Search Results for: blog teenage drug abuse statistics

Teen Drug and Alcohol Use on the Rise Again

Decades of “just say no” and other campaigns have had teen drug and alcohol use on the decline… until now. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation sponsored a survey of teens in grades nine (high school freshman) through twelve (high school senior). More than 3,200 teens returned anonymous questionnaires about drug use, alcohol use, and other risky behaviors. Both alcohol and marijuana use are up from 2008. Thirty-nine percent of teens reported drinking alcohol in 2009 — up from thirty-five percent in 2008. That works out to nearly six million teens across America. A quarter of … Continue reading →

Happy 4/20: Drugs at Home?

Here is one holiday that we won’t be celebrating in our home. Apparently, today is a day that many people the world over are celebrating the recreational use of pot, sharing recipes and techniques in person and through the Internet. How do I know this? Not because I am part of any subculture or anything. In fact, the drugs I am on consist of just three: A pre-natal vitamin, an over-the-counter allergy medicine (for the next few weeks), and chocolate. I know this because I bumped into an acquaintance, one of those friend of a friend folks whom I have … Continue reading →

Street Drugs and Mental Health

Parents of teenagers often worry about their children becoming involved with drugs, and rightly so. Statistics show that, by the age of 20, the majority of young adults have either tried drugs on one or two occasions, take them on a regular basis, abuse drugs or are addicted to them. Knowledge is a valuable tool in a parent’s arsenal against drugs, as is knowing how to talk to your pre-teen and teenager about drugs. Just saying “no” to drugs isn’t always the best approach for a parent to take. Yet talking to your child about illegal drugs can be both … Continue reading →

Teenage Drug Abuse Statistics

Although the use of many drugs have recently declined among teenagers there are still a significant number using illegal drugs. In the National Institute on Drug Abuse 2005 Monitoring the Future survey researchers found that 50% of high school seniors report some use of an illicit drug during their life. Many parents do not realize the signs of drug abuse or realize the prevalence among teenagers. Alcohol is the most common substance used, with 75% of seniors having at least tried alcohol and 23% within the last month. Few teenagers truly understand the risks associated with drinking alcohol and often … Continue reading →

Changing Patterns in Marriage

As you look through the kaleidoscope of marriage, you will see changing patterns. Firstly there is the honeymoon stage, where you’re so in love and it’s all new and exciting. But not everyone finds the first year of marriage to be exciting. Some people find it decidedly stressful as they adapt to a marriage partner. This is followed, for most people, by the pattern of one or more children. Again that will depend on circumstances and what the couple decide. Children are a great blessing, but they also mean changes and added stress in a marriage. Sometimes a husband can … Continue reading →

Book Review: Annie’s Baby

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Annie’s Baby is a book whose official author is Dr. Beatrice Sparks, an adolescent psychologist who also edited Go Ask Alice. But the book’s real author is “Annie”, an anonymous client of Dr. Sparks, who narrates her story to her diary. As the book begins, Annie is a fairly typical fourteen-year-old—she plays on a soccer team and enjoys rollerblading. She says she’s too much of a tomboy to be one of the “popular girls”, but she has several good friends with whom she likes to go to the movies or the mall. Annie lives with her mom, a teacher. The … Continue reading →

Helping Your Teen Find the Right Doctor

Does your adolescent see a pediatrician? Does he or she see your adult general practitioner? Adolescents have unique health care needs that may need a special doctor. Here are some tips to help you and your teen find the right doctor. Look for an adolescent specialist. This is a pediatrician who has extra training in the issues that can affect teenagers — everything from acne to eating disorders. You’ll have to look hard, though: less than 500 adolescent medicine specialists were certified between 1996 and 2005. Make sure your teen gets some alone time with the doctor. Starting between the … Continue reading →

Read This Before Sending Medicine to School

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What if your child needs medication while he or she is at school? Many antibiotics and other medicines call for three doses a day. Taking medicine at school is not as easy as it once was. Due to drugs and dangers with over the counter and prescription medicines, schools have cracked down on students taking medications while at school. If you plan on having your child take some type of medicine while he or she is at school, plan on filling out paper work and jumping through hoops. In most school districts, no medicine is allowed at school unless the … Continue reading →

D.A.R.E. Programs

Sixth grade students in my county participate in a program called D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). D.A.R.E. was founded in Los Angeles in 1983. It is now being taught in 75% of today’s school districts and in 43 countries. D.A.R.E does not have to be taught just to sixth grade students. The D.A.R.E. program can take place in any grade kindergarten through twelfth. The program is lead by specially trained officers and teaches children about dealing with peer pressure and drugs. Officers must complete 80 hours of training to teach elementary and middle school D.A.R.E. programs. The officers are not … Continue reading →

Teen Dating Violence: A Serious Problem

I never experienced any violence while dating as a teenager or otherwise and neither did either of my two sisters. We were lucky since statistically at least one of us should have experienced date violence of some form. According to the Bureau of Justice Report “Intimate Partner Violence:” About one in three high school students’ will be a victim of an abusive relationship. Thirty to fifty percent of teenage girls report having experienced teen dating violence. Young women from 14 to 17 years account for 38% of date rapes. Sixty percent of rapes occur with someone the victim knows at … Continue reading →