New Study on Teen Drinking: “Many Kids Who Drink Get Liquor From Home”

Many Kids Who Drink Get Liquor From Home: Report “Some 709,000 youngsters aged 12 to 14 in the United States are drinking beer, liquor and other alcoholic beverages, a new federal study found.  And the surprise is that many of these underage drinkers aren’t just getting a friend to buy a six pack for them […]

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Teen Substance Abuse Update: Bath Salts and Prescription Drug Use

Addictions & Answers: Prescription pills in the medicine cabinet could become kids’ new drug problem “Following marijuana, abuse of prescription drugs now ranks second as the most prevalent illegal drug problem in the US today. People like Lina have led the National Family Partnership®(NFP) to launch “Lock Your Meds”-  http://www.lockyourmeds.org/ – a national multimedia effort to reduce […]

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A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Conclusion): Getting Involved and Staying Involved

A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Conclusion): Getting Involved and Staying Involved Parent-School Partnerships Parents do not need to feel they are alone in helping their children stay drug- free. For the first time ever, there are preventative intervention programs that have been proven to be effective and are available to schools, families and communities. Children […]

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A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 6): What To Do If You Think Your Child Might Be Using Drugs

A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 6): What To Do If You Think Your Child Might Be Using Drugs Warning Signs – Since mood swings and unpredictable behavior are frequent occurrences for preteens and teenagers, parents may find it difficult to spot signs of alcohol and drug abuse. But if your child starts to exhibit one […]

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A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 5): How to Teach Your Child About Drugs

A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 5): How to Teach Your Child About Drugs Preschoolers – It may seem premature to talk about drugs with preschoolers, but the attitudes and habits that they form at this age have an important bearing on the decisions they will make when they’re older. At this early age, they […]

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A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 4): Your Child’s Perspective

A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 4): Your Child’s Perspective Understandably, some parents of drug users think that their child might have been pressured into taking drugs by peers or drug dealers. But children say they choose to use drugs because they want to: relieve boredom feel good forget their troubles and relax have fun […]

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A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 3): Talking With Your Children Effectively

A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 3): Talking With Your Children Effectively As soon as your child begins to talk, the questions come: “Why is the grass green?” “What’s wrong with that man sitting in the park?” If you show your child that you’re ready to give answers at any time, even if the topics […]

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A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 2): Laying the Groundwork

A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 2): Laying the Groundwork We, as parents, are the most important role models in our children’s lives. What we say and do about drugs matters a lot when it comes to the choices our children make. We can: set a positive example and get involved in our children’s lives; […]

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A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 1): It Could Be Your Child

A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 1): Introduction When most parents talk about drugs, they voice some of their greatest fears and concerns. And their apprehension is well justified:  Drug addiction can destroy your relationships and family life and can harm or even kill you. Unfortunately, as the general public began to feel that the […]

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Understanding Stimulants: Cocaine vs. Methamphetamine

The following information appears in “Drugs: Shatter the Myths,” a free publication from the  National Institute on Drug Abuse and the NIDA for Teens website. What Are Stimulants? Stimulants are drugs such as cocaine, “crack,” and amphetamines that can cause the heart to beat faster, and blood pressure and metabolism to increase. Stimulants often cause […]

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