Click the image above to create an action plan for talking to your kids!

While discussing the new school year for your child, please don't forget to discuss a most important issue - drug and alcohol abuse.  

A recent survey published by the Partnership for a Drug Free America showed that only 54 percent of parents reported having a thorough discussion with their children about drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Less than 33 percent of parents discussed prescription drug abuse.  

Another important study was recently released by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which revealed that levels of THC - the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana - have reached the highest-ever levels since scientific analysis of the drug began in the late 1970s. According to the latest data on marijuana samples analyzed to date, the average amount of THC in seized samples has reached 8.5 percent.  

This compares to an average of just fewer than 4 percent reported in 1983 and represents more than a doubling in the potency of the drug since that time.  

Please take this opportunity as a new school year is on the horizon to discuss this important issue with your child.  

One of the main reasons that teens do not become involved in drugs is to avoid parental disapproval.  

Parents play an integral role in their child's development and to be most effective, a no-use message needs to be consistent and continuous.  

For a free alcohol booklet focused on elementary aged children, titled "Make a Difference: Talk to your Child About Alcohol" or for multiple copies to share, please call Diana Gibbs, Community Substance Abuse Prevention Program Coordinator, at (603) 259-3700, ext. 222, or email at dgibbs@nchcnh.org.  

A free downloadable version of the booklet can be downloaded at:   http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/MakeADiff_HTML/MakeAdiff.pdf

Want to talk to your teens and tweens in their language?  

Text them!

For many teens, text messaging is a primary form of communication. It's a quick, easy and private way for them to make plans, gossip and stay in touch. While nothing takes the place of a face-to-face conversation, text messaging can help parents open new lines of communication, and it's a non-confrontational way to start conversations about sensitive topics like stress in school or concern about curfews. Texting is another way to show your support and stay connected to teens and tweens.

Not sure how to text? The Partnership for a Drug-Free America has prepared the following guide to help you:

http://www.timetotalk.org/downloads/Time_To_Text_08_10_10.pdf

For a downloadable drug guide for parents, please visit:

http://www.scasd.org/cms/lib5/PA01000006/Centricity/Domain/1178/drug_chart_10.25.10_opt.pdf

The percentage of high school students who first tried alcohol or cigarettes before the age of 13 has declined considerably since 1991, with much of the decline occurring in the past decade, according to recently released data from the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). In 1991, 33% of high school students reported drinking more than a few sips of alcohol before age 13, compared to 29% in 2007 and 21% in 2011. The percentage reporting smoking a whole cigarette for the first time before age 13 also declined, from 24% in 1991 to 10% in 2011. Marijuana initiation before age 13, however, did not change significantly over the same period (see figure below). While the decreases in early alcohol and cigarette use are encouraging, one in five students still try alcohol and one in ten try cigarettes before age 13.

Percentage of High School Students Who Tried*

Alcohol, Cigarettes, or Marijuana for the First Time Before Age 13, 1991, 2001, and 2011

*Tried a cigarette is defined as smoking a whole cigarette. Tried alcohol is defined as drinking more than a few sips of alcohol.

NOTE: The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) survey uses a three-stage cluster sample design to produce a nationally representative sample of public and private school students in grades 9 to 12.

SOURCE: Adapted by CESAR from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1991-2011 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data, accessed 8/9/12 (available online at http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline).

http://www.nnepc.org/national-news/bath-salts-update    

For online education related to Bath Salts, please visit:

http://www.nnepc.org/poison-prevention-education/lectures  

For further information and facts related to Bath Salts, please visit:

http://www.nnepc.org/poisons/b/bath-salts   

July 19th, 2012, Congressman Bill Keating (D-MA) and Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) introduced the first federal legislation to require manufacturers to create tamper-resistant formulations for commonly-abused prescription painkillers. The bill was announced during a press conference in Washington, D.C., which featured remarks by CADCA's Chairman and CEO Gen. Arthur T. Dean. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), another supporter of the bill, also participated in the press conference.

The Stop the Tampering of Prescription Pills (STOPP) Act is key to preventing new users from abusing painkillers and safeguarding against overdoses. The bill would require any brand-name painkiller - whether immediate or extended release - that is currently on the market to use a tamper-resistant formulation, including generic medications.

"Prescription drug abuse has cost our country conservatively $70 billion a year," said Rep. Keating during the press conference. "This bill creates a clear pathway and establishes a process...to incentivize and mandate tamper-resistant formulations. It would help prevent injury and harm among the most vulnerable populations - particularly adolescents."

Rep. Keating demonstrated the difference between a regular pill and a tamper-resistant one by attempting to crush both pills with a hammer. The regular pill crushed easily but the tamper-resistant pill stayed intact.

Studies have shown that drug abusers tend to crush or otherwise break down time-released products into a form that can be snorted or injected for a more intense high. The STOPP Act is the first federal legislation that directs pharmaceutical manufacturers to invest in research and production to formulate tamper resistant drugs in order to compete with drugs of a similar nature that already employ tamper resistant technologies.
 
CADCA's Gen. Dean noted that while the bill is not a "silver bullet" solution, it does create another obstacle that will deter some people from abusing prescription painkillers and is another tool in a comprehensive approach to reduce the prescription drug abuse epidemic.

"While coalitions are working hard to address prescription drug abuse in a holistic manner, their efforts alone will not solve the problem. It's through a combination of efforts at the national, state and local levels that we can start to make a dent in this epidemic so I applaud Congressman Keating and Congresswoman Bono Mack for important bill," Gen. Dean said.

Rep. Bono Mack, who is a leading advocate in the area of substance abuse prevention and chairs the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse, said the legislation should be part of a comprehensive national strategy. "Prescription drug abuse is not just a public health epidemic - it's a national tragedy," she said.  "But through the increased use of tamper-resistant medicines, we may see hopelessness replaced by hope. What's needed now is a comprehensive national strategy for combating prescription drug abuse, especially when it comes to narcotic painkillers.  The STOPP Act should be part of that strategy.  More than 20,000 Americans a year are dying from prescription drug abuse - over 15,000 from painkillers alone." Click here to view pictures.

To view the article, please visit:

 http://www.cadca.org/resources/detail/reps-keating-and-bono-mack-introduce-key-legislation-help-deter-prescription-painki  

All are welcome to attend! For more information regarding the Coos County Coalition or the Littleton ATOD Task Force, please contact Diana Gibbs at 259-3700 or at dgibbs@nchcnh.org.