The Latest Trend in Binge Drinking: Four Loko

Four Loko, is an alcoholic beverage referred to as "blackout in a can," and also "liquid cocaine" and is the culprit behind recent hospitalizations after several students at a Central Washington University party overdid it on the potent elixir.

With 12 percent alcohol and an added caffeine boost, swilling three Loko beverages is akin to drinking 18 beers, according to estimates from Dr. Mike Reihart, a Pennsylvania doctor.

The drink has already been banned on several college campuses and communities and is currently under investigation with the FDA to ban altogether nationwide. But until then, make sure your kids know the dangers associated with Four Loko.  

As Featured in Arizona Parenting Magazine

Here are nine ways parents can keep their children safe from prescription drug abuse as noted in an article written by notMYkid and featured in the October 2010 issue of Arizona Parenting Magazine:

1. Talk to your kids about the dangers of prescription drugs! Let them know why prescription drugs are as dangerous as street drugs if they're not used properly.

2. If you notice any of the signs or symptoms listed above or suspect your child of abusing prescription drugs, investigate!

Remember the notMYkid motto: "It's not snooping, it's parenting."

3. Dispose of any unused drugs immediately. Leaving them in the cabinet with a curious teen in the house may lead to experimentation and addiction.

4. If your child takes any medications, dispense them to your child yourself, watch them take their medicines, keep them in a secure location and count the pills daily. This way, your child can refuse peer pressure or curiosity with the knowledge that they will be caught if they abuse or dispense any prescriptions.

5. Know what your pills look like. A trend with teens is to replace stolen Rx's with shaved down over-the-counter pills in the same color.

6. Invest in a prescription pill safe or locker.

medication in their homes as well.

8. Preventatively drug test your child. This serves as a "way out" for your kids when approached to try drugs (of any type) and will allow you to "verify" that your child is on the right track. At-home drug tests are readily available at drug stores.

9. Keep informed! The following Websites keep up on current teen drug trends, host information about preventative drug testing and prescription safes and are valuable tools for parents.

Click Here to read the full article.

 To learn What's New with notMYkid, please visit www.notmykid.org.

Dear Friends and Loyal Supporters,

notMYkid was approved in 195 schools last year and it appears that we are on a course to serve more than 250 schools in the 2010-2011 academic year.  notMYkid is proud to announce that we now offer Spanish-speaking adult presentations! We are very happy to be returning to dozens of schools that continue to support our programs, and look forward to seeing familiar faces!  Schools and organizations we have partnered with already this school year:

• Sunny Slope Elementary
• Pope John XIII
• Chris King Lutheran School
• Vista Verde Middle School
• Boys and Girls Club of Phoenix
• Rancho Solano - Valleywide
• Notre Dame Prep High School
• New Way Learning Academy
• FBI Citizen's Academy
• Country Place Elementary
• Town of Guadalupe/Tribe of Pascua Yaqui
• Brimhall Jr. High
• St. Joseph's Hospital
• Tesseract Jr. High
• Tesseract High School
• Valley Lutheran High School
• Board of Directors Reception

If we are not in your child's school, please don't hesitate to call our office, 602-652-0163.  We are here to Empower Youth to Reach Their Full Potential by Inspiring Positive Life Choices! 

Sincerely,

Gina Hassett and Josh Gosdin
Educational Service Account Managers

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     I was a freshman in high school when a group of young people came into our gym to do a presentation. I was living on the East Coast and the group was part of Family Crisis Services, a local advocacy organization. I remember sitting on those hard gym bleachers, amongst my 100+ freshman peers, yet feeling more and more isolated as the presenters went through their story. This particular focus was on safe dating. They showed what I thought were normal occurrences between two people in a relationship, were actually not healthy at all! In fact the behaviors were shaming, abusive, and set up patterns for poor self image and dangerous consequences. I remember thinking that the dynamic they were portraying between "Jake" and "Caroline" were things I saw EVERYDAY with my friends as well as between me and my boyfriend at the time. The bombshell was when "Jake" forced "Caroline" to have sex with him. It mirrored the exact situation I had been in with my junior boyfriend maybe three weeks prior.

     All the feelings of shame, guilt, embarrassment, and anger that I had been taking the responsibility for, became a little clearer. I thought because I didn't say specifically "NO!" it was my fault. I had thought that because it was with my boyfriend - who I wanted to date, just not have sex with - it couldn't be rape. They taught me that day, that rape is actually "forced sexual intercourse without consent, mainly by physical force and/or coercion" I had been raped and didn't even know it. Worse, I had been thinking all along that I was powerless and it had been my own fault.

    The group asked for anyone interested in volunteering at the end of the presentation and I immediately raised my hand and got involved. Even though it was not the end of my story, that group always gave me tools, hope, and a safe place to go and share some of the things I was struggling with. My life would've gone very differently had I not had the awareness that they gave me and now, through notMYkid, I have the opportunity to give that gift back.

 Olivia

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This month, notMYkid had the pleasure to present to the following communities and organizations:

• City of Buckeye
• City of Guadalupe
• Tempe Town Council
• Boys and Girls Club Regional Conference

For more information on how notMYkid can be involved in your community, please contact Rosie Martinez, Director of Community Relations.

On Saturday, October 30th, Founder Debbie Moak and Clearchoices Speaker, Brandon were featured on KFYI Newstalk 550 with Terry Gilberg speaking on Proposition 203/Arizona Medical Marijuana Act.

Click here to hear it!

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• November 5, 2010

• November 26th, 2010

2010 St. Theresa Knights of Columbus Charity Golf Event

Help benefit notMYkid and the Knights of Columbus Charities, as well as, several other scholarship funds on November 26, 2010 at the beautiful Raven Golf Club at South Mountain. Help out these charities by participating and enjoying a great day of golf! The event will include several games with prizes to be won such as a 4-person scramble, Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive and Hole-In-One prizes.

Learn more and register here!