School Policies Reduce Student Drinking – If They’re Perceived to Be Enforced
University of Washington professor of social work Richard Catalano and colleagues studied whether anti-alcohol policies in public and private schools were effective for eighth and ninth-graders. What they found was that each school’s particular policy mattered less than the students’ perceived enforcement of it. So, even if a school had a suspension or expulsion policy, if students felt the school didn’t enforce it then they were more likely to drink on campus. But, even if a school’s policy was less harsh — such as requiring counseling — students were less likely to drink at school if they believed school officials…
Children of Military Families at Increased Risk for Substance Use
In a paper published in the journal Addiction, researchers report that children of military families have a higher risk for alcohol and other substance use than do their peers in nonmilitary families. On the basis of their findings, the researchers suggest that schools and health care providers consider parental military deployment as an opportunity to provide early intervention and screening for substance abuse for young people in military families. The researchers’ data indicated that substance use overall was higher among those in the currently deployed or recently returned groups than in the nonmilitary group. Deployment often means that children…
Family Physicians Group Offers Doctors Online Tools for Addiction Treatment
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) in cooperation with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is offering its members online tools to help them care for patients and families struggling with addiction. The tools include the Addiction Performance Project, designed to reduce the stigma often associated with addiction, and to help doctors better identify and assist patients who abuse drugs.
CrimeSolutions.gov Offers Research on Program Effectiveness
The Office of Justice Programs’ CrimeSolutions.gov uses rigorous research to determine what works in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. This website offers: Research on program effectiveness reviewed and rated by Expert Reviewers Easily understandable ratings based on the evidence that indicates whether a program achieves its goals Effective Promising No Effects Substance abuse prevention and education programs aim to prevent individuals, particularly juveniles, from the harmful physical, social, and psychological consequences of drug and alcohol use or abuse. These programs, which may be implemented in communities, schools, faith-based settings, or the home, often seek to educate young…
Brief Intervention Helps Adolescents Curb Substance Use
Drug- and alcohol-involved middle and high school students markedly reduced their substance use following two 60-minute sessions that combined motivational interviewing (MI) and cognitive behavioral therapy. The students also reported significantly fewer substance-related symptoms of substance use disorders during the 6 months after the intervention compared with the 6 months before it. Adding a separate 1-hour MI-based session with a parent or primary caregiver enhanced the beneficial effects. Continue reading…
Prevention and Promotion Call to Action and Planning Guide
Have you seen the Prevention and Promotion Call to Action and Planning Guide This 174 page document is a month-by-month interactive substance abuse and mental health promotion planning guide for communities. This is an amazing community planning guide with all the resources you need to promote wellness in your community.
U.S. High School Students Report Top Reasons for Misusing Prescription Drugs
Nearly one-fourth (24%) of U.S. high school students reported using prescription drugs without a prescription in order to get high or change their mood, according to data from a recently released survey. Of these students, nearly one in five (18%) reported that the main reason they last misused a prescription drug was to help them relax, 16% reported it was to have fun, and 14% reported it was “because being high feels good.” Check out the latest report…
Kids poisoned by medical marijuana…
Legalizing marijuana may have unintended consequences. Since medical marijuana was legalized in Colorado, more than a dozen young children have been unintentionally poisoned with the drug, researchers report. About half the cases resulted from kids eating marijuana-laced cookies, brownies, sodas or candy. In many cases, the marijuana came from their grandparents’ stash, the investigators said. Continue reading
Policy Alert: State Alcohol & Drug Abuse Treatment Centers to Close
Policy Alert from APNC The NC Senate’s budget proposes closes of ALL of the state’s Alcohol & Drug Abuse Treatment Centers (ADATCs), with a mandate to cease admissions at the end of June. That proposal is now being considered by the NC House. Click here for full alert
1 in 5 Parents Think What They Say Has Little Impact…
Parents play an important role in preventing substance use among youths. Because of this, prevention campaigns encourage parents to talk to their children about substance use. However, according to the 2004 to 2011 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, 1 in 5 (22.3 percent) parents of teens aged 12 to 17 thought that what they said would have little influence on whether their child used drugs. Read this report to find our more about parent’s perception and the resource you can provide to help parent talk to their kids about substance abuse