This is the second in a series of blog entries dedicated to the current use of drugs and alcohol by our nation’s youth. A recent national study addressed the drug and alcohol usage of our nation’s youth. It used 8th, 10th and 12th graders. The numbers clearly are disturbing. With what we know, increased alcohol and drug education, through mandatory alcohol classes and drug classes may be the cog that motivates the wheel of change. As reported in www.drugabuse.gov. Most of us readin... [More]

Do you think drug and alcohol issues are on the rise for teens? The latest report from the National Institute On Drug Abuse shows an increased need for drug classes and alcohol classes. The interesting part of this report is that it addressed middle schoolers as well, using grades 8, 10 and 12. As reported in www.drugabuse.gov. In many of my blogs you have heard me say that older is not wiser. So many people make poor decision as they age. The Message is Definitely Clear I think the anti-alc... [More]

As a counselor for both in-class and online drug classes I have strong opinions about drug and alcohol use and abuse. A recently completed study, noted as the most comprehensive ever, has uncovered some of the myths surrounding addiction issues. First is the perception that most of the people who wind up in jail are illiterate or poorly educated. The truth is that more than half of people in jail have graduated from high school or have received their GED certificate. Almost 25% had attended co... [More]

Do drugs kill? You bet they do. As a counselor for both in-class and online drug classes I often ask my students if they have any experience with friends or family members dying from drug abuse. Not surprisingly, many have. A recent study revealed reported by Sky News that fewer than one in five people needing help for drug abuse receive it. The net result is more than 200,000 people succumbing to drug addiction issues each year. Global treatment for drug abusers costs $US250 billion if everyo... [More]

Do you think more teens are smoking marijuana today than in the 1960s and 1970s? If so, you are wrong! A recent survey according to wfaa.com, found that nearly 1 in 10 teens said they smoke marijuana at least 20 or more times a month. That’s up 80 percent for past month marijuana use since the last survey conducted in 2008. There are many explanations given for this. I think legal medical marijuana is one reason for the increase in use. Why? Because it is so readily available. A second ... [More]

Do you take any prescription medications that were not prescribed for you? If not, you soon will be in the minority. That’s how rampant prescription medication abuse is in this country right now! According to a recent US Government study, more than 70 percent of people who abuse prescription pain relievers obtain the drugs from friends or relatives, usually with permission and for free. The study, reported in Reuters, based on an ongoing national survey of nearly 70,000 Americans aged 12... [More]

Let’s face it – drugs and alcohol are more pervasive in society today than ever. The number of designer drugs and ways people are finding to get high have never been greater. How many people do you know who drink alcohol? How many of your acquaintances use marijuana or stronger drugs? Do you know anyone abusing prescription pain medication? I bet you do. Life is a numbers game. The number of people abusing chemical substances is in an inflationary period that shows no signs of stag... [More]

Let’s face it, we all want to keep our children safe and addiction free. But with the prevalence of drugs in society and peer pressure just how do we do that? I might like to recommend taking an alcohol drug class with your teen. Forming a close relationship with your teenager might have its ups and downs, but research suggests open communication promotes individual decision-making, even if the talk is not all that agreeable. Available through the journal Child Development, a new study s... [More]

When you think of a drug addict does the image of an octogenarian come to mind? Probably not. But this is becoming more common all of the time. For older adults, drinking too much and misusing medications are the major substance use problems, affecting as many as 20 percent of them. They are particularly vulnerable to the mental and physical effects of alcohol and drugs because of physiological and cognitive changes that take place with age. And, even if they are not addicted to alcohol or ille... [More]

What role does race play with respect to substance abuse?  It may play a larger role than you think. White children between the ages of 12 and 17 are nearly twice as likely to have a drug problem than African-Americans, despite African-American children being nearly twice as likely to be arrested for a drug charge, separate studies have revealed. The study on drug abuse, published Monday by the Archives of General Psychiatry, used data from 72,561 youth interviewed by the National Survey ... [More]