Poll Shows Parents Afraid to Talk

From the The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The White House is urging parents to sharpen their conversation skills and monitor their teen's activities, after a new poll shows that most parents have difficulty getting through to their teens about important subjects, especially drug use. According to a new survey by VitalSmarts, most parents of teens indicate that they are even afraid to talk to their teens about everyday issues...Read the complete story here.

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Crucial Conversation Resources

Crucial Conversations Conference Call: Parents, Teens, And Drug Use

Crucial Conversations Open Letter

Abuse of prescription drugs by teens on the rise

From the Parents: The Anti-Drug. There is good news to report to parents today! This year’s Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey shows that teen drug use has declined by 23 percent since 2001 for 8th, 10th, and 12th graders combined.

These declines are due in large part to YOUR efforts as parents. You’ve been monitoring your teens’ activities, taking the time to speak with them, listening to and answering their questions, and that work is paying off.

A parent’s work is never done though and despite the encouraging news, there is an area of growing concern. Abuse of prescription drugs by teens has been on the rise and parents need to be aware of the potential dangers of these drugs if they are abused.

Read the complete story here.

Teens try cough medicine for a high

Even middle schoolers are abusing the drugs with alarming effects.

From the LA Times. Teenagers' use of over-the-counter cold and cough medicines to get a cheap high — a practice known as "robotripping" — is rising 50% a year and becoming one of the fastest-growing drug abuse (Recent news) problems in California and around the country, according to a study released Monday.Since 1999, teen abuse of Coricidin pills, Robitussin syrup and other common medications has risen 10-fold, data from the California Poison Control System show. The widely available and inexpensive medicines are growing in popularity while use of illegal drugs such as Ecstasy, LSD and the date rape drug GHB have dropped, according to the report."Hey, Mom and Dad, pay attention," said Marilyn MacDougall, executive director of the Orange County Sheriff Department's drug abuse prevention program. "Over-the-counter medicines are the upcoming way your kids are going to abuse drugs." Read more here.

Give a teen alcohol, get fined

From the Modesto Bee. Officials (Including BHRS Prevention Services) propose charging adults $500 for first offense. Hosting a party where teenagers drink alcohol could become costly under a proposed law three Modesto City Council members advanced Monday. The law is aimed at making it easier for police to punish adults who provide booze to minors. It allows officers to break up private parties and levy minimum fines of $500 against adults who let teens drink.

Read the complete story here.

Thanks

Thank you for participating in the Prevention Partnership meeting. We hope the information provided a general understanding of the alcohol and substance abuse/use issues in Stanislaus County. In the next few days, we’ll send you an email with next meeting date. Until then, please take time to review this site, which is full of information on the latest prevention research. Some of the questions in today’s meeting, such as, “why do youth drink?” are addressed in detail.

Again, thanks for your help!

Linda Jue
ljue@co.stanislaus.ca.us
525-5380

Ruben Imperial
rimperia@co.stanislaus.ca.us
681-6916