Friday, February 15, 2013

Substance abuse prevention reports, news stories, and more

We're heading into a three-day weekend and it's time for me to clean out my "to share" file.

Prevention messages
From the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Reports show that fewer adolescents getting substance abuse prevention messages

Alcohol prices
A study published in the journal Addiction found that when alcoholic drink prices rise, there is an "immediate, substantial and significant reduction" in deaths wholly attributable to alcohol abuse.  This study adds to research that shows that an increase in alcohol taxes reduces underage drinking rates.

Minimum legal drinking age
A study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research found that the ability to legally buy alcohol before age 21 is associated with an increased risk for binge drinking later in life.

Parents consuming marijuana
Once marijuana becomes more available in our state, more parents may contemplate its use.  The New Republic recently published an article about a father who is considering "a late-night high".

Virtual drug purchases
Almost any kind of illegal drug can be purchased online and delivered by mail, without the buyer making direct contact with drug dealers, according to a report by the European Union.

Child custody and parent marijuana use
The Denver Post published an article, Parenting and pot: Colorado divorce lawyers' perspective on marijuana legalization, about how child custody cases may change with the normalization of parental marijuana use.

Misuse of ADHD drugs
Emergency room visits for ADHD drugs more than doubled from 2005 to 2010 according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Marijuana and teen brain development
The Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse wrote about marijuana's lasting effect on the brain in her January Message from the Director.

No comments: