drug abuse
Survey Finds More Kids Using Marijuana
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that from 2008 to 2009, there was a 9 percent increase in people ages 12 and over who currently use marijuana. The average age of first-time use decreased to 17, which means more people are starting to use marijuana at earlier ages.
Father’s Incarceration Impacts Their Child’s Drug Use
Researchers have identified an association between the incarceration of a child’s biological father during their childhood and their future drug use as they transition into adolescence and young adulthood.
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Parents Sedating Their Children with Drugs Called Child Abuse
A new U.S. study has found that malicious use of drugs on children by their parents or caregivers is an under-recognized problem and should be classified as a form of child abuse. Dr. Shan Yin from the University of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Poison Drug Center investigated the prevalence of the national problem over an eight-year period and are encouraging officials and medical professionals to take this form of child abuse into higher consideration. Dr. Yin’s report on the study, “The Malicious Use of Pharmaceuticals in Children,” is to be published in an upcoming issue of The Journal of Pediatrics.
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Celebrity Deaths Highlight Power of Addiction
Addiction is hard to get over, no matter the drug of choice. The recent overdose and death of actor Corey Haim demonstrates the impact addition and drug use can have on a life, no matter what path the individual has taken.
ABC News posted a recent piece, highlighting the impact addiction can have even on an individual who claimed to be clean. Haim had struggled with a cocaine and Valium addiction and was reportedly admitted to rehab centers more than 15 times. In recent years, he had claimed he was clean.
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Adolescents’ Perception of Risk & Drug Use
Adolescents are under a constant barrage of information, between school, extracurricular activities and parental instruction. As they gain more freedom with friends and time, however, one area of instruction is critical: the risks of substance abuse.
Adolescents’ perceptions of risk associated with a behavior are closely related to their choices, with an inverse association between drug use and risk perception (as risk is perceived to be higher, the adolescent chooses not to participate in the behavior). Risk awareness is a key component to educating adolescents about substance abuse, and a recent study examined risk perception across genders, ages and drug types.
Tracing the Pattern of Drug Use to Drug Dependence
What makes the difference between a casual drink and alcohol dependence? How do you know when someone goes from trying marijuana now and then to having a serious abuse problem? Scientists still do not know how all of the factors involved in substance abuse work together, but a series of studies provides insight into how age plays a factor in going from using a substance to abusing it.
Three studies provide related information with a glimpse at the patterns of drug abuse. In 1994, Anthony, Warner and Kessler provided information showing probabilities for drug use and drug dependence. A 2002 study by Wagner and Anthony compared the time difference between a first experimentation with a drug or alcohol and the progression to drug dependence. In 2007 Wagner & Anthony explored the gender differences in these patterns. All three studies used data from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) from 1990-1992.
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Spice Drug Availability Prevalent Throughout Internet
To get around the illegal aspect of drugs such as marijuana or cannabis, while also achieving the same high, some recreational drug users are turning to a variety of “Spice” drugs. While they appear to be a safe alternative, new research suggests these assumptions are unfounded.
Science Daily recently posted a release summarizing the findings of two University of Herfordshire academics, Professor Fabrizio Schifano and Dr. Ornella Corazza from the University’s School of Pharmacy have released new evidence about the dangers of these drugs.
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Mexico Legalizes Possessing Small Amounts of Drugs; Encourages Treatment
Mexico enacted a controversial law today that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs while encouraging government-financed treatment for addiction free of charge.
The Associated Press reports that the law sets out maximum “personal use” amounts for drugs, also including LSD and methamphetamine. People detained with those quantities will no longer face criminal prosecution.
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Depression, Substance Abuse, and Mental Illness in the Military
By Colin Gilbert
A 2007 CBS News story recounted the life of a soldier, Staff Sgt. Daniel Shannon, who had been injured in combat and subsequently suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Shannon was prone to violent outbursts, where he would find himself destroying furniture in fits of rage. Sadly, stories like his are common; as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have lingered on, rates of mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, suicide, and PTSD have steadily climbed.
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Poll: Obesity and Substance Abuse are Top Two Problems for Kids
Obesity continues to outrank all other health problems as the number one concern for children in the United States. According to a report by the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, 42 percent of adults believe childhood obesity is a big problem. This number increased from 35 percent in 2008.
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