Is using drugs an impulse decision? For some yes, for others no. Generally speaking people who abuse drugs have little impulse control. That is certainly an inhibiting factor when they try to quit using.

A recent study reported in US News, revealed that teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and teens who start using cigarettes, drugs or alcohol both share impulsiveness in their personalities.

But a new brain-imaging study of nearly 1,900 14-year-olds finds that the brain networks associated with impulsivity in teens with ADHD are different compared to those who use drugs or alcohol.

This is groundbreaking research if it can be corroborated in other studies. This would mean that the impulse to blow off chores is completely different from an impulse to experiment with drugs or alcohol.

ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder marked by excessive levels of activity, inattention and impulsiveness beyond what's normal for a child's age.

People with ADHD are at higher risk of substance abuse and alcoholism. The explanation was thought to lie in the lack of self-control or inability to curb impulses that are part of the disorder.

Researchers did find distinct patterns of brain activity in ADHD and in kids who'd tried alcohol, cigarettes or drugs while taking the test.

Among the kids who had tried alcohol, cigarettes or other drugs (mostly marijuana), scans showed different patterns of brain activity compared to teens who had abstained.

Even teens who reported having only tried a drink or two by age 14 showed a different pattern of activity.

This is groundbreaking in that we see that the brain differences aren't caused by the substances, but are already present and play a role in what drives certain teens to experiment with alcohol and others to abstain.

I look forward to more research on this topic. If it can be determined that we are wired differently, perhaps drug and MIP classes combined with some blocking medication can help kids with ADHD from becoming victims of substance abuse.

Times are tough all over. Life was never too easy growing up in middle school and high school. Peer pressure combined with mean kids made life difficult. Many adolescents turned to drugs and alcohol.

That was then – now drugs are increasing the likelihood that a teen will partake in the “choking game.” This is one of the most asinine things I have read about in a long time.

They call it the “choking game,” but it’s deadly serious according to the LA Times. Experts estimate that 5% to 11% of teens have tried it.

Why the heck would kids try this? A recent study reports that kids see this as a way of getting high. What total nonsense.

The choking game refers to an activity where pressure is applied to the neck/carotid artery to limit oxygen and blood flow; once the pressure is released, a ‘high’ or euphoric feeling might be achieved as blood and oxygen rush back to the brain. Of course this is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious injury or death.

The choking game is also known as “knock out,” “black out,” “space monkey,” “flatlining” and “the fainting game.” Players, mostly teens, use belts, neckties, other types of binding, or even a friend’s helping hands to cut off the supply of oxygen.

At least 82 children between the ages of 6 and 19 are known to have died while playing the choking game. Even when it’s not fatal, it can lead to coma or seizures.

How widespread is the choking game?

Get ready to be terrified. A study showed that among eighth graders, 22% of the students had heard of someone playing it and 6.1% had done so themselves. Participation rates were the same for boys and girls.

Among those who had played, 64% had tried it more than once and 27% had done so more than five times.

The researchers found that players were more likely than non-players to use drugs, be sexually active, have poor mental health, have been exposed to violence, be involved in gambling and to have poor nutrition.

The researchers also looked at 11th graders and found that one-third had heard of someone playing the choking game; 7.6% said they had played it themselves and 1.7% said they had helped someone else do it.

Crazy times made that much more difficult by drugs, alcohol and stupid games like this. As a recovering drug addict and alcoholic I understand the psychology of getting high. I wish more people could learn the easy way that drugs are destructive. More drug classes and educational medium could help save a child’s life.

Prescription medications are killing teenagers like never before. The current scourge of Western society, prescription medications, is causing more poisonings among our youth than ever before.

The Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a rather alarming statistic this week regarding teen deaths. The incidents of teen fatalities related to poisonings among 15 to 19 year olds increased more than 90% between 2000 and 2009. This is reported in patch.com. I would hope that a 90% increase would alarm you!

Many teens shy away from illegal street drugs, however, more and more teens are turning to prescription drugs and over the counter medicines to get high. These drugs include pain killers that might be prescribed after a person undergoes surgery, depressants that are taken for sleep aid, depression or anxiety or stimulants such as those used for ADHD.

Given the vastness of America’s problem with respect to prescription medication, I would hope it is well-known that narcotic pain killers like Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet or Lortab, including the generics such as methadone and hydrocodone are highly addictive and are very dangerous.

Each day 2,500 students from 12 to 17 abuse a pain relieving drug for the first time.

In fact, prescription medicine is the second most abused drug other than marijuana. Most teenagers obtain these prescription meds by stealing them from their parent’s medicine cabinets and even share them with friends or sell them at school.

Parents need to keep prescription medication out of their children’s hands. Old prescriptions need to be disposed of properly and parents need to educate their kids on the dangers of prescription medication. If you are a parent and worried about how to educate your child about drugs, I recommend a minor in possession class. There also are online drug classes.

Most people who have used the drug ecstasy know that it can provide a euphoric feeling. However, that great feeling could be setting users up for a long battle with depression.

A recent study out of Canada reported by CBS news, revealed that teens who get high on MDMA (ecstasy), methamphetamine and/or amphetamine could be setting themselves up for feeling depressed long after they take the drugs, according to a new Canadian study.

Frightening Findings

Researchers interviewed about 3,900 10th graders in Quebec and followed up with them when they were in the 11th grade. Those who admitted to using the drugs had a 60 to 70 percent risk of experiencing depression symptoms a year after they said they used the substances. Teens who used both the drugs had double the risk for signs of depression compared to those who didn't use the drugs.

How accurate are these findings? Really the only true way to see the effects of these drugs on depression would be to have a test group using a placebo which will never happen.

In my opinion, these drugs mess with the body’s nature chemical balance, altering serotonin levels and making it more difficult to appreciate life without the aid of chemicals.

Drugs are evil. There is no need to make life more difficult by using drugs and getting addicted to chemical substances. The best way to steer clear of depression is to steer clear of addictions. If you or someone you care about has a drug problem seek help. There are also online drug classes.

Have you ever taken ketamine, or better known as “Special K?” Odds are you know someone who has taken the drug at least once. As with many club drugs, many users do not know the side effects. That is one reason why everyone should take a drug class.

Many people who use the club drug ketamine - known as "special K" - may risk abdominal pain, bladder control problems and other urinary tract issues, and the heavier the dose or frequency of use, the more likely the problems. This according to foxnews.com.

A recent found that of 1,285 young adults who said they'd abused ketamine in the past year, 27 percent had developed urinary tract symptoms.

Ketamine’s function medically is as an anesthetic. In clubs ketamine is snorted or sometimes injected, with users saying it creates feelings of euphoria and being "out of your body."

Repeated ketamine use has been linked to mental problems such as hallucinations and impaired memory, thinking and concentration. If that wasn’t enough, it can also cause high blood pressure.

There is no doubt that regular ketamine use can lead to severe urinary symptoms as well.

The findings were based on an online survey promoted by a UK club-music magazine called "MixMag."

Of 3,806 young people who responded, half said they'd tried it at least once, while 1,285 - or a third of the whole group - said they'd used it in the last year.

In the study, statistics of past-year users revealed that 17 percent had symptoms of ketamine dependence such as wanting, but failing, to cut down on the drug. As with most drugs, regular users have to continually increase the dosage in order to get high.

Not surprisingly, they tended to take the drug in bigger doses, and more often, than other users.

It might be somewhat comforting and give reason to quit knowing that symptoms often seem to go away once the ketamine abuse stops.

If you use ketamine, stop. If you have never tried it don’t. If you or someone you love has a drug problem, seek help immediately. If you prefer to maintain anonymity, there are online classes too.

Anyone been to Columbus, Ohio lately? Let me tell you – it sure ain’t a mecca of tourism. Rampant drug abuse has created a metropolis in decline.

The heroin problem in Ohio is especially bad. According to www.mercurynews.com, Research is showing that kids as young as 13 are hooked on heroin. It is considered to be an inexpensive substitute for prescription medications. Hmm?

The drug’s supply and use is thought to be at epidemic levels. Ohio has struggled with soaring rates of addiction to prescription painkillers, with a record number of fatal overdoses in 2010.

A report showed that there were 338 deaths due to heroin overdose in Ohio in 2010. Heroin is responsible for 20% of the state’s overdose deaths.

So what is the answer? Perhaps they need to cut the supply of both heroin and prescription pain killers. Pain medications are a gateway drug to heroin. Less than 1% of heroin addicts claim that heroin was the first drug they experimented with.

Another government report finds heroin abuse on the rise nationally.

In Michigan, heroin trafficking and abuse are now nearly equal to cocaine sales and abuse. Michigan studies show that heroin is considered a cheaper alternative to prescription medications as well.

In Florida the exact opposite is true. Florida reports a decrease in heroin use as it has seen a huge increase in prescription painkiller abuse.

Heroin is a terrifying drug. If you, or someone you love uses heroin, please seek help immediately. 

From Snooki to Vinnie to Mike "The Situation", anyone who ever has watched the reality show Jersey Shore know these kids need drug and alcohol classes. These reality stars have an unhealthy impact on the youth of America today.

Shows like “Jersey Shore” are creating an illusion for today’s youth that they are normal and their poor behavior is acceptable. I certainly do not like my middle-schooler watching any of these shows.

"The Situation" Enters Rehab

The communication between representatives for Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and the reality star could use some work. Shortly after his rep denied the reality star had a problem with substance abuse and was getting some rest and relaxation. It turns out “The Situation” went and checked himself into rehab!

Turns out Sorrentino has a prescription drug problem.

While the show and the characters revolt me, I am glad to see one of them trying to better themselves by trying to quit using drugs. He made some weak statement that he was addicted to prescription medication because he was so exhausted. Please, spare us the BS.

MTV announced this week that "The Jersey Shore" is coming back for a sixth season, with expectant mom Snooki on board as well.

I remember when MTV was "Music Television" and broadcast music videos. Those make far too much money for MTV to consider getting rid of them. However, my guess is that this will be the last season. We can only hope. The cast certainly can use a New Jersey Drug and Alcohol Class.

College life has always had some element of drugs and alcohol. Some campuses certainly are more prone to drug and alcohol issues. It is high time (pun intended) that universities start taking steps to discourage the rampant use of drugs and alcohol on their campuses.

One of the schools recently hit hard by drug troubles is Texas Christian University in Ft Worth, TX.

The TCU Horned Frogs are the local sweethearts. The school and its sports teams have been the center of their community, almost always in a positive light.

Fans flock to football games even if they didn't attend the private school. People across Tarrant County wear purple to support the Frogs. Young boys want to play ball like LaDainian Tomlinson and Andy Dalton. Nearby businesses tout TCU and sell purple fan gear. You get the picture.

It was not a pleasant day when the school announced a major drug investigation uncovered serious drug problems at the school and on the football team. Four football players were arrested for selling drugs.

The arrests sent a tough message to college students everywhere: There is zero tolerance for drug dealing. Leaders and campus police at several universities said that even if the public expects drug use on campuses, officers have a responsibility to enforce the law.

The drug sting toll sat at 19 people accused, including 15 students. Four of the 15 students arrested were football players. It was later reported that five football players had tested positive for marijuana and failed a Feb. 1 test initiated by coach Gary Patterson.

Ten of those arrested are accused of selling 1/4 ounce to 5 pounds of marijuana.

Three people were arrested on suspicion of selling controlled substances, three on suspicion of selling both marijuana and a controlled substance, and one on suspicion of selling fake LSD and marijuana. One person, who was not identified, was arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession.

I would bet that they could put a drug sting on virtually any campus in America. Maybe some football programs would survive, but drugs are so pervasive in society and on campus that all schools are guilty. What do you think the answer is? Do you think that mandatory drug classes would help?

Source: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/02/19/3745958/campuses-take-tough-stance-on.html

Everything seemed to be improving for the Texas Christian University football team. However, the school and the team is now mired in serious drug-related trouble.

In a follow up to a blog on members of the TCU football team being arrested in Texas for dealing drugs, we will look at how bad the drug problem is at TCU. Is TCU different from other colleges?

If you listen to TCU football players, drug use was widespread among the team. Four players from the team were arrested for selling drugs, a blow to one of the most respected programs in college football and one expected to contend for the Big 12 title in its first season in the league. The four players — linebacker Tanner Brock, defensive lineman D.J. Yendrey, offensive tackle Ty Horn and cornerback Devin Johnson — sold marijuana to students and football players. They have been kicked off the team.

The 18 people arrested, 15 of them students, were caught making "hand-to-hand" sales of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription drugs to undercover officers.

It all started when coach Gary Patterson sprung a surprise drug test on the football team on Feb. 1, National Signing Day, and that Brock later told an undercover officer that there "would be about 60 people being screwed" as a result of the test.

Caught by a Recruit

It is interesting to note that Patterson ordered the drug test after a prize recruit told him that he would not attend TCU because of drug use by players.

According to Johnson, 82-players failed the drug test.

Brock led the team in tackles during the Frogs’ 13-0 Rose Bowl season in 2010.

Yendrey, a defensive tackle from Edna High School, started 18 games the last two seasons, including the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 21. Johnson, from Moore High School in Oklahoma, had eight career starts, including the bowl game. Yendrey and Johnson would have been seniors next season.

Just When Things Were Going Well

The football team has never been better. TCU has received almost universal positive media coverage for years as Patterson built the program into a perennial power. The Frogs are 47-5 over the last four seasons, including 11-2 in 2011.

Academically, TCU has one of the top programs in the country with respect to its athletes. In December, TCU ranked third in the "Academic BCS," a list by researchers at the New America Foundation’s Higher Ed Watch blog that ranks football teams based on their graduation rates and how well players are working toward their degrees.

Its Academic Progress Rate score of 972 was fourth among the Top 25 schools in the final 2010 BCS standings. APR is a measure of eligibility and retention used by the NCAA to see how successful teams are in the classroom.

The American Football Coaches Association has recognized TCU for its high graduation rates for four consecutive years. All but one of TCU’s 19 seniors on the 2011 roster have already earned his degree or is on track to graduate by May.

Last year, TCU was highlighted in a "Sports Illustrated" article as the only Top 25 football team in 2010 with no players on its roster with criminal records. The article stated that TCU and Oklahoma were the only two schools in the Top 25 that perform criminal background checks on their recruits.

It is a shame to see something like this happen. With so much at stake these student-athletes may not get another chance for an education. The school also is to blame. They should more closely monitor their student-athletes and provide them with mandatory drug and alcohol classes.

Source: www.bostonherald.com

To what do you attribute to the recent rash of drug-addicted babies? From coast-to-coast hospitals are finding babies born already addicted to drugs.

I can tell you one thing – it is not all the hormones they are putting into our food. I believe it is prescription medication.

The neonatal unit isn't supposed to be a drug rehab ward.

But the drugs their mothers took are causing more newborns in the Sacramento, California area to spend their first days of life suffering through the pains of withdrawal.

From 2008 to 2010 submitted by hospitals to the state, the number of infants suffering withdrawal in the four-county area has doubled since the start of the decade.

Doctors diagnosed 156 local newborns with neonatal withdrawal syndrome from 2008 to 2010.

The syndrome generally occurs when mothers use drugs, particularly opiate painkillers, for an extended period during pregnancy. Its symptoms are similar to what addicts often experience when stopping a drug: sweating, fever, restlessness, poor appetite, vomiting and tremors.

Poor little babes, this is no way to enter a cold world.

While the syndrome is more prevalent, it is still rare, affecting one of every 450 local births in 2010.

More babies – about one of every 80 born in the region – are affected in some way by maternal drug use but do not suffer withdrawal symptoms. That figure, which experts say underestimates the problem, has grown at a moderate pace for years, and doctors have reported a shift from cocaine toward narcotics.

What is the culprit? Clinicians blame the rise in newborn drug withdrawal on increased use – and abuse – of prescription painkillers.

Nationally, reports of neonatal withdrawal syndrome increased from 7,500 to 12,000 from 1995 to 2008, or seven times faster than the growth in total births. The report said that "an indeterminate part" of the rise is due to "more liberal use of prescription opiates."

Pregnant mothers often realize that abusing drugs could harm their infants, but cannot kick the habit. Thirty-four-year-old Jennifer Hohnholz of Rancho Cordova said she smoked crack cocaine in 2009 while pregnant with her third child.

Hohnholz's child was born healthy but tested positive for drugs. The child was adopted and Hohnholz, who is now clean, hasn't seen her since.

Hohnholz, the former addict, went through a drug treatment program and got clean. She recently completed a certificate in office administration, and is looking for work.

She gave birth to a healthy son, Jaden, 17 months ago.

Drug classes and treatment do work. Regardless of your situation or what drug you are addicted to drug education is crucial to healthy babies and a productive society.

Source: http://www.sacbee.com