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High Risk Teen Issues
Why Books Are Better Than Drugs 1. Books are available in a clean, well-lit library. 2. No one ever had to check into the Betty Ford Clinic for reading too much. 3. Books allow you to enter other realities and visit other worlds, and then come back again. 4. Nobody ever read too many books and then jumped off a building, walked through a plate glass window, or mooned a cop. 5. You don't have to flush all your books down the toilet when there’s an unexpected knock at your door. 6. It is extremely rare that anyone gets gunned to death in a book dispute. 7. Your friends won't desert you when you run out of books. 8. Dogs don't slobber all over your luggage at the airport sniffing for books. 9. You can proudly display books on your coffee table. 10. You cannot get AIDS, hepatitis, or cirrhosis of the liver from a book. 11. You can read all you want to read and it won't show on a urine test. 12. No matter how many books you have, you can't be charged with ”intent to distribute.” 13. Books don't have negative interactions. You never have to worry about what’s going to happen if you mix two or more books. 14. Courtroom and hospital stories are always more fun and exciting to read about than to be in. 15. When you expand your mind with books, it stays expanded. 16. If you sneeze, you won't blow your expensive books all over your floor. 17. Books don't make your nose run. 18. If you miss reading one day, you won’t go into painful withdrawal. Reprinted from “Foster Focus,” April 1997, published by the Olmsted County Foster Care Program. What Are Inhalants? Inhalants are breathable chemicals that produce psychoactive (mind-altering) vapors. People do not usually think of inhalants as drugs because most of them were never meant to be used that way. They include solvents, aerosols, some anesthetics, and other chemicals. Examples are typewriter correction fluid, glue, nail polish/remover, lighter and cleaning fluids, and gasoline. Aerosols that are used as inhalants include paints, cookware coating agents, hair sprays, and other spray products. Anesthetics include halothane and nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Amyl nitrite and butyl nitrite are inhalants that also are abused. What Products are At Risk for Inhalant Abuse?
What is Amyl Nitrite? Amyl nitrite is a clear, yellowish liquid that is sold in a cloth-covered, sealed bulb. When the bulb is broken, it makes a snapping sound: thus they are nicknamed "snappers" or "poppers." Amyl nitrite is used for heart patients and for diagnostic purposes because it dilates the blood vessels and makes the heart beat faster. Reports of amyl nitrite abuse occurred before 1979, when it was available without a prescription. When it became available by prescription only, many users abused butyl nitrite instead. What Is Butyl Nitrite? Butyl nitrite is packaged in small bottles and sold under a variety of names, such as "locker room" and "rush." It produces a "high" that lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. The immediate effects include decreased blood pressure, followed by increased heart rate, flushed face and neck, dizziness, and headache. Who Abuses Inhalants? Young people, especially between the ages of 7 and 17, are more likely to abuse inhalants, in part because they are readily available and inexpensive. Sometimes children unintentionally misuse inhalant products that are often found around the house. Parents should see that these substances, like medicines, are kept away from young children. How Do Inhalants Work? Although different in makeup, nearly all of the abused inhalants produce effects similar to anesthetics, which act to slow down the body’s functions. At low doses, users may feel slightly stimulated; at higher amounts, they may feel less inhibited, less in control; at high doses, a user can lose consciousness. What Are the Immediate Effects of Inhalants? Initial effects include nausea, sneezing, coughing, nosebleeds, feeling and looking tired, bad breath, lack of coordination, and a loss of appetite. Solvents and aerosols also decrease the heart and breathing rate and affect judgment. How strong these effects are depends on the experience and personality of the user, how much is taken, the specific substance inhaled, and the user’s surroundings. The "high" from inhalants tends to be short or can last several hours if used repeatedly. What Are the Serious Short-Term Effects? Deep breathing of the vapors, or using a lot over a short period of time may result in losing touch with one’s surroundings, a loss of self-control, violent behavior, unconsciousness, or death. Using inhalants can cause nausea and vomiting. If a person is unconscious when vomiting occurs, death can result from aspiration. Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of solvents or aerosol sprays can produce heart failure and instant death. Sniffing can cause death the first time or anytime. High concentrations of inhalants cause death from suffocation by displacing oxygen in the lungs. Inhalants also can cause death by depressing the central nervous system so much that breathing slows down until it stops. Death from inhalants is usually caused by a very high concentration of inhalant fumes. Deliberately inhaling from a paper bag greatly increases the chance of suffocation. Even when using aerosol or volatile (vaporous) products for their legitimate purposes, i.e. painting, cleaning, etc., it is wise to do so in a well-ventilated room or outdoors. What Are the Long-Term Dangers? Long-term use can cause weight loss, fatigue, electrolyte (salt) imbalance, and muscle fatigue. Repeated sniffing of concentrated vapors over a number of years can cause permanent damage to the nervous system, which means greatly reduced physical and mental capabilities. In addition, long-term sniffing of certain inhalants can damage the liver, kidneys, blood, and bone marrow. Tolerance, which means the sniffer needs more and more each time to get the same effect, is likely to develop from most inhalants when they are used regularly. What Happens when Inhalants Are Used Along with Other Drugs? As in all drug use, taking more than one drug at a time multiplies the risks. Using inhalants while taking other drugs that slow down the body’s functions, such as tranquilizers, sleeping pills, or alcohol, increases the risk of death from overdose. Loss of consciousness, coma, or death can result. Will Sniffers Recover if They Stop? It is, of course, best to quit. But most of the serious effects prolonged sniffing causes like brain damage and liver and kidney damage cannot be easily reversed. Can a Sniffer Quit? This certainly depends on how long the habit has been going on and how open the sniffer is to communicating with his/her parent and/or counselor. Youngsters who have just tried it a few times should have no problem quitting it. But with those who have been sniffing for some time, the outlook is not so good. The biggest problem is one of association—the friends of the sniffer, and these friends usually are sniffers themselves. This is "peer pressure" at its worst, and the sniffer should not associate with these old friends once he/she has quit the habit.That’s easier to say than do. Even though someone has been sniffing for a long time, it is possible to quit. Since it is an addiction and since prolonged sniffing causes impaired psychological functioning, this would require counseling and/or hospitalization. How Can I Tell if My Child Is Sniffing? First of all, if you suspect this, don’t confront your child. Don’t become angry with him or her. It’s always best to think about this situation before acting/reacting. There are some warning signs that a child or adult has been sniffing. Their breath will smell like chemicals. They may appear drunk, though this will probably not last long. You may have noticed that he/she hasn’t been doing well in school, on the job, and that they are taking less care of themselves, looking unkept and dirty. You may find an inhalant—a spray can, glue containers, or typewriter correction fluid bottles, or a soda can that smells like chemicals—in the child’s room or someplace hidden. Plastic bags, old rags or bandannas are also used. If sniffing has been going on for some time, there may be physical symptoms: a rash around the nose and mouth, nausea, headaches, slurred speech or stuttering, nosebleeds and loss of weight. What Should I Do? Reading this article has been a very good first step. You may want to give this article to your child. He/she may refuse to read it, but you should try to find a time when you can talk about it and what to do. Like many alcoholics or drug addicts, inhalant abusers are not usually ready to seek help or to quit their practice of sniffing. Unless a sniffer really wants to change, there’s not much any of us can do to help. If there is a school counselor, contact him or her. Or get in touch with your local County Social Services Agency, insurance provider, family doctor, or local drug abuse program, etc. Talking to your child is not, sometimes, as easy as hoped for. Many times children won’t listen to what we adults know is common sense. Sometimes we get angry with them. Communicating is more than giving commands. It is talking and listening. Here are some tips which may help:
Inhalant abuse, especially among children, is a growing concern. The nature of this practice is dangerous and difficult for us to understand and deal with effectively. If you are a chemical health professional, social services professional, court services professional, teacher, counselor, parent or other concerned person within the State of Minnesota and would like someone to come into your facility or community to conduct an inhalant abuse in-service training seminar free of charge, please contact: Mark Groves, CCDCR More than 1.5 million children are prescribed Ritalin (methyiphenidate) for ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). But it seems they're not the only kids taking it. Alarming numbers of suburban teenagers are getting high with the drug, say Drug Enforcement Administration officials. When Ritalin is administered properly to children with ADD, it helps them pay attention and to focus better on schoolwork. But when teens swallow or snort the drug in larger than therapeutic doses, it can lead to tremors, hypertension, and even psychosis. Officials point to the drug’s availability as one reason that it's so easily abused. Ritalin is cheap: a pill can be bought on the street for $5 dollars or less. If Ritalin has been prescribed for your child, talk to him or her frankly about the dangers of abusing it or giving it or selling it to schoolmates. Monitor the number of pills your child takes. If your child takes a pill before school, make sure it is swallowed and not "palmed" or put under the tongue. If he or she needs a second dose during the day, consider giving them a time released pill in the morning instead. Editors’ note: You may wish to discreetly take precautionary measures, rather than "talking frankly" about selling Ritalin. Pharmacies sell weekly pill boxes. If you are concerned about pills being consumed ahead of schedule you could make the weekly supply available while keeping the main supply in a safe place (under lock and key, in a fireproof safe, etc.). Talk it over with your social worker and explain to the child that federal regulations require careful monitoring of this drug . . . you just need to be careful that the dose is exact, and warn them that a dishonest person might try to steal it. In our home we try never to imply that we mistrust our child; we just want to protect him/her from potential problems. Reprinted with permission from The National Advocate, Spring 1997, vol. 3, no. 2, published by the National Foster Parent Association. Also reprinted in "Newsletter," June 1997, published by the Maine Foster Parent Association. Armed Forces: Off- Limits To Ritalin Users "Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do if the person has been using Ritalin," he said. "It's considered to be a mind-altering drug. Because of that, the services look at it as a very, very serious drug." When Christopher Gore tried to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard in late 1994, he was rejected for having a history of drug use. But the clean cut youth from Dillard, Georgia was no junkie. The drug he had used was Ritalin, a medication prescribed for Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD). Scores of young men and women across the country are learning that the Ritalin they took as teenagers, is stopping them from serving their country or starting a military career. "I was shocked and disappointed," said Gore 22, who is about to start a job selling radio ads. "I didn't expect (Ritalin) to affect my future like this." Though the Pentagon hasn’t tracked the number of people rejected for military service because of Ritalin use, policy planners are increasingly concerned about Ritalin's effect on the future of the military—particularly in light of the escalating use of Ritalin among school children. "Ritalin use is a problem for us because we want to qualify as many people as we can for the military," said Lt. Col. Ed Baldwin. All branches of the armed forces reject potential enlistees who use Ritalin or similar behavior-modifying medications. A long standing Department of Defense directive also instructs the military to reject those with "chronic history" of an academic skills deficit—including ADD—after age 12. People who took Ritalin as teenagers to treat ADD, an inhibitor of academic skills, are rejected from military service even if they no longer take the medication. MSGT Cruz Torres, a Marine Recruiter in Royal Palm Beach said at least one out of an average of 50 potential recruits who are interviewed every month is rejected because of past or current Ritalin use. "Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do if the person has been using Ritalin," he said. "It's considered to be a mind-altering drug. Because of that, the services look at it as a very, very serious drug." SGT Carl Voss, a local Air Force recruiter, said he too sees one or two potential enlistees disqualified each month because of Ritalin use. If a person in school has ADD, chances are slim for success in the Air Force. The Air Force is very selective," he said. "All of our classes are college level." Parents, doctors and teachers are largely unaware that the military services are exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act and can discriminate against people using such behavior modifying drugs as Ritalin. Harold and Jane Gore had no idea that allowing their son to take Ritalin would someday sink his hopes to enlist in the Coast Guard. "I think a lot of parents put their children on Ritalin and don't think about the possible consequences," said Harold Gore. The Gores maintain their son was hyperactive. But they were concerned about his academic performance, so they took him in 1984 to an Atlanta pediatrician. The doctor prescribed Ritalin to improve the youth's concentration. Christopher took 10 mg of Ritalin daily from 1985 to 1988, while a student at St. Francis Day School in Roswell, GA. He took the medication intermittently through 1991. A Coast Guard recruiter interviewed Gore on December 22, 1994. Gore passed written and physical tests. When asked about prescription drug use in a questionnaire, he mentioned Ritalin. On January 24, 1995, he was disqualified. "It was a real disappointment," Gore recalled. "And the irony is that I never wanted to take Ritalin in the first place. It wasn’t like I was dependent on it." The Coast Guard recruiter requested a medical waiver for Gore, noting his "eagerness to enlist" and his above average scores in math and reading comprehension. The waiver was denied. "Use of Ritalin after age 12 years" was cited as the reason. Gore said he later met a group of Marine recruiters who encouraged him to enlist. They advised him not to disclose his past Ritalin use, the recruiters subsequently found that Gore’s medical disqualification had already been extended to all branches of the U.S. military. Since 1990, the use of Ritalin nationwide has increased six-fold. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that 3% to 5% of all children under the age of 18 have ADD. A survey of 103 schools conducted by the Palm Beach Post showed that 2,002 elementary school pupils, and 462 middle school students took Ritalin daily last year. School nurses also say that kids seem to be staying on medication much longer. The burgeoning use of Ritalin is prompting military planners to take a closer look at ADD and how it might affect future staffing needs. The Pentagon is studying the training camp performance of former Ritalin users who enlisted with a medical waiver, said policy planner Baldwin, a medical doctor. This will help us determine if there is any risk being taken by investing the time and effort into them as recruits," he said. Reprinted with permission from The National Advocate, Spring 1997, vol. 3, no. 2, published by the National Foster Parent Association. Also reprinted in "Newsletter," June 1997, published by the Maine Foster Parent Association. Drug
Discussion Ideas for Parents Are drugs always bad? Illegal drugs are always bad. There’s no good use for sniffing glue or snorting heroin. But many drugs were developed as medications by doctors to help treat patients with very specific medical conditions. And for those people, drugs make sense. Unfortunately, many of these drugs are used by people who don’t need them. Which, if you think about it, is kind of like going for chemotherapy when you don’t have cancer. In other words, really dumb. Why do people keep taking drugs? Many people don’t become addicted to drugs, but may continue to do drugs for the same reasons they started: because they want to fit in, because they want to escape, because they’re bored, whatever. These are people who have issues with insecurity, and are scared or unwilling to deal with problems in a straight-up, intelligent way–like talking to friends, counselors, even parents! For other people, once they’ve started taking drugs, they become physically or mentally addicted. They want more–in fact, they feel like they need more. Eventually, trying to get drugs becomes the most important thing in their lives, using up all their time, money, and energy, and really hurting people they’re close to. What do drugs make you feel like? Everyone is different. One person’s experience with a certain drug can be different from another’s, because of the way their body and mind react to it. This section of Our Families will help you understand drug issues a bit better. Material for these articles has been adapted from work on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website. Resources American Council for Drug Education 164 West 74th Street New York, NY 10023 212-758-8060 1-800-488-DRUG www.acde.org
Families Anonymous, Inc. P.O. Box 3475 Culver City, CA 90231-3475 310-313-5800 1-800-736-9805
Nar-Anon Family Groups P.O. Box 2562 Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 310-547-5800
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) P.O. Box 9999 Van Nuys, CA 91409 818-773-9999 www.na.org
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) 12 West 21st Street, 7th Floor New York, NY 10010 1-800-622-2255 www.ncadd.org
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information P.O. Box 2345 Rockville, MD 20847-2345 301-468-2600 1-800-729-6686 www.health.org
National Families in Action 2957 Clairmont Rd., Suite 150 Atlanta, GA 30329 404-248-9676 www.emory.edu/NFIA
National Inhalant Prevention Coalition 2904 Kerbey Lane Austin, Texas 78703 1-800-269-4237 512-480-8953 www.inhalants.com
National Institute on Drug Abuse 6001 Executive Blvd Bethesda, Maryland 20892-9561. 301-443-1124 www.drugabuse.govWhat can you do to help someone who is using drugs? Be a real friend. Save a life. Encourage your friend to stop or seek professional help. Sometimes teens test out their parents by talking ‘about a friend’ when they really mean themselves. Be careful how you respond. Young people want to experiment with many things, so it is not surprising that many of them try tobacco, illegal drugs or alcohol. Marijuana pot, dope, grass, weed, Mary Jane, chronic, reefer, ganja, kaya, doobie What is it? Marijuana is a green or gray mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. It can be eaten in certain foods or smoked. It is an illegal drug. What does it do? The effects vary from person to person depending on how strong the marijuana is, how it’s taken and whether other drugs or alcohol are involved. At first, pot can make people feel relaxed, in a good mood and even silly. Users will likely experience dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, some loss of coordination and poor sense of balance, and slower reaction times, along with intoxication. Blood vessels in the eye will expand causing the red-eye effect. Smoking marijuana may impair short-term memory while people are using the drug. This happens because all forms of marijuana contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana, which alters the way the brain works. After a few minutes, paranoia or anxiousness may set in, then intense hunger (a.k.a. the munchies). Finally, sleepiness. For some people, marijuana raises blood pressure slightly and can double the normal heart rate. This effect can be greater when other drugs are mixed with marijuana. Who uses it? Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in the United States. Fewer than one in four high school seniors say they are current users. And fewer than one in five eight-graders report using the drug in the past year. Smoking pot is linked to many behaviors that can screw up your plans. Marijuana affects memory, judgment and perception even in the short-term, as was found in a study conducted by Pope and Yurgelun-Todd published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It can mess you up in school, in sports or clubs, or with your friends. If you’re high on marijuana, you are more likely to make stupid mistakes that could embarrass or even hurt you. If you smoke a lot, you could start to lose interest in how you look and how you’re getting along at school or work. Athletes could find their performance is off; timing, movements, and coordination are all affected by THC. Also, according to a study conducted by Reitbrock and Harder, using pot can affect thinking and judgment, which can mean users may do things they wouldn’t do with a clear head. This can mean unsafe sex or other risky behaviors. Inhalants all kinds of household goods, poppers, whippets, laughing gas, amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, nitrous oxide, rush. What is it? Inhalants are things people sniff for a head rush. Usually it’s stuff that’s meant for something else, like gases, glue or cleaning products.
What do inhalants do? People who use inhalants get a quick, giddy head rush. They are cheap and or readily available making them an easy choice for those who use them. Users feel slightly stimulated and uninhibited, but within a minute or two, a major headache comes on (the first indication that this is a bad idea). Hallucinations and numb hands and feet are often part of the package. Suffocation and sudden death can occur even on the first time. You can die after only one time? Yep. Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of the chemicals in solvents or aerosol sprays can directly induce heart failure and death. This is especially common from the abuse of fluorocarbons and butane-type gases. High concentrations of inhalants also cause death from suffocation by displacing oxygen in the lungs and then in the central nervous system so that breathing stops. Accidents can also result. You could be all head-rushed out and fall down the stairs, or drive into the path of an oncoming car. (Last year, a carload of high school students in Pennsylvania died because they were huffing and driving.) Plus, there’s the whole instant-heart-attack thing, no matter how healthy you are. What about using inhalants over time? Permanent damage includes:
Serious but potentially reversible effects include:
Who does it? Inhalants are one of the most popular drugs among students in all grades. Around 15% of teenagers have tried them at least once. Alcohol booze, beer, wine, liquor What is it? Alcohol is a depressant that comes from organic sources including grapes, grains and berries. These ferment or are distilled into a liquid. Alcohol affects the central nervous system and brain. It can make users loosen up, relax, and feel more comfortable or can make them more aggressive. Unfortunately, it also lowers their inhibitions, which can set them up for dangerous or embarrassing behavior. Alcohol is a drug and is only legal if you’re 21 or older. Who uses it? Alcohol is the most-used drug in the country. Among teens, it is the number one abused substance. Over 50 percent of seniors in high school reported drinking in the past month. ww.monitoringthefuture.org, 1975-1999 What does it do? Alcohol can make you feel silly, uninhibited and buzzed. You may feel more confident, comfortable or relaxed, and then as the alcohol leaves your system you feel drowsy and sleepy. This can lead to drinking more alcohol to keep your “buzz” going. The problem is alcohol messes with your ability to control your muscles, mind, and mouth. It blocks the messages going through your brain, and changes your perceptions and emotions. It affects your eyesight, hearing, coordination and reactions, making it difficult to act normally. A number of people also experience nasty hangovers afterwards, which can result from your body being dehydrated by the alcohol. Alcohol also has a high calorie content.Methamphetamine crystal, meth, ice, speed, crank What is it? Methamphetamine was created in a chemistry lab–it’s an artificial chemical substance. What’s it look like? Methamphetamine is a powder, sometimes made into capsules or pills. Sometimes people just snort the powder. There’s a crystallized version that people smoke. What does it do? Methamphetamine basically keeps you awake–people use it if they want to stay up. Unfortunately, it can keep them up for days. Some people feel high, others just feel like they’ve had way too much coffee. Unfortunately, meth is highly addictive, and users just want more and more. It also makes the heart race and sends blood pressure sky-high. Breathing problems also happen. Meth takes away appetite while also causing hyperactivity, leaving the door open for anorexia. People who do meth get irritable, confused, and easily freaked out. Deaths, strokes, and damage to the heart and blood vessels have happened, too. www.drugabuse.gov Who does it? Most people who do methamphetamine are already doing other drugs like heroin, or cocaine. Fortunately, only a small percentage of teens have tried it. Methcathinone cat, Jeff, goob, gaggers, ephedrone What is it? Methcathinone is a lot like methamphetamine–someone makes it in a chemistry lab somewhere. It’s totally artificial. What’s it look like? It’s a powder. Usually people snort it, but sometimes they smoke it or swallow it, too. Major users inject it. What does it do? Methcathinone keeps users awake, and sometimes makes them feel high as well. Some users say they hallucinate also. Unfortunately, it can keep them up way too long, make them totally paranoid and depressed, cause convulsions, anorexia, sweating, stomach pains, nausea, nose bleeds, and achiness.Ecstasy/Herbal Ecstasy E, X, XTC, MDMA, Doves, Rave Energy, Cloud 9 What is it? Ecstasy was invented in a lab by a scientist working with the same chemical structures found in methamphetamine, a powerful and dangerous mind-altering drug. At one time, the drug was used by psychotherapists, before they realized that the drug experience was not easily controlled and was mind-altering. What does it look like? Ecstasy is usually a tablet or capsule often with a symbol printed on it, and occasionally come as a powder. Who takes it? People from all walks of life use Ecstasy, including young people. It’s especially popular on the rave circuit. In 1998, 5.6 percent of 12th-graders, 4.4 percent of 10th-graders, and 1.7 percent of 8th-graders reported they had used Ecstasy in the past year. www.monitoringthefuture.org What does it do? Some believe that ecstasy lowers your inhibitions, breaks down barriers between friends, enhances feelings of love and affection. In reality, Ecstasy has some not so great effects. Ecstasy’s effects on the brain can include confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and paranoia. These effects can sometimes continue after taking the drug. Physical effects can include muscle tension, involuntary teeth-clenching, nausea, blurred vision, faintness, and chills or sweating. See: www.nida.nih.gov National Institute on Drug Abuse. The stimulant effects of the drug, which enable the user to dance for extended periods, combined with the hot, crowded conditions usually found at raves can lead to dehydration, hyperthermia, and heart or kidney failure. Another problem with ecstasy is people often mix drugs while taking it, leading to a bunch of unexpected effects. Ecstasy: Five Ways It Can Make You Less Than Ecstatic The latest numbers are in and they’re not good. Across the United States, visits to hospital emergency departments involving the drug MDMA (Ecstasy) increased 58 percent from 1999 to 2000. Why are so many more ecstasy users ending up in emergency rooms? There are more users of ecstasy, for one. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America reports that ecstasy use has increased a whopping 71 percent since 1999. There’s also a lot of misinformation about ecstasy’s effects. It’s hyped as the “love drug” because of the feelings of pleasure and energy felt by users, but despite the peppy nicknames, it’s a psychoactive drug that combines properties of stimulants (like amphetamines or “speed”) and hallucinogens (like LSD). It’s a toxic drug, and there are at least five important ways that playing around with it can hurt you: 1) Physical and psychological effects of the drug. The euphoria users associate with ecstasy is due to a huge rush of serotonin-a mood-altering neurotransmitter-in the brain. But the side effects of this sudden chemical imbalance include teeth clenching, muscle spasms, nausea, blurred vision, severe anxiety, and paranoia. Some of these side effects persist weeks after taking MDMA. 2) Dehydration/hyperthermia. As a stimulant, MDMA increases heart rate and blood pressure. The serotonin rush interferes with the body’s ability to regulate its temperature-which can cause seizures and brain injury. 3) Water poisoning. Often users think they can counter the dehydrating effect of MDMA by drinking lots of water, and they sometimes drink enough to dilute the sodium-an important electrolyte that regulates neural activity-in their systems. Though rare, some ecstasy-related deaths have occurred from people drinking too much water. 4) False Advertising. There’s a big demand for ecstasy, and there’s often not enough to go around. Suppliers sometimes sell anything that can pass for it. Dr. Richard Rawson, of the Integrated Substance Abuse Program at the University of California at Los Angeles, sees this as one of the scariest trends in the growing use of ecstasy: “As demands increase, the kinds of things that are added to pills are likely to become more variable, and things like methamphetamine are likely to be there. Certainly if it things like ketamine are added, that brings in a whole other array of scary consequences.” 5) After-effects. In the days following a dose of MDMA, the fact is that you’ll feel really bad. After your brain cells have been made to release such a large amount of serotonin, those cells are damaged, sometimes to the point where re-uptake of serotonin is blocked. You may experience confusion, depression, sleep problems, a craving for more MDMA, or severe anxiety. There’s also evidence that repeated use of MDMA can cause persistent memory problems. Ecstasy: E, X, XTC. GHB: Liquid Ecstasy, Liquid X, Grievous Bodily Harm, Georgia Home Boy. Ketamine: K, Special K, Ket, Vitamin K, Kit Kat. Rohypnol: Roofies, R-2.
How can you tell if a friend is using club drugs? Sometimes it’s tough to tell. But there are signs you can look for. If your friend has one or more of the following warning signs, he or she may be using club drugs:
Q. If you were in a club and somebody slipped a club drug into your drink, wouldn’t you realize it immediately? A. Probably not. Most club drugs are odorless and tasteless. Some are made into a powder form that makes it easier to slip into a drink and dissolve without a person’s knowledge. That is why some of these drugs have been called ‘date rape’ drugs–because there have been increasing reports of club drugs being used in sexual assaults. Q. Are there any long-term effects of taking ecstasy? A. Yes. Studies on both humans and animals have proven that regular use of ecstasy produces long-lasting, perhaps permanent damage to the brain’s ability to think and store memories. Q. If you took a club drug at a rave, wouldn’t you just dance off all of its effects? A. Not necessarily. The stimulant effects of drugs like ecstasy that allow the user to dance for long periods of time, combined with the hot, crowded conditions usually found at raves, can lead to extreme dehydration and even heart or kidney failure. In addition, some of ecstasy’s effects, like confusion, depression, anxiety, paranoia, and sleep problems, have been reported to occur even weeks after the drug is taken. Source: www.health.org Footnotes 1. Monitoring the Future Study. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 1999. Help your teens find their own anti-drug Your Anti-Drug is that thing that is more important to you than using drugs. For some people it’s their family, for others their goals. Still others get down to specifics with things like soccer, music and their education. Here are some sample anti-drugs from other teens.
Opening statements to talk to teens: I notice you haven’t been yourself lately. Can you tell me how you’ve been feeling? Most young people will let you know what is happening if you ask at the right time, if they are not afraid of punishment and if they see you as a caring friend. When it comes to saying no to drugs, the hardest people to say no to are your friends. Everyone faces peer pressure at one time or another... it’s scary, frustrating, nerve-wracking, annoying, exhausting – and then some. But you can deal with it! That’s right - you can make your own decisions and not risk losing the important friends in your life. How? Practice, practice, practice!
If you suspect or find out your teenager is taking drugs... Try to find out by communication, not detection! Detection won’t give you answers. Drugs in your teenagers room could actually belong to someone else. If you suspect or find out your teenager is taking drugs:
Some tips on good parenting:
Continually reminding a teen of past mistakes is not helpful. Give your teen a chance to try again, after a mistake. That is how we all learn. Make allowances in times of stress - school exams and broken romances. Don’t give up on your child - the best resource is you. Why do even ‘smart’ people use drugs? One reason often heard from people using drugs is that they do them to feel good. This can be considered recreational use. Some might light up a cigarette at a party. They might not consider themselves a smoker, but they do it to feel good. Someone might smoke pot at their friend’s house because they think it could be fun. The problem? Drugs don’t care what the reason is. The same effects can occur whether you’re drinking to have fun or drinking to forget a problem, whether you’re doing drugs to see how they feel or doing them to fit in. People often want to change their situation. If they’re depressed, they want to become happy. If they are stressed or nervous, they want to relax, and so on. By taking drugs, people often think they can be the person they want to be. The problem? It isn’t real. You haven’t changed the situation, you’ve only distorted it for a little while. Following are some of the reasons people say they do drugs to feel good or change the situation: 1. Because they want to fit in. No one wants to be the only one not participating. No one wants to be left out. So sometimes they make bad decisions, like taking drugs, to cover-up their insecurities. They don’t think about how drugs can isolate you from your friends and family. They forget to look past that one party to see how things could turn out. Or maybe they just don’t see the people around them who aren’t using drugs. Need a little support? Go to our peer support board. 2. Because they want to escape or relax. You’ll hear a lot of people saying things like “I’m so stressed, I need to get messed up!” or “Drugs help me relax” or whatever. What they’re really saying is “Drinking or doing drugs is just easier than dealing with my problems or reaching out for help.” The thing is, the problems are still there when they come down–and not only do they still have to deal with it, they have to deal with it when they’re not 100% and feeling guilty or even worse when they’re not thinking straight. 3. Because they’re bored. Lots of people turn to drugs for a little excitement because they say there’s nothing else to do but watch the same Simpsons’ rerun for the tenth time or hang out at the Burger King. But people who make these kinds of decisions usually find out that drugs are ultimately really a waste and painful. Drugs don’t change the situation, and they just might make it worse. 4. Because the media says it’s cool. Even though there’s an antidrug ad on every minutes and more rock stars and ball players than you can shake a stick at tell you to stay away from drugs, the truth is the entertainment world still manages to make drugs appear very attractive. Kind of like how they encourage people to be really skinny even when they say anorexia is bad. Or when they say you should be super muscular but steroids are bad. But if you’re wise, you’ll understand that the entertainment world is not the real world, and basing your life on these messages is superficial. 5. Because they think it makes them seem grown-up. This is one of the weirdest reasons. Think about it– Why would an adult want to use drugs? Probably for many of the same reasons you would consider. The reality is that the most grown-up people out there aren’t users. They’re too busy living their lives to bother with stuff, like drugs, that will interfere. 6. Because they want to rebel. Sometimes people turn to drugs not so much for themselves, but to make a statement against someone else, such as their families or society in general. Somehow taking drugs makes them outlaws or more individual. The problem is taking drugs, ultimately, robs these people of their ability to be independent, because it makes them dependent–on drugs and their drug connections. 7. Because they want to experiment. It’s human nature to want to experiment. Trying things out helps you decide if they’re right for you. But it’s also human nature to avoid things that are obviously bad for you. You wouldn’t experiment with jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge.. The point is, there are a zillion better things to experiment with sports, music, dying your hair, seeing bad movies, eating spicy food...
Alcohol Affects Teen Brain — Impairs Memory NEW YORK, Feb 14 (Reuters Health) —Teenagers who drink heavily have more difficulty recalling new information compared with teens who do not drink, according to a report. The findings suggest that teenagers who drink may be exposing their brains to the toxic effects of alcohol during a critical time in brain development. “The biggest difference we found between the alcohol-dependent and the non-abusing teens had to do with memory functions, one of the authors of the study,” Dr. Susan F. Tapert of the University of California, San Diego, stated in a press release. “Mostly, the alcohol-dependent youth did a poorer job at recalling new information,” she added. Tapert and colleagues studied 33 alcohol-dependent 15 and 16 year olds from alcohol and drug abuse treatment programs, and compared them with 24 teens of the same age who had no history of alcohol abuse. According to the report in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, the alcohol-dependent teens drank heavily during early and middle adolescence. This is a very important time for brain development, Tapert noted in the press release. “Certain brain developments, such as the refinement of neural connections, are completed by about age 16,” she commented. “Developments in the frontal lobes — parts of the brain that are important in judgment, planning and problem solving — continue until about age 16.” Thus, impairment in mental functioning caused by drinking during the teen years could have life-long repercussions, Tapert explained. “If students are drinking so heavily that it’s affecting their brain functioning, they may not be able to get as much out of educational opportunities,” she said. “This could significantly disrupt their future choices, chances of going to college, and ability to get a good job.” Because the adolescent brain is still developing, there is hope that their brains might recover from alcohol exposure, noted Mark S. Goldman, research professor of psychology at the University of South Florida. “On the other hand, because their brains still haven’t fully developed, they could be more vulnerable and show less recovery than slightly older adults might,” he suggested in a statement. It will take more research to find out if the effects of alcohol on the teen brain are reversible — a question that Goldman called “huge". SOURCE: Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research February 2000. Alcohol affects every part of the body–it is carried through the bloodstream to the brain, stomach, internal organs, liver, kidneys, muscles–everywhere. It is absorbed very quickly (as short as 5-10 minutes) and can stay in the body for several hours. Overdose occurs among younger drinkers because they try to drink too much, too fast. This can result in alcohol poisoning. When alcohol poisoning occurs, the person may pass out and can end up choking on their vomit. Alcohol can also decrease guys’ sperm count and increase their chance of impotence. In the long term, alcohol use can lead to vitamin deficiencies, stomach problems, major liver damage, heart problems, kidney damage, and brain problems such as memory loss. What about alcohol and sex? Because it gets in the way of your ability to make smart decisions, you’re much more likely to participate in risky sexual behavior when you’re drunk-and less likely to worry about using protection or getting pregnant. What about alcohol and driving? Eight young people a day die in alcohol-related crashes. Alcohol makes it difficult to drive a car with any intelligence or coordination at all. Do not drink and drive. www.madd.org What is alcoholism? Alcoholism is a disease, kind of like diabetes or high blood pressure. And although many people see it in a very negative light, it is not something to be ashamed of. It is a treatable disease, and thousands of teens are finding help for it through Alcoholics Anonymous. How do I know if I have a drinking problem? The signs of a serious problem include:
Quick Alcohol Facts
Let’s
Talk - A Family Guide to Making Responsible Choices. Problem Solving Idea #5 Following are the steps children can take in solving problems. Discuss each step with your child as you go through the example provided. “A teenager is at a party. It is time to go home, but the friend who drove him or her has been drinking. How does the teen get home?” Steps in problem solving: 1. Define the problem – How do I get home safely?” 2. Brainstorm: a) sleep at the party b) take the friends car and use his or her keys to get home c) get a ride from a sober friends d) call parents for a ride home e) take a cab or bus f) walk home 3. Evaluate the solution. a) List pros and cons. 4. Decide on the three best options. a) It is important to have more than one choice, so if one doesn’t work out there is a back up plan. Booklet is available at
Ten Approaches for Pre-teens and Teens Talking with your parents about sex at any age is scary - whether they start the conversation or you do. However once you get started it may go better than you think. Here are ten ideas to help you get started. 1. ‘Just do it’ approach. “Mom, these kids on the bus were talking about sex today and I’m confused.” 2. ‘What do you think’ approach. “Dad, I saw something on TV about teens who are having sex. They seemed a little young. What do you think?” 3. ‘What if’ approach. “Mom, what if you’re going out with someone and they want to have sex or else they’ll dump you?” or “I have a friend who is really in love with her boyfriend and he is really pressuring her to have sex. What should I tell her?” 4. ‘Everyone’s doing it’ approach. “A lot of kids in school talk about having sex. Is everyone really doing it?” 5. ‘Hit and run’ approach. Leave them a note “Mom, I’m really not sure what to think about sex and I’d like your help. Can we talk?” 6. ‘Newsworthy’ approach. Share an article from a magazine or newspaper as a starting point. 7. ‘Don’t freak out’ approach. “Dad, don’t freak out, I’m not having sex, I’m not planning on having sex, but I’d really like to talk about it with you.” or “Dad, don’t freak out, I’ve already had sex and I found out I want to wait for a while before I do it again, how to I keep myself safe?” 8. ‘Blast from the past’ approach. Ask your parents what it was like when they were in school. 9. ‘Role reversal’ approach. “Mom, dad, we haven’t had the ‘Talk’ yet and I’d really like to do it. 10. ‘By the book’ approach. Pick up a book at the library or book store to break the ice. Sexuality Questions Young People Ask. When parents are aware of the questions youth ask (or want to ask), they can see that "Am I normal?" underlies many of these questions. Young people seek reassurance as well as information. Understanding this may ease parental discomfort. Parents' uneasiness can be further alleviated by knowing how experts recommend talking with young people about sexuality.
Foster parents may find it difficult to talk about sexuality for a variety of reasons. It can be embarrassing and we may not know how to start the discussion. Sometimes we don’t know what is appropriate to talk about at what ages. We may fear that discussion of sexuality could be misunderstood and open the door for possible allegations. We may fear asking the social worker about what types of sexuality questions she/he believes are appropriate for us to answer for the children in our care. We may have grown up in an environment where no parent/child sexuality discussions occurred. We may be afraid we don’t have the ‘right’ answer or that by talking about sex we will encourage experimentation. We may not want to be asked personal questions about our own sexuality or we may fear the children in our care do not share our values or beliefs. So, for some of us we leave it up to everyone else to provide the education. Questions from younger children may seem easier to answer, however for some of our younger children in foster and post adoptive care these questions may lead to knowledge of previous abuse issues. It is important when dealing with sexuality issues with children in care you remain open with your social service professional and document questions and answers you have given the child in your foster care documentation. It is wise to document a sexuality discussion or advise the social worker of a discussion you have had. Questions often asked by preschoolers (ages 3 to 5) include:
Questions often asked by preteens include:
Adolescence is a complicated time for many young people and sexuality plays a major part in the growth from childhood to adulthood. Television, movies, radio, magazines bombard our youth with sexuality while omitting the delicacies of humanity and relationship. Adults may view teens as the problem instead of as a valuable resource to instigate change and to be empowered in their humanness and sexuality. Established in 1980 as the Center for Population Options, Advocates for Youth champions efforts to help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health.Advocates for Youth champions the core values of Rights, Respect, Responsibility® Rights: Youth have rights to accurate and complete and sexual health information, confidential reproductive services, and a secure stake in the future. Respect: Youth deserve respect. Today, young people are largely perceived as part of the problem. Valuing young people means they are part of the solution and are included in developing programs and policies that affect their well-being. Responsibility: Society has the responsibility to provide young people with the tools they need to safeguard their sexual health, and young people have the responsibility to protect themselves from too-early childbearing and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Knowing the common developmental stages of teens helps in keeping a clear mind and a warm heart to a questioning teen, while focusing on the teen’s and your family’s sexual safety. Early Adolescence: (Girls 9-13, Boys 11-14)
Middle Adolescence (Girls 13-16, Boys 14-17)
Late Adolescence (Girls 16+, Boys 17+)
Questions often asked by teens include:
So many people are talking to your kids about sex. Are you one of them? Every October is Let's Talk Month! What is Let's Talk Month? Let's Talk Month (LTM) is a national public education campaign celebrated in October and coordinated by Advocates for Youth. Let's Talk Month is an opportunity for community agencies, religious institutions, businesses, schools, media, parent groups and health providers to plan programs and activities which encourage parent/child communication about sexuality.
TALK WITH YOUR KIDS ... start now!!! Messages Worth Repeating
Door Openers
Door Slammers
for more information www.advocatesforyouth.org The following safety plan was developed in 1997 by the National Coalition Against Teen Violence (Nebraska Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Coalition) Name Date The following steps are my plan for increasing my safety and preparing to protect myself in case of further abuse. Although I cannot control by abuser’s violence, I do have a choice about how I respond and how I get to safety. To increase my safety, I can do the following: 1. When I have to talk to my abuser I can:
2. When I have to talk to my abuser over the phone I can:
3. I will make up a “code word” for my family, teachers, or friends so they know when to call for help for me. My code word is:
4. When I feel a fight coming on, I will try to move to a place that is lowest risk for getting hurt, such as: at school at home in public
5. I have the right to be safe when I am out with friends.
6. I can ask my parents or other family members to screen my calls and visitors. I have the right not to receive harassing phone calls.
7. I can keep change for phone calls with me at all times. I can call any of the following people if I need to:
8. If I have ended a relationship, I can tell the following people and ask them to call the police if they see my abuser bothering me:
I will decide for myself if and when I will tell others that I have been abused, or that I am still at risk. Friends, family, co-workers, and school personnel can help protect me, if they know what is happening and how they can help. 1. I can tell my teacher, co-worker, boss or a friend about my situation. I feel safe with:
2. I can ask ________________ or _____________________ to help screen my phone calls at home or work.
3. When leaving work or school, I can:
4. When walking, riding or driving home, if problems occur, I can:
5. If I use the school bus or public transportation, I can:
6. I can take a different route or change the time I leave when I walk or if I think my abuser will follow me.
7. If I feel down, I can talk to sources of support, like friends, neighbors, a teacher, youth minister, or crisis line. The people and numbers I can call are:
8. I can attend a support group for teens who have been abused. Support groups are held:
9. Other things I can do to make myself feel better:
95% of the victims of domestic violence are women. Therefore, we choose to represent the abuser as “he”. We do recognize that females can be abusive. (US Department of Justice) Dating violence occurs everywhere and to all kinds of people. It happens in rich communities and poor communities. It happens in every culture and ethnic group. It also happens in both straight and gay relationships. You are not alone. More than 1 in 10 teenagers experience physical violence in their dating relationship. In the age group of 15-19, thirty percent of all women who are murdered in this country are killed by their husband or boyfriend. Abuse can take the form of emotional and sexual as well as just physical violence. Often the abusive partner is sweet and kind in front of others and a monster to their partner. Jealousy and possessiveness are not a sign of true love - they are a sign that the person sees you as a possession. It is the most common early warning sign of abuse. Abusers believe that they have the right to use abuse to control their partner and they see the victim as less than equal to themselves. The victim has no control over the abuser. People stay in abusive relationships for a number of reasons. Even if the abuser promises never to do it again, the cycle of violence is often repeated. The cycle of violence includes: the honeymoon phase, the tension-building phase, the acute battering phase. The Honeymoon Phase This is where the relationship usually begins. Violent relationships may begin very romantically. The victim frequently looks back at this happy, loving time, hoping the abuse will end and that the relationship will be like it was at the beginning. After the violence occurs, this is a period of apologies, gifts, and promises that the abuse will never occur again and that the abuser will change. This can also be a time of renewed courtship, romance and sexual intimacy. The Tension - Building Phase This phase may last a week, months, or even years. However, once the cycle of violence begins, this phase will usually occur more frequently. This phase is characterized by increased emotional abuse and feeling of threat or intimidation. Victims often feel tense and afraid and often describe it as walking on eggshells. Once the cycle has occurred, a victim learns to recognize these signs. She may try to avoid or deflect the abuser’s anger by becoming more compliant. Sometimes she may even provoke the abuser in order to break the tension and get the abuse over with. The Acute Battering Phase This phase is characterized by a violent episode that may evolve physical and/or sexual abuse, property destruction, and heightened emotional abuse. Initially, minimal levels of violence may be sufficient to frighten the victim. As time goes on, the abuser will usually use more severe forms of physical and sexual abuse to maintain control. In some instances, other methods of exercising power and control are so effective that physical abuse is unnecessary to maintain total control over the victim. Dating violence is repeated verbal, emotional |