Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Strategic initiatives help people with mental and substance use disorders, support the families of people with mental and substance use disorders, build strong and supportive communities, prevent costly behavioral health problems, and promote better health for all Americans. The site provides information on health reform, tools, research, data, and community support related to issues of mental health and substance abuse.
Underage Drinking Program Launched in NC
The North Carolina Alcohol and Beverage Commission is set to launch a new campaign today that focuses on underage drinking in North Carolina. The campaign will target kids as young as eleven. Click HERE for more on this story
FASD May Affect About 5% of U.S. Children
Although drinking during pregnancy has long been considered taboo, new research suggests that as many as one in 20 U.S. children may have health or behavioral problems related to alcohol exposure before birth. “Knowing not to drink during pregnancy and not doing so are two different things,” especially before a woman knows she is pregnant, said lead researcher Philip May, a professor of public health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He said the high prevalence of children affected by drinking during pregnancy may be due to social pressures or women’s difficulty in changing their drinking habits. Findings…
6 Coalitions Awarded DFC Grant to Address Youth Substance Use
White House Drug Policy Office announced Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program grants, to communities across the country. The grants will provide local communities funding to prevent youth substance use and support the Administration’s National Drug Control Strategy, which treats our Nation’s drug problem through a balanced public health and safety approach. The DFC Program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to community coalitions that facilitate youth and adult participation at the community level in local youth drug use prevention efforts. Coalitions are comprised of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and fraternal organizations, health care and business…
“Smart” Wristband Developed to Detect Drunkeness
Students from the University of Washington have developed a wristband, called Vive, that monitors alcohol and dehydration levels, essentially telling wearers how intoxicated they are. The designers claim the band can curb the likelihood of sexual assault and other compromising situations likely arise a club or party. Once the band detects you’re drinking, it will occasionally vibrate to “check in” with you. All you need to do is squeeze the bracelet to let Vive know you’re still doing well and are in control. If you don’t squeeze the band, your friends will be notified, so they can come find you and…
SAMHSA Awards Grant to NC Central to Address Alcohol, Drug Abuse, HIV
N.C. Central University plans to use a three-year grant to develop techniques for reducing rates of alcohol and drug abuse and HIV transmission among 18 to 24 year olds. The grant totals nearly $898,000. The initiative known as the Campus Community Coalition taps the expertise of five academic departments within NCCU and two outside agencies. An initial phase of the project started earlier this year and involved on-campus surveys to explore prevailing habits and attitudes regarding sex and drug and alcohol use among young adults. A…
NC ABC Preparing Campaign Against Underage Drinking
According to an ABC survey, up to 40 percent of children in North Carolina have consumed alcohol before they get to the ninth grade. ABC Chairman Jim Gardner says part of the motivation behind the campaign is another, more stark, statistic. “I was staggered when I heard the figure that we lose a child per week,” Gardner said in an interview. “And I have to always stop and think: per week, not per month, in North Carolina, to underage drinking accidents.” Gardner says he expects the campaign to last several years. It will seek to motivate parents to speak with…
Connection Between Early Age of First Drink and Heavy Drinking
“Our research suggests that teenagers who have their first drink at an early age drink more heavily, on average, than those who start drinking later on,” said Meghan E. Morean, assistant professor of psychology at Oberlin College, Ohio and adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. “Our work also suggests that how quickly teenagers move from having their first drink to getting drunk for the first time is an important piece of the puzzle. In total, having your first drink at a young age and quickly moving to drinking to the point of getting drunk are associated…
Consequences of Teen Alcohol, Marijuana Use Studied
Now a new study asked high school seniors to indicate whether they experienced various adverse psychosocial outcomes resulting from use of each substance. The most alarming finding was that alcohol use was highly associated with unsafe driving, especially among frequent drinkers,” said Dr. Palamar, , PhD, MPH, a CDUHR affiliated researcher and an assistant professor of Population Health at NYU Langone Medical Center (NYULMC). “Compared to non-drinkers, frequent drinkers were over 13 times more likely to report that their alcohol use has led to unsafe driving. Marijuana users, compared to non-users, were three times more likely to report unsafe driving as…
Greenville Considers Alcohol Policy in Parks
With the exception of the Bradford Creek golf course, alcohol is prohibited at parks across Greenville, NC. A potential policy change, brought up at the City Council’s August meeting, would allow people to sell and drink alcohol in designated locations. And only for specific events. So far the Greenville City Council unanimously approved postponing a decision on whether to allow alcohol in five parks. The councilmembers wanted to give people enough time to better understand the proposal which allows alcohol under heavy restrictions at Town Common, River North Nature Center, Magnolia Arts Center, the area of Eppes Recreation Center leased…