attend parties where alcohol is known to make an appearance. During this special time in your child's life, make sure you talk with them about the dangers of drinking and driving and drug and alcohol abuse. Visit the Marshall County Family Resource Network online to download a safe party toolkit, or to get more information on how to discuss this topic with your children.

Preteen Marijuana Use Could Lead to Psychological Disorders

2010-04-22T14:04:00.002-04:00

One of the latest studies lead by researcher Youssef Mahfoud, MD, from the Department of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve and University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio reveals that children who start smoking marijuana before the age of 13 have a greater risk for comorbid substance abuse and psychosocial and legal problems. Medscape.com writes, "In the study of 136 substance-dependent girls and boys, those who started using marijuana as a preteen were more likely to have a history of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide attempts, and traffic violations and to be dependent on other drugs." Ethnicity, race, parental education, parental substance abuse history, and characteristics of preteen marijuana users on admission to substance abuse programs were also taken into consideration as factors that may predict teen marijuana use. It was discovered that preteen marijuana abusers were more likely to be Hispanic. They also tended to have parents with less education. Sixty percent of these instances had parents with only a junior high education. According to Medscape.com, "The researchers plan to follow the sample in the study to see whether they find an improvement in outcomes for preteen marijuana users after substance abuse treatment and to gauge whether preteen marijuana use is associated with less successful response to substance abuse treatment therapies." If you would like more information on how you can talk to your children about drugs, check out the Marshall County Family Resource Network's Parent Toolkit.

New Tobacco Products Could Be Mistaken For Candy

2010-04-20T10:06:00.002-04:00

It may look like candy, but purchase with caution - tobacco companies are just becoming more creative in their approach to marketing smokeless tobacco. Products that are packaged like candy are not only appealing to adults, but to children as well; and while the nicotine is pleasing to some, children are becoming poisoned by it. A research team recently discovered that nicotine poisonings caused by smokeless tobacco products are the second highest amongst children. This study can be found in the journal Pediatrics. The new products, which are currently being test-marketed in three cities, include Camel Orbs, which resemble breath mints; Camel Sticks, which are about the size of a toothpick and dissolve in the mouth; and Camel Strips, which are similar to breath-freshening strips. While the packaging is 100% child-resistant in accordance with Consumer Product Safety Commission standards, and states to "keep out of the reach of children" parents should still be sure to keep these new products out of sight. According to Greg N. Connolly, DMD, the director of the Tobacco Control Research Group at the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston and reprinted on Health.com, "just under 0.5 milligrams of nicotine per pound of body weight is the minimum lethal dose for children." These accidental poisonings are definitely a concern, but so is the increase in people who are using these products. The use of smokeless tobacco products among adolescents increased 6% per year from 2002 to 2006.

Health Pavilion to Benefit WV and VA Residents

2010-04-16T09:39:00.003-04:00

An open house was available to the public yesterday for a new behavioral health facility that will will provide programming and services for the treatment of behavioral health, psychiatric, emotional, and substance abuse illnesses to people in both Virginia and West Virginia. The Behavioral Health Pavilion of the Virginias will be located in the former St. Luke's Hospital in Bluefield, WV. Its facilities include 64 inpatient beds which include 30 beds for geriatric patients, 24 beds for adults, a 10-bed psychiatric intensive care unit and space for outpatient therapy and counseling. The health pavilion will not only offer an outlet for behavioral health care services, but it will also create new jobs within southern WV.

Share Your Concerns With the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition

2010-04-15T10:36:00.003-04:00

The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition is currently conducting one-on-one interviews to determine which projects members of the community are most interested in. The amount of support has been tremendous and we thank everyone who has participated; however, we still need help. In order to continue to move forward we would like to hear what you think about the topic of substance abuse in Marshall County. It has been brought to our attention that many people's concerns lay within the realms of more education, stricter penalties, and increased law enforcement. What are your concerns? Share them with us below in our comments section or call (304) 845-3300. You can even email us at marshallcountyspfsig@comcast.net. We will also be on hand to answer your questions at the Marshall County Home and Business Expo this Friday and Saturday at the Mollohan Building in the former West Virginia State Penitentiary. Remember, being a part of the Anti-Drug Coalition doesn't mean that you have to attend our monthly meetings. By solely supporting our mission and vision you are already involved in the effort to fight substance abuse in Marshall County.