Guest Post: January 28-February 3 is National Drug Facts Week

            Tippecanoe County, we have encouraging news! Data collected by Purdue University’s Student Wellness Office and by the Drug Free Coalition of Tippecanoe County suggest that the rate of abuse for most drugs is declining. The reported abuse of non-prescription stimulant medication on Purdue’s campus in 2012 has dropped from 11.4% of all students to 2.4% of students. When it comes to cigarettes, 90.5% of students report not smoking a single cigarette within the last 30 days. Data from the Drug-Free Coalition’s most recent profile show that minor consumption, OWI, and public intoxication arrests have all decreased over the past four years. This is all encouraging!

            However, our work is not done. While these are positive results, they are in no way ideal. In 2009, 431 people were admitted to St. Elizabeth Regional Health hospitals for alcohol-related health issues, and there were 773 drug-related arrests in Tippecanoe County in 2010. Those numbers are too high. In 2012, 14% of Purdue students reported smoking marijuana, and the frequency increases as students progress through their college career. This is why we are recognizing National Drug Facts Week to counter the misinformation that youth receive from the media, the Internet, and from peers about drugs.

            This fight against the myths surrounding drug use and their consequences is challenging. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), of the most popular songs in 2005, 1 in 3 mentioned alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use, and 3 in 4 rap songs mentioned these substances. Of the top 90 movies over the last twenty years, 7 in 10 showed characters smoking, and 1 in 3 showed characters getting drunk.  These are the messages that youth are viewing and internalizing, and these different media sources are often the basis for harmful misinformation concerning drug use. Having substance abuse normalized and the harmful consequences minimalized in music and film leads to ignorance and poor decision-making. This is why National Drug Facts Week is about “working to encourage teens to get factual answers from scientific experts about drugs and drug abuse.”

            One of our biggest challenges is that we are up against billion-dollar industries that advertise tobacco, alcohol, and other drug products with glamorous and highly-technological messages. Our budgets are nowhere near as large. This makes our messages even more important, and there are many ways we can empower youth to make good decisions. We can:

·      Provide them with accurate information about the negative consequences of drug use.

·      Teach them about media advocacy and encourage them to become involved in healthy activities.

·      Work with legislators and councils to enact policies that hold people accountable for their behavior and policies that promote a safe and healthy environment for our community.

·      Support access to mental health services for those who need it.

Together, we can make a difference.  For more information about National Drug Facts Week, visit http://drugfactsweek.drugabuse.gov/

-Miriam Brown, ATOD Education Coordinator

Purdue Student Wellness Office

January is National Mentoring Month!

At its most basic level, mentoring helps because it guarantees a young person that there is someone who cares about them. A child is not alone in dealing with day-to-day worries.

Think back. Did you know how to study for a test or make plans for college? Do you remember wanting your first car or looking for a part-time job? Simple things that seem easy or straightforward to you now may appear to be a complete mystery to a young person.

Mentors provide their mentees with an experienced friend who is there to help in any number of situations. Mentoring by a caring adult over a prolonged period of time has been shown in countless academic studies to be effective in combating a variety of risk factors. A number of studies have revealed a correlation between a young person’s involvement in a quality mentoring relationship and positive outcomes in the areas of school, mental health, problem behavior and health (DuBois & Karcher, 2005; Rhodes, 2002; Zimmerman, Bingenheimer & Behrendt, 2005).

Did you know that nearly 18 million young Americans need or want mentoring, but only three million are in formal, high-quality mentoring relationships? That means more than 15 million young people still need mentors. That unmet need constitutes what we call the "mentoring gap." Finding mentors for 15 million children is a tremendous challenge that we are working to close, community by community. And with each new mentoring initiative, with each new collaboration between schools and businesses, we are steadily closing the gap. Will you help?

To find out more about ways to make a difference in the lives of Tippecanoe County youth by becoming a mentor, click here.

This article is shared and adapted from mentoring.org.

Call for Facebook ban on alcohol ads

Thursday, 18 August 2011 :: By: Mark Gould :: OnMedica

A new report by campaigning charity Alcohol Concern reveals the growing importance to alcohol companies of social networking sites like Facebook and video sharing sites such as YouTube as a means of promoting their products.

It is also concerned at what it says are the inadequacies of online age verification pages aimed at preventing under 18s from accessing content intended for adults.

The report New media, new problem? also highlights the frequent practice of users of social networks posting pictures and descriptions of themselves drinking and being drunk, and asks why so many of us choose to publicise our alcohol consumption in this way.

It says health bodies need to counter official alcohol marketing and pro-drinking messages on the internet by fully embracing and utilising new media themselves as a means to promote alcohol-related health messages.

And it wants official alcohol marketing to be banned from social networking sites and for alcohol producers and site administrators to end the unauthorised use of drinks logos and advertising images on social networking sites

It says age affirmation pages are “ineffective” at restricting young people’s access to websites containing alcohol-related content and calls research to find better ways to control access. In the meantime it wants alcohol brand websites to only contain straightforward factual information about products.

The report found that:

• According to a recent survey, 37% of children aged 13-15 year olds have seen photos of their friends drunk on social networking sites.
• 8% of year 9 pupils and 25% of year 11 pupils in Wales have been drunk at least 4 times, whilst 14% of year 9 pupils and 31% of year 11 pupils in Wales drink alcohol every week.
• Almost half (49%) of children aged 8-17 in the UK have set up their own profile on a SNS. Despite the fact that the minimum age for most SNSs is 13 years, 27% of 8-11 year olds who are aware of such sites state they have a user profile.

Alcohol Concern chief executive Don Shenker said the alcohol industry has “very effectively taken advantage of internet technology as a means of promoting its products”.

He said that most of the leading drinks companies have a presence on Facebook or Twitter, plus their own websites which often contain content likely to be attractive to young people, such as games and videos, competitions and prizes.

“Many Facebook groups about drinks also mirror official drinks industry advertising and make use of official drinks logos. Much of this can be easily accessed by users of any age. The sharing of pro-drinking messages in this way fuels the normalisation of alcohol – the more people who are regularly exposed to images and descriptions of excessive consumption, the more normal and acceptable this behaviour appears.”

10 Tips for Surviving Back-To-School and Other Life Transitions

By Olivia Chao :: The Partnership at drugfree.org

1. Start the Dialogue

“If you know a milepost is coming up, talk to them about it,” says Ron Arden, Life Navigator. Try saying:

You’re about to start a new school. How are you doing about that? I know when I was your age and I went to a new school, it was a little scary.

We’re moving out of this area, and you’ll be going to a new school. We’re going to have to make new friends. I think that’s a little scary. What are you feeling about it? What do you think it’s going to be like for you?

“Let them know that their anxieties are normal. Let them know that you understand it, and afterwards ask, ‘How was it for you? Was it as bad as you thought?’ Oftentimes, I suggest parent give their child more information than they need, so that when they come home, they can say, ‘You know, it really wasn’t as bad as you made it out to be.’”

2. Let Your Child Vent

Listen to your child. Try not to interrupt with your running commentary. If you’re thrown off guard by something your child says, tell her you’ll get back to her. Then talk it through with a spouse or friend and when the time is right readdress the topic with your child.

3. Ask Questions

My daughter Lauren never seems stressed about academics – it appears to come easy to her. I mentioned this once, and was surprised to hear that it was not the case. She is stressed but she doesn’t show stress like my other daughter. So, I learned the importance of checking in with my kids and probing a bit. Things are not often what they seem.

4. Eliminate Some of the Surprise

My colleague Denise Young Farrell suggests pointing out details of what’s to come. “My daughter will soon be starting at new program at our local public elementary. When we walk by the school I try to tell her something new about what it will be like. Whether it’s what entrance she’ll use or where she’ll play with her new friends. Just trying to eliminate some of the surprises, as there are sure to be some that sneak up on us!”

5. Help Them Get Organized

Michael Thompson, PhD, consultant, author, & psychologist, points out that middle school can be particularly challenging for boys. “Boys tend to be more to be more scattered. So that middle school is often a very upsetting transition for them because they can’t keep track of their stuff…Moms and dads have to move in and help them with those kinds of organizational challenges in middle school.”

6. Attend Parent Night

For parents of high school and college kids, I recommend taking advantage of the school’s parent orientations as well as any brochures, info sheets and web resources help prepare and educate parents about these transitions. Some of the information is just common sense, but you may learn something. Also, by attending, you’re sending your children a powerful message that you are engaged and that this is indeed an important time for everyone. What’s key, I think, is finding the time to share with the child what you learned. You may get the roll of the eyes and “Yea, yea,” but it’s worth the effort, and it’s easy to do.

7. Establish Guidelines

It’s important to set up rules and guidelines anytime of the year but during times of transition it’s essential. Know where they are, who they’re with and what they’re doing. If your child is heading to college, Vanessa Van Petten, author, consultant and youthologist suggests setting specific boundaries with your child around topics like money, grades and keeping in touch.

8. Make Time to Connect

Parent Partner and mom Lorraine Popper suggests being supportive of your child’s interests during times of transition. “If they’re into a certain type of music, get interested. Show that you care about their life. Spend a little more time together, do activities that they like to do.” Steve Paseirb, president and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org, suggests scheduling family dinners or get-togethers every week and set it in stone just like sports practice. “Use the time to catch up on what’s going on in your kid’s life, including what’s not going well. Stressed kids may feel isolated, which can lead to experimentation with drugs and alcohol. Let them know you love them too much to see them risk getting hurt by experimenting or using.”

9. Give Them Independence

“I feel we should give our kids some autonomy so they don’t feel as if we are suffocating them,” says Tracey Jackson. “Then all they want is to get as far from us as possible.” My colleague Claire Kelly’s daughter is starting high school in Manhattan this fall. This summer Claire let her and her older sister take the subway together from Queens to Manhattan to begin getting her used to the commute. On two occasions, she took the train herself. “That was hard for me,” explains Claire. “But my daughter was so excited and proud of herself, I knew allowing her that bit of independence was worth it.”

10. Be Aware of Red Flags

Be aware of any unusual behavior. Tessa Vining suggests asking yourself, “Are they isolating themselves? Are they locking themselves in the – in their room and not letting you in? Are – has their appearance changed? Are they looking a little bit more rundown? Do they seem a little bit more erratic in their mood?” See warning signs and what you can do about it. See a list of warning signs of drug and alcohol use.

And lastly, as your kids prepare to go back to school, you can help them sail through this transition (and many others to come) by simply letting them know that you’re always there to for them.

Guest Post :: Back to School Basics

School will be starting up in the next couple of weeks. It is time as a parent to be thinking about helping your children get off on the right path this school year. The Drug-Free Coalition encourages you to BE INVOLVED and be prepared to deal with problems before they arise.

Here are some pointers to get you started this school year!

• GET TO KNOW YOUR CHILD’S FRIENDS! Studies prove that it will be a friend that influences your teen when it comes to alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs. Know their friends and talk to your child about their friends. Consider becoming acquainted with your child’s friends and their parents. Your influence can make a difference.
• ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO BE ON A TEAM OR IN A CLUB, whether at school, in church or at the local youth center. Help them find their abilities. Studies show that children who are involved with extra-curricular activities do better all around than those who are not. Kids want and need to fit in someplace so help them fit into a place that is beneficial to them.
• SPEND TIME TOGETHER as a family. Strengthening your family bonds and allowing your child the opportunity to talk about things that are going on at school and in their life can make a difference in how they react to things.
• ENCOURAGE and believe in your child. Let them know they can do something, be someone, make a difference, and you expect them to succeed in life.
• WATCH FOR CHANGES in your child’s behavior--different friends, grades dropping, etc. These are some of the indicators for alcohol, tobacco and other drug usage.
• CLEAN OUT/LOCK-UP! Most kids get alcohol and prescription drugs from right inside their home. Clean out the old medications, and lock-up alcohol and prescription medications.

I hope these tips will help you get you and your family off to a good start this school year! For more information visit “The Partnership at Drug Free.com”.

Jane Haddock, BSW, CPP
Community Consultant, ICJI
Serving Benton, Carroll, Clinton, Fountain, Tippecanoe,
Parke, Vermillion, Warren, and White Counties

Super Bowl Safety Tips

If you are hosting a Super Bowl party: Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers before kick-off or help arrange ride-sharing with other sober drivers

Find unique ways to recognize the designated drivers at your party:

• Give them a great spot to watch the game
• Whatever non-alcoholic beverage they are drinking, make sure their glass is always full
• Let them have the first pass at the buffet table
  
• Make sure their cars are easy to access when it is time to start driving people home
• Serve plenty of food, offer a variety of non-alcoholic choices like soft drinks, juice, and water
• Only serve alcohol to guests over 21 years of age
• Determine ahead of time when you'll stop serving alcohol, such as one hour before the end of the party or at the end of the third quarter of the game (just like NFL stadiums) and begin serving coffee and dessert

If you are attending a Super Bowl party or watching at a sports bar or restaurant:

• Designate your sober driver before the party begins and leave your car keys at home if you plan to drink
• Find unique ways to recognize the designated drivers when you are out at a bar or restaurant
• Offer to be the designated driver the next time
• Offer to pay for a tank of gas
• Whatever non-alcoholic beverage they are drinking, make sure their glass is always full
• Pick up the tab for their food and drink

Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Pace yourself -eat enough food, take breaks and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.

Take appropriate steps to prevent anyone from driving while impaired. Remember, Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk. and Always buckle up - it's your best defense on the road

For more information, please visit www.FansDontLetFansDriveDrunk.org or http://www.nhtsa.gov/Impaired.