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Prescription drug abuse abetted by family, friends: study

The study, based on an ongoing national survey of nearly 70,000 Americans aged 12 and over, offers a snapshot of a growing health and safety problem that is already responsible for more fatal overdoses than cocaine and heroin, combined, and has begun to spawn other crimes including gang violence. “This is one of the greatest drug threats we have ever faced,” Michele Leonhart, who heads the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, told reporters as the study was released. An estimated 7 million Americans abuse pharmaceutical drugs. Prescription drugs account for about 75 percent of all drug-related U.S. overdose deaths, according to

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Teenagers’ Latest Bad Idea: Drinking Hand Sanitizer

by Nancy Shute Keep the sanitizer on your hands and out of your mouth. Teenagers can be pretty creative in their pursuit of a cheap buzz. Last month we reported on the “cinnamon challenge,” which involves snarfing down a spoonful of the powdered spice. Now we’ve got teens quaffing hand sanitizer, and ending up sick in the ER.

Sharp Increase in Prescription Drug Poisonings Among Teens Reported

By Join Together Staff | April 17, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs, Prescription Drugs & Youth Poisoning deaths among teenagers rose 91 percent between 2000 and 2009, primarily due to prescription drug abuse, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prescription drug abuse appears to be replacing marijuana as a “gateway drug” that leads to the abuse of harder drugs, said Dr. Julie Gilchrist of the CDC’s Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention. Overall, death rates from unintentional injuries of children and teenagers decreased by almost 30 percent between 2000

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Teens Who Play Choking Game More Likely to Engage in Drug Abuse, Study Finds

Teenagers who play a risky activity called the “choking game” to get high are more likely to engage in other kinds of high-risk behavior, such as drug abuse and sex, than their peers who do not play the game, a new study suggests. An estimated 5 percent to 11 percent of teens have tried the choking game, the Los Angeles Times reports. Teens who play the game either choke each other, or use a noose to choke themselves. After a short time, they can pass out, which may lead to serious injury or even death from hanging or strangulation, according

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Teens Say Drinking and Driving Riskier Than Texting and Driving, Survey Finds

  A new survey finds U.S. teens think drinking and driving is riskier than texting and driving, despite research that indicates they can be equally dangerous.

State must stay ahead of drug peddlers

Arizona outlawed powerful and addictive designer drugs, known as “bath salts,” on Friday. The bill was the first one Gov. Jan Brewer signed this year. It takes effect immediately under an emergency clause. This was a rush process for the Legislature. But it’s too slow to keep up with the danger of this ever-changing class of drugs. They’re marketed as “legal highs,” and the state needs a rapid-response system to make these new concoctions illegal as soon as possible. The label does make a difference. When a product is legally available, and easily accessible, casual users and especially young people

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Almost Alcoholic: Could Your Drinking Be a Problem?

Posted: 03/26/2012 4:35 pm  A father who falls asleep on the couch after having several drinks three or four days a week, thereby missing out on time with his kids and wife. A sales executive who likes to “sip” scotch on the rocks from the time he finishes his dinner to the time he goes to bed. A college student who repeatedly has trouble making it to class because he was drunk the night before. A mother who looks forward to her daily double glass of wine to help her get through the day. An assisted living resident who finds

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By Join Together Staff | March 30, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed in Marketing And Media, Parenting & Youth A new thrill-seeking activity popular among teenagers called the “cinnamon challenge” can be risky, warns the American Association of Poison Control Centers. In the cinnamon challenge, teens are dared to swallow a spoonful of ground or powdered cinnamon, without drinking any water.

Stop Medicine Abuse Badges

Stop Medicine Abuse educational icon as a badge! This image is appearing on the packaging of most over-the-counter cough medicines. The Stop Medicine Abuse educational icon was developed to serve as a tool to alert parents to the potential for teen abuse of cough medicines containing dextromethorphan.

America’s Youth Have Voted!

Number of sixth through twelfth grade students across the nation participating in this year’s Big Bowl Vote: 40,000 (and counting) Number of participating states: 42 Top 10 FAVORITE Commercials Middle School Students (6th-8th grade) 1. M&M’s: Just My Shell 2. Doritos: Dog Buries Cat 3. Doritos: Sling Shot Baby 4. Bud Light: Rescue Dog Wego 5. Skechers: Dog Race 6. Coca-Cola: Fingers Crossed 7. Coca-Cola: Nice Catch 8. Chevy: Apocalypse 9. VW: Dog Strikes Back 10. Dannon: John Stamos High School Students (9th-12th grade) 1. M&M’s: Just My Shell 2. Doritos: Dog Buries Cat 3. Doritos: Sling Shot Baby 4.

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