E-cigarette Ads Associated with Cigarette Smoking Initiation Among Youth
A scientific study finds that receptivity to e-cigarette advertising increases the likelihood of trying conventional cigarettes one year later. The study found that young people ages 12-21 who had never previously smoked, but were receptive to e-cigarette advertising, were 60 percent more likely to try smoking cigarettes one year later, compared to teens who were not receptive to the ads. Study participants were considered receptive to an advertisement if they reported liking or recognizing images from the ad. Click HERE for more information
Cleveland County’s Law Enforcement Renews Commitment
Local law enforcement is renews it commitment with Cleveland County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition to help prevent underage drinking in the county. On Feb. 28, leaders of the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby Police Department, Boiling Springs Police Department and N.C. Highway Patrol, came together to renew their commitment to working to prevent underage drinking in Cleveland County with a signing of a memorandum of understanding in partnership with the coalition. The action plan strategies target two main ways young people often access alcohol according to youth surveys and focus group discussions; adults buying and supplying alcohol for underage…
2015 NC YRBS High School Results Are Available
The 2015 North Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) results have been released. You can find summary graphs and trends on the North Carolina Healthy Schools website.
Teenage Behavior Influenced by Video Games?
Experts from the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies at The University of Nottingham have carried out the first ever analysis of best-selling video games to find out the extent to which the games include this content and to assess the link between playing the games and drinking and smoking behavior. They found that teenagers who play video games featuring alcohol and tobacco references appeared to be directly influenced because they were twice as likely to have tried smoking or drinking themselves. Click here for more in this research study
NIH Launches Landmark Study on Substance Use and Adolescent Brain Development
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded 13 grants to research institutions around the country as part of a landmark study about the effects of adolescent substance use on the developing brain. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study will follow approximately 10,000 children beginning at ages 9 to10, before they initiate drug use, through the period of highest risk for substance use and other mental health disorders. Scientists will track exposure to substances (including nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana), academic achievement, cognitive skills, mental health, and brain structure and function using advanced research methods. Click HERE for more in this…
Palcohol Gets the Green Light
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved a new product Wednesday called Palcohol. It’s a dried form of alcohol that can be mixed with water to create liquid alcohol. Concerns over safety have already led several states, including South Carolina, Louisiana and Vermont, to ban powdered alcohol and other states are considering legislation, KPNX-TV in Phoenix reported. Some critics are concerned people may try to snort the powder or mix it with alcohol to make it even stronger or spike a drink. Click HERE for more on this story.
Early Cannabis Use Connected to Adult Memory Problems
Young adults who abused cannabis as teens performed about 18 percent worse on long-term memory tests than young adults who never abused cannabis. “The memory processes that appear to be affected by cannabis are ones that we use every day to solve common problems and to sustain our relationships with friends and family,” said senior author Dr. John Csernansky, the Lizzie Gilman professor and chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The brain abnormalities and memory problems were observed during the individuals’ early twenties, two years after they stopped smoking…
Underage Drinking Pilot Program Launched at Six NC Universities
As a pilot program, the University of North Carolina System will work alongside the state’s Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, and the Department of Health and Human Services, to combat underage drinking and illegal drug use on college campuses. In most cases, state citations will now be issued to students, taking traditional on-campus measures a step further. Depending on the situation, a student could be required to attend court, or enter a treatment or prevention program offered by the university. Aldona Wos, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement…
Prescription Drug Abuse Resource
Protect Your Kids provides helpful information about prescription drug abuse, prevention and intervention.
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…