Posted by azdrugrehabctr on October 8, 2015 under Addiction Trends | 
The United States Surgeon General is the top spokesperson regarding medical issues and concerns in the United States. Several decades ago the Surgeon General came out with a warning on tobacco. Until that time the majority of the population considered cigarettes and other tobacco products to be safe and ok for consumption. Experts credit the study for drastically reducing the amount of people that use tobacco products. This landmark study illustrates the power of the Surgeon General. The office is hoping to duplicate their success with tobacco when it comes to illegal and prescription drug abuse.
The Office of the Surgeon General announced that it would be releasing information from a comprehensive study in 2016 that encompasses all illegal and prescription narcotics. The goal of the study is to examine all the relevant medical research that has been conducted over the years and compile it into one package. This will allow medical professionals, behavioral health professionals and members of the general public to better understand the specific risks imposed by drug consumption.
“We’re going to look at the best science on everything, from heroin and marijuana, to alcohol and prescription opioids. And we’re going to launch a national campaign to tackle the prescription drug crisis because we know that someone dies from an opioid overdose every 24 minutes in this country,” explained Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General.
In addition to delving into the effects of drug use on the user, the project will also investigate how families and children are affected by drug use. This is vital information because current studies show that children are more likely to abuse drugs if a close family member abuses drugs. In order to have as significant of an impact as they hope, the Surgeon General and his team will need to cover all aspects of addiction.
Once the study is completed, the idea is that the information could be used to streamline and improve treatment and prevention practices as well.
Posted by azdrugrehabctr on July 6, 2015 under Addiction Trends, AZ Drug Rehab News, Prescription Drugs |
In the past, one tactic used in order to keep teenagers from experimenting with drugs was to pretend that the problem did not exist. This means that many parents and schools, in their fear about drug use, never discussed the inevitable curiosity that teenagers would experience and the definite dangers of substances like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and prescription painkillers.
It soon became clear that this approach to drug education was not a good one. More and more teenagers find themselves in situations where they are presented with an opportunity to experiment with drugs or alcohol. Instead of hoping that one’s child will not succumb to peer pressure or curiosity, experts agree that it is best to arm children with facts about drugs and alcohol and help guide them into making the right decision. Children presented with facts have a better chance of not being tempted into drug use, and oftentimes those facts can counter the things their friends or other drug users may be saying to them.
Some helpful facts to discuss with children can include things like when an addiction is likely to start, what drugs do to the body and developing brain, how drug and alcohol abuse can affect one’s long term plans and what sort of danger the drugs pose.
According to a recent study, 90% of adults that are addicted to illegal drugs started using substances before they were 18. So, while not all teenagers who experiment with drugs are doomed to a life of addiction, the vast majority of addicts began their journey to drug addiction as a child experimenting with drugs. There is still debate surrounding marijuana if it should be considered a gateway drug (a gateway drug is a substance that opens the door to other substances can ultimately lead to an addiction). Some experts are saying that prescription painkillers are the new gateway drugs.
The popularity of pills like Roxycet, Percocet and Vicodin has led many people to dependency, and then on to a heroin addiction. Since heroin is cheaper and easier to obtain, prescription painkiller addicts often resort to this drug to keep their habit satisfied.
Teenagers are surrounded by pressures almost as soon as they get into high school. Drugs and alcohol may be one of the most common problems they have to deal with. In order to equip children with the best tools to stay away from drugs, parents and educators need to arm them with the facts. Overall, the more information that is shared about the devastation caused by substance abuse, the better the chances are that people of all ages will make healthier decisions regarding drugs and alcohol.
