2008 PATS: Teen Study Shows Significant Declines in Meth and Marijuana Use

From The Partnership for a Drug-Free America (February, 24, 2009)- The Partnership for a Drug-Free America today announced the findings from the 2008 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, (PATS) which revealed the first major increase in the number of teens who reported “learning a lot” about the risks of drugs from their parents. Research consistently shows that teens who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use.

According to the study, teen meth use has experienced a steep three-year drop, with past-month use down to 3 percent of teens – a significant 25 percent decline versus 2005. Teen attitudes about meth use corroborate this drop – 83 percent of teens see great risk in using meth regularly, about 85 percent see great risk in “getting hooked on meth” and more than half of teens, (54 percent) see trying meth once or twice as very risky.

While marijuana remains the most widely used illegal drug among teens, PATS indicates marijuana use has been declining for a decade, with past-year use down 24 percent since 1998, and past-month use down a full 30 percent (from 23 percent of teens down to 16 percent) over the same time period. Teen attitudes also reflect growing social disapproval of the drug, with 35 percent of teens agreeing strongly they “don’t want to hang around with anyone who uses marijuana,” up from 28 percent a decade ago.

The 20th annual national study of 6,518 teens in grades 7-12 is nationally projectable with a +/- 1.3 percent margin of error. PATS Teens 2008 was conducted in private, public and parochial schools for the Partnership by the Roper Public Affairs Division of GfK Custom Research.

For more key findings and the complete report click here.

In An Absolut World: Vodka Ads on Network TV

From Marin Institute - Disregarding the long-established voluntary ban on liquor ads on TV, Absolut Vodka and its owner, French corporate giant Pernod Ricard, have opened the alcohol advertising floodgates by running an ad on CBS during the Grammy Awards on February 8, 2009.

This dangerous move by Pernod Ricard and CBS places profits ahead of public health and sets into motion the dismantling of a system of self-regulation created by an industry already known for egregious advertising.

The 30-second Absolut spot was the first spirits commercial to appear on a national broadcast TV show, running in 15 of the largest media markets on CBS and affiliate local stations. Determined to push media boundaries, Pernod Ricard reached a primetime audience of underage youth who tuned in to watch their favorite teen idols on the popular music awards show.

How does advertising impact young people? To learn more about the effects of alcohol advertising and marketing on youth visit The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth.

Drinking Raises Cancer Risk for Middle-Age Women

Even one drink a day poses danger, large study finds

Research involving more than a million middle-age women finds that even moderate drinking raises risks for breast, liver and other cancers.

"Even relatively low levels of drinking -- on the order of one alcoholic drink per day -- increase a woman's risk of developing cancer," said lead researcher Naomi Allen, from the cancer epidemiology unit at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. "Because a high proportion of women drink low amounts of alcohol regularly and because most of the increased risk is for breast cancer, the risk among women associated with drinking alcohol is of particular importance."

To view the complete story in the U.S. News and World Report click here.

The report is published in the Feb. 24 online edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Gallo Prevention Education through the Arts: CRANKED

On May 7, 2009 Cranked will be coming to the Foster Family Theater at Gallo Center for the Arts as part of Gallo's vision to promote prevention education through the arts.

This remarkable and hugely successful play produced by Vancouver’s Green Thumb Theatre examines the rising epidemic of crystal meth use by teens. Employing spoken word and hip hop, Cranked offers a dramatic exploration of addiction and drug culture. It’s the story of Stan, a rising freestyle DJ who loses it all because of his meth habit and then confronts his demons without the “fix” that has dominated his life. This incredibly powerful and compelling play — with hip hop music played by an on-stage DJ — belongs to today’s generation but can be enjoyed and experienced by everyone from teens to parents and teachers.

An exciting component to Gallo bringing Cranked to our area is the opportunity for community-wide collaboration and education around these performances. Stanislaus County Office of Education, Center for Human Services, City of Patterson / Parks and Recreation, and the Stanislaus County Police Activities League have all stepped up to connect the Cranked message with young people and families in Stanislaus County. These partnerships will allow for students to be invited to showings at Gallo, but will also welcome Cranked out in to the community as well. The Cranked crew will be performing throughout Stanislaus County from May 7 through May 13.

Two public performances at Gallo Center for the Arts will be on May 9 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Tickets start at just $8.00. For more information and to view a video clip of the play visit the Gallo Center for the Arts website here.

For more information about this performance and others for your school or community please contact Raul Garcia, Community Engagement Coordinator at (209) 338-5020 or rgarcia@galloarts.org.

SAVE THE DATE! Stanislaus County Prevention Summit

Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) has announced May 12, 2009 as the date to save for the Prevention Summit to be held this spring in downtown Modesto.

A Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) community event, this year's Prevention Summit focuses on emotional and behavioral health, wellness, and resiliency. Keynote speaker Bonnie Benard, author of Resiliency: What We Have Learned, is one of many resources that will be made available to those interested in strength-based approaches to prevention in Stanislaus County. To learn more about MHSA please visit their website here.

The Prevention Summit will be held on May 12, 2009 from 8 am to 5 pm at Modesto Centre Plaza and the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Modesto. Please share this information with anyone interested in fostering healthy youth and community development in Stanislaus County.

SAVE THE DATE! More information about the day's events will be made available in the near future.

Large-Scale Meth Lab Busted in Turlock; Set Ablaze Days Later

On February 4, 2009, deputies with the Merced County Sheriff's Tactical and Reconnaissance team and agents from the Merced-Mariposa High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area raided a home on 10 acres in rural Turlock and seized more than 30 pounds of finished methamphetamine, a large quantity of unfinished product, 13 pounds of cocaine, chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine, and a large sum of cash. Agents estimated the value of the seized drugs to be near one million dollars. The complete story can be found here in the Modesto Bee.

On February 6, the same modular home that had been raided just two days prior burst in to flames. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The complete story about the blaze can be found here in the Turlock Journal.

Do you know the signs of a meth lab? How is meth made? And how do meth labs affect communities? Find out more about meth at The Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

To report a meth lab please call 1-866-METH LAB - all calls are anonymous.

CBS News' 60 Minutes: Drinking Age Debate

The Debate On Lowering The Drinking Age
60 Minutes: Some Say Age Should Be Lowered To 18, But MADD And Others Strongly Disagree

February 22, 2009 (CBS) - Last fall, a group of over 100 college presidents - including the heads of Dartmouth, Virginia Tech and Duke - signed a declaration stating that the 21-year-old drinking age is not working, and fireworks went off. But the college presidents got what they wanted: a national debate about the drinking age. When the age was raised to 21 in the mid-1980s, the goal was to reduce highway fatalities. But everyone knows that the 21 age limit hasn't stopped minors from drinking.

And now some experts believe it's actually contributing to an increase in extreme drinking.

Lesley Stahl examines the debate over lowering the drinking age to 18, a controversial idea embraced by some people and roundly criticized by others.

View the CBS News video of Lesley Stahl's report here.
Read the complete CBS news story here.