The study’s author, Sean Esteban McCabe of the Substance Abuse Research Center of the University of Michigan said, “The results of this study provide compelling evidence that adolescents have a wide range of motives for using prescription opiods non-medically and these motives should be carefully considered in efforts to reduce this behavior.”  The study was published in the August 2009 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Another study of 12-17 years olds, Reuters, August 18, 2009, found that about 20% said they have given their prescription drugs to friends and obtained them the same way.  About one third who said they “borrowed” medications indicated they experienced some sort of allergic reaction or had some other negative side effects as a result.  This study was published online in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Additionally, The Washington Post, August, 24, 2009 noted that there was a 76% increase in calls to poison control centers regarding teen misuse of prescription drugs intended for treating Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  This study reported that calls regarding misuse of ADHD drugs by teens rose 251 calls from 1998 to 2005.  Four fatalities were noted among those calls and 42% of the calls involved concerns about moderate to severe side effects.

Finally, the Food & Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Mental Health found an association between stimulant drugs like Ritalin and Addereall, which are used for ADHD,  and “sudden unexplained death” among youth.  The researchers said, “While the data have limitations that preclude a definitive conclusion, our findings draw attention to the potential risks of stimulant medications for children and adolescents.”  This study appeared online in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Click here for links.

Join Together:

Prescription Drugs Misused by 12.3 Percent of H.S. Seniors
One in Five Teens Share Their Prescription Drugs with Friends
Poison Center Calls for Teen Use of ADHD Drugs Soar
ADHD Drugs Associated with Sudden Death among Kids

CESAR FAX, August 17, 2009, Vol. 18, Issue 32, Friends and Family Are Most Common sources of Prescription Drugs Misused by Youths (Click Here for PDF)

CADCA Coalitions Online: More Kids Using ADHD Drugs to GET High.

In understanding the impact of classroom management for teachers and schools, the American Federation of Teachers developed solid, tested, and easily accessed classroom management resources offered on its website www.aft.org/tools4teachers.The resources range from guides to setting up a classrooms to recommended behavior management strategies and include some interactive tools to help with implementation.

In specifically focusing on behavior-management strategies, techniques mentioned include both preventive approaches and interventions.  Preventative strategies when used consistently, reduce the chances that problems will occur, or will at least minimize the behavior problems that do arise.

Included were two key components:

Creating a structured environment:
An organized environment can offset student feelings of insecurity, mistrust, and discomfort that may come from the unpredictability in the lives of many youth.  Research has shown that an organized and predictable environment is based on set rules and routines and well-established schedules.

Monitoring student behavior:
Research also has shown that continually checking student’s progress over time gives teachers an opportunity to use the data obtained to adjust interventions to improve effectiveness. Reshaping behaviors and behavior patterns that are problematic was also a noted component of effective behavior management.

Two particularly effective interventions included in the site were Social Skills Training and Anger Management Training.

Social Skills:
Some students who act out or who behave inappropriately simply have not been taught how to behave appropriately.  Teaching social skills helps overcome these kinds of deficits.  Social skills instruction should include the following steps:

• Identify the social skills needed to replace problem behavior and decide what steps are needed to perform the skill adequately.
• Model or show the students how to perform the skill(s) by having them watch other students perform the skill.
• Practice using role plays of the skill(s).
• Reinforce the acceptable behavior/skill.

Anger Management:
Many students whose behavior is disruptive also have difficulty expressing anger (feelings) appropriately.  Often angry behaviors have been reinforced by people giving in to the aggressive behavior, strengthening the connection between expressed anger and the student’s control of the situation.  Also students have often not learned acceptable ways of showing frustration and anger and need to learn alternative and appropriate ways of resolving conflicts, and to do so without coercion, physical force and/or aggression.  They also need to learn the triggers that set off their anger and develop approaches for managing the anger, such as the following:

• Self-instruction or self-talk: a way of working through problems using new internal dialogues to counter old ones.  Instead of telling themselves negative messages, students learn alternative and more positive messages.
• Relaxation skills: this includes deep breathing and physical exercises to reduce stress and the physical symptoms of anger.
• Problem-solving: used to help students view situations as problems to be solved rather than battles to win.

Among peers they are sometimes a social activity and perceived as safe among youth. Their effects are instant and the high is brief.

Examples of Inhalants

Volatile solvents, include products that are inexpensive and readily available, such as paint thinner and remover, degreaser, gasoline, glues, correction fluids, and felt tip markers.

Gases, usually medical anesthetics, include ether, chloroform, Holocene, nitrous oxide or laughing gas. Nitrous oxide being the most abused of the gases, is found in whip cream dispensers and products that boast octane levels. Others sources of dangerous gases include butane lighters, propane tanks, and refrigerants.

Aerosols are sprays containing propellants and solvents, such as spray paint, deodorant, hair spray, vegetable oil spray, fabric protectors to name just a few.

Nitrites, often referred to on the street as poppers or snappers, can still be found in older cans or bottles of video head cleaner, room deodorizer, leather cleaners, and liquid aroma but have been prohibited by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. There are several methods of use among those that abuse inhalants such as:

• Sniffing or snorting fumes from a container.
• Spraying the aerosol directly into the nose or mouth.
• Sniffing or huffing from a substance sprayed into a bag, plastic or paper.
• Huffing from a inhalant soaked rag.
• Inhaling from a balloon filled with a gas, usually nitrous oxide.

Signs and symptoms of inhalant abuse include:

• Chemical odor on breath and clothing
• Paint or other type stains on face, hands, or clothing
• Hidden empty spray cans, solvent containers, chemical soaked rags
• Drunk or disoriented appearance
• Slurred speech
• Nausea or loss of appetite
• Inattentiveness, lack of coordination, irritability, and depression

Inhalants can and have caused death by:

• Asphyxiation by repeated inhalation, replacing the oxygen in the lungs.
• Suffocation by blocking air from getting into the lungs when inhaling from a plastic bag.
• Convulsion or seizures from abnormal electrical discharges in the brain.
• Coma from the brain shutting down all but the most vital functions.
• Choking from the inhalation of vomit after inhalant use.
• Fatal injury from accidents including motor vehicle fatalities suffered while intoxicated.

If you suspect that your child is using inhalants seek professional help from your family physician, local Poison Control Center, school nurse, or counselor. Do not be afraid to ask your teens tough questions about their behavior. Know where they are going and with whom they will be with and get to know their friends. Additionally, make sure you know what they are doing after school between the critical hours of 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. Monitor activities and set boundaries. Additionally, in most states inhalation is illegal and offenders can be ordered by the court to undergo drug treatment. Find out what the laws are in your state about inhalation. In some states it is also against the law to sell certain products to minors.

Resources: NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), DrugsTV(www.drugstv.com), Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA).

According to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health, over 50% of Americans age 12 and older had used alcohol at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey; almost 24% had binged (used 5 or more drinks in a 2 hour period); and almost 24% reported heavy drinking (5 or more drinks on 5 or more occasions, in 30 days).  In the age group 12-17, almost 15% had used at least one drink in the past 30 days, almost 9% had binged, and 2% reported heavy drinking.

Safe and Drug Free Schools encourages all district schools to support this event by offering alcohol prevention activities during the month of April.  For activities and resources, the following links are available:

CADCA Resources:
Alcohol Awareness
CADCA’s Support 21 Toolkit

The Surgeon General’s Resources:
Call to Action to Prevent & Reduce Underage Drinking 2007
Underage Drinking
A Guide to Action for Educators
A Guide to Action for Families

Other Resources:
College Drinking Prevention

This year’s survey  indicated that teens who have seen their parent(s) drunk are more than twice as likely to get drunk in a typical month and three times more likely to use marijuana and smoke cigarettes.  Additionally, teen drinking behavior has been strongly associated with how teens believe their father feels about their drinking.  The association indicates that teens who believe their fathers are okay with their drinking are 2 1/2 times likelier to get drunk in a typical month.  Joseph Califano, CASA’s chairman and founder said,

“Teens behavior is strongly associated with their parents’ behavior and expectations, so parents who expect their children to drink and use drugs will have children who drink and use drugs.”

Getting Drunk
Sixty-five percent of 12-17 year olds who “drink monthly” reported that they get drunk at least once a month..  One third of the drinkers indicated they drink with the intention of getting drunk; another 33% who do not drink to get drunk find that they also get drunk at least once a month.  This equals over 65% of drinkers who end up getting drunk monthly.

Compared to teens who have never tried alcohol, teens who get drunk monthly are:

• 18 times more likely to have tried marijuana
• 4 times more likely to be able to get pot in an hour
• almost 4 times more likely to know someone their age who abuses prescription drugs
• more than 3 times more likely to have friends who use marijuana
• more than 2 times more likely to know someone their age who uses meth, ecstasy, or other drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

“The message for parents is loud and clear.  If your teen is drinking, the odds are your teen is getting drunk.  And teens who get drunk are much likelier to try marijuana and hang out with friends who are abusing prescription drugs and illegal drugs . . . . “  — Elizabeth Planet, CASA’s Vice President.

The survey found that more than 1/3 of teens (8.7 million) can get prescription drugs for getting high within a day, and nearly 1/5 (4.7 million) can get them within an hour.  Sources for these drugs included home, parents, other family members, and friends.  For the second year in a row, more teens said prescription drugs were easier to get than beer.

Also noted in the survey results was that marijuana is now easier to get than cigarettes, beer, or prescription drugs.  This is up 37% since 2007.  Forty percent of teens (10 million) can get marijuana within a day and nearly 5.7 million can get it in an hour.  Teens who also said that the decision to use marijuana is not a “big deal” were almost 4 times more likely to use it than those who said the decision is a big deal.

Other notable findings:

• two thirds of high school students said drugs are used, kept, and/or sold at their schools
• 60% of parents said that their child’s school is not drug free
• of the parents who said their school is not drug free, almost half think there is nothing they can do about it

“Parents are the key to raising drug-free kids and they have the power to do it if they send their children the clear message to choose not to use and demand that the schools their children attend be drug free,” noted Califano.

Click here to read the full report and for links to the press conference video.

In a Commentary by Michael Josephson, from Character Counts and the Josephson Institute, Josephson notes that treating others with respect is often more an expression of our views, and our own character, than an expression of what is “due” to another person.  Noting an important distinction between respecting others in the sense that we “admire them or hold them in high esteem” and treating others with respect, Josephson asserts that respectfulness is a moral mandate and our good treatment of others is an expression of our own good character. 

People of character, according to Josephson, are obligated to treat everyone with respect, even if they don’t necessarily deserve it.   Additionally, not treating others with respect lessens their own character. For some, a great deal of self-control is necessary to show respect to people who are dishonorable or disrespectful to them/others. However, it is their own integrity that can help them resist the temptation to display what could tear them down internally.

In sharing a story about a politician who was drawn into some mudslinging with his opponent, Josephson stated that once the politician realized he was lowering himself to the opponent’s level, he stopped and said, “Sir, I will treat you as a gentleman – not because you are one but because I am one.”

Daily, we are required to manage the demands of those who are often disrespectful, but in understanding the true nature of respect as a reflection of our own character, treating others with respect becomes not only less of a challenge, but also a reminder that we teach best by example.

Character Counts is an informative website offering insightful advice about character dynamics and the usefulness of using and developing respectful approaches to students and others as well as other strategies and ideas related to the positive nature of character education.

Parents. The Anti-drug:  www.theantidrug.com

Here are some key findings.

• 59% say having photos or personal information listed on a public site is unsafe but 62% of teens report still posting photos and information on social networking sites.
• More than one-third of those surveyed have been either the victim or perpetrator of cyberbullying, and 68% think it is a serious problem. About 81% think online bullying is easier to get away with and hide from parents as bullying in person. Fifty-eight percent of online bullies report getting back at someone or “because they deserved it” as a reason for their actions. Only 28% of cyberbullies report getting caught.
• Nineteen percent of teens surveyed have engaged in sexting. Of those, sixty percent say they sent nude or nearly nude photos to a boyfriend or girlfriend, but 11% say they have sexted people they do not know. Eighty-one percent of teen sexters are under 18 and 90% report that nothing negative happened as a result of sexting, such as sending the message to the wrong person or getting into trouble. Only 14% of sexters report getting caught. However, 74% of teens surveyed believe sexting is wrong.
• Seventy-six percent are at least somewhat concerned that personal information which is posted publicly could have a negative impact on their future.
• Forty-two percent of teens report their parents know little or nothing about their online activities and 44% report having no limits or restrictions set by their parents on internet use.

Click below to download the entire study in PDF format.

Following are basic crisis planning requirements:

1. Develop a plan and not a guidebook.
   • Identify significant hazards as well as who does what when.
   • Revisit the plan regularly with staff members and other key personnel via discussions, drills, and table-top drills.
2. Develop initial response plans that do not rely on first-responders or district personnel.
   • Create an immediate responder network of crisis managers in the school; these people should also make up the Crisis Response Team.
   • Identify a command center for the school, and evaluate and plan for key areas where assistance will be necessary.
   • Train the school’s team of responders to support the plan by teaching and practicing how and when to respond.
   • Train the responder team regarding policies and procedures, first aid, including CPR and AED, NIMS and incident command, and threat/hazard awareness.
   • Make the team aware of their responsibilities and make sure they have adequate, ongoing training.
3. Establish table top and regular drills to support training. The plan should be tested by those who would have a role in the crisis.
4. Communicate with business and neighbors surrounding the school to ensure that evacuations will be as efficient as possible.
5. Use technology to communicate and have plans in place for when technology is not available. Good communication is imperative.
6. Take advantage of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Incident Management System (NIMS) training courses. (For Wichita Public Schools, The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, 316-973-2260, can assist with this.)

The Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah has developed a website dedicated to the science of addiction and the brain. Using this fun, informative, and interactive website, students and adults get an opportunity to learn important information about addiction.  The site includes information regarding the following areas of addiction.

• Key elements of the natural reward pathways in the brain
• How drugs alter body systems
• The timing and circumstances that influence addiction
• The challenges and issues in modern addiction research and science

For a detailed scientific review of some of the latest research regarding the addiction process and key aspects of addiction go to Learn Genetics, Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah.