Prevention Council

Providing Substance Abuse Education, Information and Referral Services

Two Pieces of Bad News about Pot Legalization —  Rates of Marijuana Poisoning Skyrocket Among Colorado Kids & Stoned Driving Increases in Washington Since “Retail Legalization”  

(Alexandria, VA) – Two significant studies released this weekend showed continuing problems of legalized marijuana in Colorado and Washington State. The first study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that marijuana poisoning cases among children in Colorado has been rising an average of 34 percent per year — almost double the average 19 percent annual increase in the rest of the United States.  The second study, conducted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, found a statistically significant increase in daytime stoned driving in Washington State since its implementation of legal retail marijuana sales in 2014.

 

With respect to the Colorado study, about half of the cases of child marijuana poisoning involved edible pot products. The average stay at the hospital was 11 hours.  Moreover, the researchers concluded that, “Almost half of the patients seen in the children’s hospital in the 2 years after legalization had exposures from recreational marijuana, suggesting that legalization did affect the incidence of exposures.”

 

In Washington State, researchers conducted voluntary, anonymous drug tests of drivers via oral and blood tests, and found that more drivers tested THC-positive one year after implementation of the retail sales law than immediately before. Statistically significant increases were observed among daytime drivers, where that rate more than doubled from before implementation of legalization laws (7.8%) to one year after retail legalization was implemented (18.9%).  Stoned driving at night also increased in the same time period (17.5% to 22.2%), although this difference was not statistically significant. Overall, more than one in five drivers tested positive for marijuana one year after implementation.

 

“A powerful marijuana industry lobby has emerged in Colorado and Washington — stopping at nothing to block restrictions on advertising and promoting marijuana candies — and now we are paying the price,” said Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). “Other states should look at the example Colorado and Washington offer when considering whether or not to legalize and commercialize marijuana. The best intentions do not matter — once legalized, the industry takes over and writes the rules.”

 

Jo McGuire, co-chair of SAM’s Colorado affiliate and president & CEO of 5 Minutes of Courage, a Colorado advocacy group for drug-free communities, workplaces, and youth, also commented, “It’s not surprising that we’re experiencing these problems.  We have made pot use more socially acceptable for everyone. Other states shouldn’t follow our example.”

 

 

About SAM
Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is a nonpartisan, non-profit alliance of physicians, policy makers, prevention workers, treatment and recovery professionals, scientists, and other concerned citizens who oppose marijuana legalization and want health and scientific evidence to guide marijuana policies. Learn more at www.learnaboutsam.org.

State wide campaign to address heroin and prescription Opioid Use

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today launched “Combat Heroin,” a campaign designed to inform and educate New Yorkers about the risks of heroin and prescription opioid use, the signs of addiction, and the resources available to help.

“Heroin and opioid addiction has impacted families in every corner of our state and stolen the lives of too many New Yorkers – but today we’re taking another step forward in the fight against this serious epidemic,” Governor Cuomo said. “The Combat Heroin campaign will get the word out about the dangers of this illegal drug use, as well as the treatment and support services that are available to those who need help. Just like this year’s new law that expanded access to treatment and anti-overdose medication, this campaign is comprehensive and designed to save lives. I urge anyone who knows someone in need of help to reach out today.”

Heroin and opioid abuse have become an alarming problem in communities across New York State and the nation. In 2013, there were 89,269 admissions for heroin and prescription opioid abuse treatment in New York State alone, an increase from 63,793 in 2004. During this same time period, New Yorkers ages 18 to 24 had the largest increase in such admissions. Nationally, nearly half a million people were reportedly abusing heroin or suffering from heroin dependence in 2012.

In June 2014, Governor Cuomo signed into law a legislative package to combat this epidemic. The package included insurance reforms, new models of care to divert people into community-based treatment and to support people after they have completed treatment, allowing parents to seek assessment of their children through the PINS diversion services, and expansion of opioid overdose training and increased availability to naloxone, a medication which reverses an opioid overdose.

A critical element of the legislative package requires the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to develop and implement a public awareness and education campaign. The Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, the NYS Department of Health, and the NYS Office of General Services’ Media Services Center have worked together to create a multifaceted media campaign which includes a new website that is easy to navigate and is targeted toward parents, adults, and young people who are seeking help and information concerning heroin and opioid abuse and misuse.

The website, which can be found at this link: http://combatheroin.ny.gov/, includes information about warning signs of heroin and opioid abuse and misuse, access to Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services treatment providers, and guidance to help parents talk to their children and healthcare professionals talk with their patients. The campaign also includes four public service announcements and video messages, available on the above-linked website, from New Yorkers talking about the impact of heroin and other opioids on their lives.

In addition to the Combat Heroin campaign, other initiatives being implemented include:

  • SUNY and CUNY will promote the Combat Heroin campaign on college campuses and train campus police and emergency personnel on the use of naloxone.
  • The 12 Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Addiction Treatment Centers will continue to train New Yorkers on the use of naloxone. Addiction Treatment Center staff has already trained more than 3,200 people.
  • Expand naloxone training for first responders including police officers, firefighters, sheriffs’ deputies and emergency services. Approximately 1,100 law enforcement officers have already received the life-saving training.
  • Working with community providers to train persons throughout New York State likely to witness an overdose, including professional staff, drug users and their families on overdose prevention and the use of naloxone. To date, over 170 agencies have been enrolled, 15,000 persons trained, and in excess of 1,000 overdoses reversed.
  • Create more prescription medication disposal sites across the state for New Yorker’s to safely dispose of prescription medications. Department of Health has established a statewide medication drop box program. Drop boxes are also available year round at State Police Troop Headquarters in Batavia, Unadilla, Canandaigua, Latham, East Farmingdale, Ray Brook, Oneida, Middletown and Salt Point.

People or families who need help with substance abuse can call the toll-free Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services HOPEline at 1-877-846-7369 to speak with a trained medical professional. HOPEline staff can answer questions and help people find treatment 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All calls are confidential.

To help combat heroin and prescription opioid abuse and misuse, visit www.combatheroin.ny.gov (#CombatHeroin).

July 15 is a special day for Ballston Spa resident Sean Kelleher

By Lauren Mineau for The Saratogian>>

July 15 is a special day for Ballston Spa resident Sean Kelleher. He’ll be three years sober and attending a film screening at Bow Tie Cinemas that he brought to life.

“The Anonymous People,” a film on the reality of addiction is being brought to the Spa City at 7 tonight through a combination of crowd-sourcing, The Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council of Saratoga County and Kelleher’s efforts. He saw the film and said it opened his eyes to the world of advocacy and he thought he’d give it a try.

“This is a way for me to give back. This film approaches recovery in a new way. A lot of people see the fun, dramatic and ridiculous side of addiction, that’s not the reality,” he said.

The film features interviews with some of the 23.5 million Americans facing long-term recovery from drug and alcohol addiction and appearances from actress Kristen Johnston, former NBA star Chris Herren, Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner and former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, who are all in recovery themselves.

Kelleher never expected the film to gain so much momentum, but the screening sold out within six weeks. In fact, Bow Tie Cinemas upgraded the screening to a larger theater as of Monday afternoon to accommodate the crowd.

“When I set up the page, I thought ,‘This will never happen.’ I never expected to be watching ticket sales go up every day,” he said, “I’m really excited about the way this turned out. Addiction is here and it affects everyone in one way or another.”

He immediately felt connection to the film when he learned the director shared the same connection with July 15 — director and film producer Greg Williams also marks each year of his sobriety that day.

“I kind of thought it was meant to be,” Kelleher said.

Janine Stuchin, executive director at The Prevention Council, said this screening is part of a dialogue they hope to start in Saratoga Springs.

“Addiction is a chronic illness, and those suffering are the same as HIV or breast cancer survivors, we need to get around the shame of addiction and spark some discussion,” she said.

The film features interviews with those struggling with addiction and questions the stigma surrounding it, especially in American society. The film’s stay in Saratoga was brought together by Gathr, a service that works by giving people the chance to unite and rally for a certain film to be brought to their town. Once a certain amount of tickets are reserved, Gathr works to bring the screening to life, as requested.

“This film is not your tired old addiction story often seen on reality television or in the news,” Williams said in a press release. “There are no needles hanging out of people’s arms, pictures of the brain, or fried eggs in a pan. We set out to find the answer to one very fundamental question: Why don’t we treat addiction in this country like any other health issue?”

On July 22, the group will host a follow-up discussion at 7 p.m. at the Saratoga County Arts Council.

“A lot of people have a hard time asking for help, and I’d like to do my part to change that,” Kelleher said.

No Community Has Immunity from Heroin

Photo: MarkBolles.com

Story by Arthur Gonick, Saratoga Today NewspaperSARATOGA SPRINGS— We tend to wax romantic about our community. And in truth, compared to other communities, we are relatively safe. As such, we sometimes fall into an illusion that we are insulated from the worst of society’s ills.

But at street level, there’s no such illusion. This is the reality Sergeant Tim Sicko and the Saratoga Springs Police Investigation Division sees:

“Just in the last four to five months, we’ve seen over a half-dozen overdoses from heroin.” He said. Moreover, “the number of heroin buys my (undercover) officers make have risen significantly over the past two and one-half years I’ve been in charge of the division.” The Investigation Division oversees both the drug and criminal units.

When asked to estimate the percentage, Sergeant Sicko commented. “Undercover buys of heroin were maybe 2 out of 100 just a couple of years ago, when we saw mostly crack cocaine and pills on the street. Today, I would estimate it’s closer to 50 percent.” He said.

The Prevention Council of Saratoga confirms that a significant uptick in heroin usage in this community has occurred, as part of a nationwide trend. Executive Director Janine Stuchin noted:

“No one starts off on heroin. National and local studies have shown that the recent upsurge in heroin use is directly connected with prescription pain killer (opiate) abuse.”

The purpose of this article is not to sensationalize or unduly alarm, but to educate and advocate that if your head is in the sand about heroin in Saratoga County and you are thinking “it can’t happen here,” take a look around.

“It” already is happening.

And while no one will purport that Saratoga County has as bad a problem as some of the larger and more urban cities, to deny the insidious presence of this most insidious of drugs would be irresponsible.

Both Ms. Stuchin and Sgt. Sicko cite the relative inexpensiveness of heroin as a factor in its recent rise in usage. “Heroin is less expensive than illicit prescription pain killers such as oxycodone, explaining the trend toward increased heroin use.” Ms. Stuchin noted. Sgt. Sicko also noted the “difficult, painful withdrawal process” that is involved from heroin once addicted that will naturally keep people looking for their next fix.

Compounding this is the phenomenon of the “chase after the initial high,” as Sgt. Sicko put it, which would lead a user who might have started snorting heroin to graduate to a needle for a greater effect.

Finally, you have the factor that, according to any study, the profile of the heroin user is younger than ever. “One of the recent overdoses we had was someone in their 20s,” Sgt. Sicko noted, “fortunately, he was not a fatality.”

For the user, Sgt. Sicko noted that a factor compounding the danger of heroin are the other substances that are lacing it; substances which can be even more lethal than the heroin itself. “You don’t know what you are accepting or where it came from.” Sgt. Sicko noted. “In contrast, you can look at a given pill and if you are savvy, recognize the manufacturer – although this is not foolproof.”

Heroin dealers attempt to mitigate this by engaging in a “branding” exercise: Labeling their nickel or dime bags with a logo or markings that would tend to inspire a false sense of confidence – I’ve bought this before, it’s OK – yet, Sergeant Sicko rightly points out that the street dealer has little knowledge of where today’s batch came from, if they were inclined to care in the first place.

He spread an array of evidence bags before us and my eyes kept going to one dealer’s mark.

All I could think of was: How desperate would you have to be to shoot up from a bag that is marked “Game Over.”?

But is the game over? Hardly.

“We have a number of full-time people who are on top of this daily,” Sgt. Sicko notes, “you’re seeing a significant increase in heroin arrests because our people, working with other law enforcement divisions such as the State Police, as well as a network of informants, are battling this daily and we have no intention of pulling back.”

“We are nowhere near the level of activity of other cities precisely because we are fortunate to have a group of young officers who are dedicated and on top of things… when a dealer comes to town to set up shop, we usually know who that person is already,” he continued. “But it’s a matter of constant vigilance.”

In that connection, Sgt. Sicko noted that while the profile of the heroin user the police are has gotten younger, this is not a major problem at either the High School (where he lauded the work of Officer Lloyd Davis who is stationed there), or on the Skidmore campus at this point.

The Prevention Council confirms this, to some extent. “Our data from student surveys in Saratoga County show about eight percent of high school students are involved in prescription drug abuse and one percent reporting using heroin,” noted Janine Stuchin.

Any law enforcement officer would acknowledge that even with a consistent focus on interdicting heroin supply, long-term effectiveness of any effort is dependent upon programs that educate and impact on demand. Sgt. Sicko, while acknowledging that the restoration of D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) funding in the city is something on his “wish list,” cites that the education programs provided by the Prevention Council are invaluable.

“The role of the Prevention Council in addressing the scourge of heroin in our community is to be preventive rather than reactive.” Ms. Stuchin said. We do this though programs, like Too Good for Drugs, taught in many local school districts, which educate children on the inherent dangers.”

“We regularly collaborate with law enforcement with drug take-back days. For instance, the next National Prescription Take-Back Day will be Saturday, April 26 and we will be announcing local sites that will be participating.”

But both the police and Prevention Council note that the real education and greatest impact is an outgrowth of effective parenting. “Parents should not be afraid to talk to their kids and find out ‘what do you know about this stuff?’ Look at who they are hanging out with and take note of changes in behavior and appearance, for instance.” Sgt. Sicko says.

While it would be nice to have an ending here, in fact this is a story about the process of progress, the ebb and flow of societal struggles and responses; perhaps a battle that will never be won, but nonetheless a battle worth undertaking daily.

Alarm Over Heroin Case

CLIFTON PARK – A report accusing a student of injecting another with heroin at the region’s largest suburban school district set off bouts of hand-wringing Friday over the pervasiveness of the highly addictive drug.

A Shenendehowa student, identified byState Police as Daniel Lewis, 17, allegedly shot up a 15-year-old classmate with a liquid form of heroin in the high school boy’s locker room about 11:30 a.m. Thursday while classes were in session, Superintendent L. Oliver Robinsonsaid. A third student alerted district officials to suspicious activity.

“It wasn’t a forced injection,” State Police Public Information Officer Mark Cepiel said.

Troopers responded to the school on Route 146 and investigated the complaint. They said they found Lewis of Clifton Park in possession of heroin and hypodermic needles. They charged the teen with a felony count of criminal injection of a narcotic drug, misdemeanor drug possession, child endangerment and possession of hypodermic needles.

At a news conference in the district’s office Friday, Robinson called the allegations “particularly alarming.” He said the male students had arranged to meet during physical education class. He characterized it as an isolated incident.

“This is the first reported case of heroin use at Shen,” Robinson said.

But the arrest of a senior for allegedly supplying a sophomore with heroin inside the large southern Saratoga County school during class hours sparked discussions among police, parents and public health officials. The cheap price of heroin makes it increasingly attractive for the young, Cepiel said.

“Heroin use, we have found, unfortunately, is on the upswing in the Capital District, and that does include high school children,” Cepiel said. “It is, in some cases, cheaper than marijuana.”

The 15-year-old was not charged, but that could change, Cepiel said.

Janine Stuchin, executive director of the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council, said heroin use among high schoolers was rare and not on the rise. A Prevention Council survey of 6,193 students at eight high schools in Saratoga County, including Shenendehowa, between 2010 and 2013 showed only one percent had used heroin within the past 30 days. That figure matches national statistics, Stuchin said. “It’s not rampant; it’s rare,” she said. “Our data is very consistent. It has not shown a trending upward.”

Prescription narcotic use has risen, however, and that can lead to heroin abuse because a heroin high costs about $10 compared to $60 for prescription drugs, Stuchin said. “We really need to talk about the heroin problem in the context of the prescription drug problem,” she said. “It’s cheaper and easier to buy.”

Six percent of high school students in the county reported using over-the-counter opiates in the past month, while 21 percent admitted using marijuana and 34 percent, alcohol, according to Prevention Council.

The arrest of Lewis at Shenendehowa Thursday occurred after a report was made to school officials by a third student who observed what looked like an exchange of pills between Lewis and the 15-year-old, Robinson said. The district alerted police after one student admitted being under the influence of heroin, the superintendent said. The case marked the first involving heroin in a county school and the first intentional injection of the drug, county District Attorney James A. Murphy III said.

The students involved were checked by a school nurse before being questioned by police, Robinson said. “We found the actual injection did occur,” he said. The district employs hall monitors and surveillance cameras. “I think we have many reasonable precautions, however, each time an incident occurs, it’s an opportunity to reflect,” Robinson said.

Lewis was arraigned before town Justice Robert Rybak. He was taken to the county jail on $2,500 bail and he remained incarcerated Friday afternoon.

Lewis is due back in court Thursday. He faces an extended suspension from school if found guilty. He had no prior criminal history with the State Police, Cepiel said. The trooper said no pills were found by police during their investigation.

About 3,200 students attend Shenendehowa High School.

Sally Vanderzee, president of the Shenendehowa Parent Teacher Student Association, said she was shocked by the allegations. She said parents need to communicate with their children about the dangers of drugs and importance of making good decisions.

“This is a wake-up call for all parents,” Vanderzee said.

Search on for new Prevention Council executive director

July 6, 2013
The Saratogian
By EMILY DONOHUE

SARATOGA SPRINGS — In the wake of Prevention Council Executive Director Heather Kisselback’s resignation, which was accepted by the organization’s board June 15 after details of her driving while intoxicated arrest came to light, the nonprofit is looking for applicants to fill the position.

Kisselback resigned in mid-June, months after her arrest and only after it became public in news reports. She had informed the board of her arrest in the early spring, immediately after it happened, and offered her resignation then, but the board allowed her to stay on provided she receive counseling.

In an emailed statement sent to Prevention Council supporters last week, the board acknowledged that it erred in handling the Kisselback situation.

“The Board of Directors of the Prevention Council would like to formally apologize for mishandling key aspects of the recent resignation of our agency’s executive director,” the statement read.

The statement went on to say the board pledges “to use these unfortunate circumstances as an opportunity for growth and learning.”

The 31-year-old Prevention Council is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent the abuse of drugs and alcohol. The group administers a variety of programs, many that focus on youth and emphasize good decision-making. It relies heavily on public donations.

Board Treasurer Michael Harman is heading up the search for a new executive director.

“The services that this organization and its staff provide are extremely valuable,” Harman said in a statement. “We hope to hear from a variety of skilled candidates whose vision and credentials are a good match for the agency and the position of executive director.”

Interested candidates should send their resumé and a letter of intent to Michael Harman at michaelmharman@yahoo.com.

Harman said he and the board also are seeking input from the public on the type of candidate that should fill the position.

“We’re very much open to listening,” he said, adding that stakeholders should feel free to email him with “advice or wisdom” about the search process.

Financial Manager David Garmley has been serving as the Prevention Council’s temporary head administrator since Kisselback resigned.

Harman said an interim director also will be appointed so the search committee can take the necessary time to find a new executive director.

PHOTOS, VIDEO of Prevention Council’s 2nd annual Tuff eNuff 5K Challenge

The Saratogian (Photo credits:  Ed Burke)

Prevention Council supporters trudged through mud pits, hopped through tires and climbed dirt hills Saturday morning during the second annual Tuff eNuff 5K challenge held on the BOCES campus in Saratoga Springs. TUFF eNUFF is a mud-filled course with obstacles for participants to crawl under, hurdle over, wade through, and work together toward success!

View Photos and Videos at The Saratogian

Reader’s View Teens’ mental, social and emotional health

Friday, May 17, 2013
The Saratogian

By Patty Kilgore
Counseling Services Director
The Prevention Council

Editor’s note: Throughout this week, The Saratogian has collaborated with the Prevention Council as part of National Prevention Week. This week-long observance was an opportunity to raise awareness about substance abuse and mental health issues, to promote prevention efforts and to educate our local communities about the factors that influence substance use.

Prevention Week celebrates the idea that everyone has a role to play in prevention. In order to be most effective, prevention should be woven into all aspects of young peoples’ lives.

It’s not easy being a teen. As we well know, adolescents face many challenges as they navigate the teen years. Their bodies are changing, their hormones are surging, their friendships are evolving. They are scrutinizing themselves and each other like never before. Their schoolwork is also getting increasingly demanding as they start thinking about life after high school. There’s an awful lot weighing on these kids’ minds.

Coupled with hormonal changes, teens are more prone to depression and likely to engage in risky and thrill-seeking behaviors than either younger children or adults. That’s why it’s so important that the adults in their lives meet the mental, social, and emotional health needs of this age group in positive and healthy ways.

It comes as no surprise to parents that teens can become particularly emotional over even the smallest problems. It often seems that teens overreact or get overly dramatic with extreme highs and lows in any given situation. But what may seem extreme to an adult is actually quite normal for a teen. Teens feel emotions much more intensely than adults — as much as two to four times stronger. Couple this with very little experience or context for such emotions and it can appear a teen is out of control.

He or she is actually navigating new territory, striving for independence, and developing important interpersonal relationships. Life is becoming more complex, stresses are increasing and at the same time teens are expected to be making some difficult life decisions. These circumstances are enough to overwhelm anyone.

All too frequently, a teen will choose to self-medicate difficult feelings with alcohol or another drug, or use another self-destructive behavior such as cutting, to cope. It’s critical that parents keep communicating with their teens through these rough patches. Provide a safe place to vent feelings, and if necessary, seek professional help for these behaviors. Substances may mask the intensity of the feelings temporarily, but the price might be a long-term addiction problem and a lack of healthy coping skills.

Teens make a lot of mistakes as they discover who they are. One of the hardest things you’ll do as a parent is to allow your child to fail and let him or her experience the natural consequences of their mistake. But healthy coping, decision making and social skills are developed as much through failure as through success. Our instinct is to protect our children from all hurt and pain, but sometimes we need to provide support on the sidelines while allowing them to experience these difficult life lessons.

Because of the intensity of a teen’s feelings, give your teen some space after a particularly difficult emotional time. Allow emotions to subside before starting a discussion. Encourage your teen to find a healthy outlet for his or her emotions, such as journaling, art projects, music or physical activity.

Adolescence is a time of self-discovery and identity development. Teens may try on many different identities as they navigate these years. Don’t fret through this process. Exploring different styles, personalities and friendships encourages healthy development. Just keep in mind, even with these changes, at his or her core, your teen is still the child you know and love.

It’s ironic, but true: parental support and guidance is most important at the very time teens seem to be pushing parents away. Muster the strength to push back. Listen to your teen and really hear what he or she is saying. Validate teens’ feelings while guiding them to find solutions. Parents are the key to keeping adolescents on a healthy path to adulthood.

Alcohol, Drug Use in Schools Discussed at School Board

May 16, 2013
SaratogaWire.com
By Laura Rappaport

Back in 2000, preteens in Saratoga Springs were drinking alcohol at alarming rates. Twenty-five percent of 8th graders and 20 percent of 7th graders surveyed said they’d had a drink in the past month – even nine percent of sixth graders said they had.

This was clearly not healthy and the community decided to do something about it. Through outreach, education and parent involvement, things began to turn around, according to the Prevention Council, Saratoga’s non-profit substance abuse prevention umbrella organization.

Twelve years later, use by sixth graders is so low that they aren’t even surveyed any more. And middle-schoolers in general seem to be abusing drugs and alcohol less.

Now the concern is ninth grade, with that stressful transition from middle to high school setting kids up for more risky behaviors.

The number of students reporting that they have had a drink or smoked marijuana in the last 30 days doubled from eighth to ninth grade, according to the just-released results of a bi-annual survey conducted in the fall by the Council’s Partnership for Prevention.

“That difference between middle school and high school is a big issue,” says Robin Ambrosino, the Prevention Council’s marketing and communications manager.

The Partnership’s Youth Survey asks kids in 7th through 12th grades a battery of questions about their drinking and drug habits, and – almost more revealing—what they think their peers are doing. They also surveyed parents about their attitudes toward substance use and what they think their kids are up to.

On Tuesday, Ambrosino presented the results of the 2012 Youth Survey to the Saratoga Springs City School District Board of Education. It was designed to assess substance abuse; anti-social behavior; and risk and protective factors that predict problem behaviors.

The transition from 8th grade to the high school “brings with it a significant increase in substance abuse,” says Ambrosino. It’s not known exactly why, but, she says, the move to the big school is stressful. Saratoga Springs kids also have a perception that high-schoolers are drinking and doing drugs, even if it’s not actually the norm.

“They sense a culture of use when they get to high school… Their sense that it’s here drives that behavior.”

For example, she says, 53 percent of this year’s ninth-graders believed that classmates drink, while just 22 percent of them actually reported drinking in the past 30 days.

Even seniors’ perception is skewed: about 75 percent think their peers drink, while 52 percent reported they do.  Still, that number is some 12 points above the national average, and is troubling to prevention workers.

Indeed, Saratoga Springs 10th and 12th graders reported drinking, binge drinking and smoking pot at 10 points above the national average for their age groups.

“The community needs to band together to provide positive outlets for that angst and craving for excitement that kids this age feel,” Ambrosino says.

Across the board, cigarettes are the only substance with a continually declining use rate.

Marijuana use reflects the slow steady rise nationally, she says. This could be partly due to efforts to legalize the drug in some states.

“The numbers get quite big in 10th grade and 9th is trending up,” Ambrosino says.

Prescription drug use is still low in Saratoga Springs. “This has been a tricky category for us,” says Ambrosino, noting that although kids are talking about it, “the numbers are not bearing it out right now.” They might have experimented, but aren’t using regularly.

Overall, she says, “the perception is that there is much more drug use here than there actually is.”

A funny thing about perception is that parents often put on rose-colored glasses when discussing their own children.

In last fall’s parent survey, 86 percent said their children never use alcohol, but a large number of high school students report not only drinking, but binge drinking – consuming five or more drinks in a row. Binge rates were: 14 percent of freshmen; 25 percent of sophomores; 26 percent of juniors; and 32 percent of seniors.

The parent survey was available on SurveyMonkey.com in January and February. Of the thousands of parents in the target group, 387 responded.

After all its work on teen health over the past dozen years, the Partnership for Prevention’s federal grant ends in September, and the organization will undergo severe cutbacks.

Ambrosino says that parents, teachers and community leaders all play key roles in curbing adolescent substance abuse. The Partnership recommends that collaboration continue among organizations that work with youth. The school district should enforce policies regarding substance use, and make clear, strong positive messages about staying sober. The district can also continue the youth survey in a less expensive online format.

“We want prevention to be part of what they hear about in school and at home,” she says.  “After 12 years, we feel very glad that we’ve established these relationships and that prevention is on the agenda of the community.”

– See more at: http://saratogawire.com/article/1173/130516-school-board-hears-about-drug-use/#sthash.X9qyfS7f.dpuf

Reader’s View Understanding the Teen Brain

Thursday, May 16, 2013
The Saratogian

Heather Kisselback
Executive Director
The Prevention Council

Editor’s note: Through Friday, The Saratogian is collaborating with the Prevention Council as part of National Prevention Week. This week-long observance is an opportunity to raise awareness about substance abuse and mental health issues, to promote prevention efforts and to educate our local communities about the factors that influence substance use.Prevention Week celebrates the idea that everyone has a role to play in prevention. In order to be most effective, prevention should be woven into all aspects of young peoples’ lives.

It happens all the time: Our teen acts in a way that leaves us incredulous and we ask, “What were you thinking?” The short answer is: They weren’t. They weren’t thinking about consequences at all. The teen brain doesn’t project into the future like that.

The teenage brain is an amazing machine. During adolescence, the brain undergoes amazing developmental changes, establishing neural pathways and behavior patterns that will last into adulthood. But teens are impulsive and prone to risky behavior for a reason: Their brains are a work in progress that doesn’t get completed until roughly age 25.

Because their brains are so impressionable, adolescents are particularly receptive to the range of positive influences in their lives — family and friends, art and music. But those brains are equally receptive to negative influences. Coupled with hormonal changes, those negative influences make teens more prone to depression and likely to engage in risky and thrill-seeking behaviors than either younger children or adults.

Another thing you should know: The teenage brain is wired for risk. Its reward centers crave excitement. It’s an adult’s job to provide opportunities for healthy risk-taking or teens will seek out the default stimulation: alcohol and drugs. What’s worse, the Prevention Council’s student surveys have shown that when teens experiment with alcohol in particular, they’re not sipping drinks sensibly. They’re pounding alcohol at an alarming rate. We’ve learned over the years that a large percentage of kids who do drink are binge drinking (4-5 or more drinks in one social setting).

This is scary stuff. Alcohol robs the brain of future cognitive functions, especially binge drinking. Alcohol use also interferes with normal development of those all-important neural pathways, affecting learning and memory the most.

We buy our children Baby Einstein DVDs, we quiz them with flashcards and sign them up for Chinese language classes and SAT prep courses. We want them to be the best and the brightest. But if that’s the case, we can’t treat alcohol use as a rite of passage. It undermines all those brain-boosting activities we’ve fostered our kids’ whole lives.

So let’s introduce some fun, engaging stimuli to engage these young brains. How about rock climbing or mountain biking? A high ropes course to get their blood pounding. For other teens the thrills might be more cerebral. Whatever it is, take some time to figure out whatever makes your kid’s heart pound. They crave that feeling. The crave excitement, social bonding, and belonging. These are all necessary for the brain and the child to mature, and can be accomplished in a way that satisfies both parents and teens.

Tomorrow’s topic will be about the importance of emotional and behavioral health to the prevention of teen substance use.