7/30/2019 VSAAC Newsletter January 2013

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Volume

8

Issue

1

January

2013

203-736-8566 www.vsaac.org

60% of high school students report drugs are used, kept or sold in their schools.

36% of high school students believe that it is fairly or very easy for students tosmoke, drink or use drugs during the day at their school without getting caught.(from a random sample of students in 48 continental states; CESAR FAX)

Recreational use of marijuana has been approved in the states of Colorado andWashington. Some officials are concerned that marijuana related car crashes willincrease. Marijuana, like alcohol, often causes impaired driving.

In the U.S., someone dies of a prescription drug-related overdose every 19minutes.

When we get older our body composition changes. We are likely to have morefat and less muscle. Muscle is where we carry most of our water, so if you have lesstotal body water, the concentration of alcohol is higher. Therefore, drinking alcoholthe same way as when we are younger will affect us differently as we age. (NY Times)

Mental Health problems are more common than heart disease, lung diseaseand cancer combined. During any one year, in the United States, one in four adults mayexhibit a mental disorder (57.7 million people). Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief MedicalCorrespondent for CNN says that one in five children, today, have a mental illness.A mental health disorder is an inability of an individual to cope with the normal stressesof life, may be unable work productively and fruitfully, and may be unable to make acontribution to his or her community.

Medical experts rate mental disorders among the most disabling illnesses; butwellness and recovery are possible and that those who experience mental healthproblems and disorders can and do lead full lives, often with limited or no professionalintervention.

It is a myth that mental disorders are signs of weakness or personality flaws. Amental health disorder will not go away by willing it away. It is also a myth that allindividuals with mental disorders are violent. They are no more likely to be violent thananyone in the general population. It is true that a trauma resulting in a mental disabilitycan affect anyone, regardless of how strong or psychologically healthy the individualwas before the traumatic situation.

There is much to learn about mental health and we, as laymen, can learn aboutmental health, how to recognize it and how to help those in our family or those we arefriends with and/or work with.Contact the Greater Valley Substance Abuse Action Council, pmautte@bhcare.org. forfurther information about an educational program calledMental Health First Aid.

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Marijuana Use Linked with Episodes of Cyclic Nausea and VomitingMost health care providers are unaware of the link between marijuana use and cyclic

episodes of nausea and vomiting, so they do not ask about natural or synthetic cannabinoid use whena patient comes to the emergency or their doctors office with these symptoms. (Dr. Crissien-Martinez,Scripps Green Hospital and Clinic, San Diego) The average cost of hospital admissions for this condition isabout $10,000 and many patients are hospitalized more than one time. Of course, patients dont

realize the connection and may use more to reduce symptoms, but increased use makes symptomsworse.

From ALCOHOL JUSTICE (Dec.2012)Alcohol consumption annually costs American society 79,000 lives and $223.5 billion in harm

of which governments share is $94.2 billion.Did you know that since 1991 Big Alcohol lobbying has resulted in our country losing $57

billion in revenue? Or that a new alcohol tax increase - 10 cents spirits tax increase, 15 cents on beerand 18 cents on wine - could help fill nearly 12% of the Presidents revenue portion of thenations ten-year deficit reduction goal?

Alcohol Justice believes that $182.5 billion in new alcohol tax revenue over ten years is a faircontribution to deficit reduction that will help the country avoid health and safety spending cutbacks.

A new study appearing in the Journal of Drug Issues, concludes (once again) that

parental involvement is more important than the school environment in preventing or limiting

childrens use of alcohol or marijuana. The study included data from more than 10,000 students,parents, teachers and school administrators.

Study co-author, Dr. Toby Parcel of North Carolina State University said, Parents play an

important role in shaping the decisions their children make when it comes to alcohol and marijuana.To be clear, school programs that address alcohol and marijuana use are definitely valuable, but thebonds parents form with their children are more important. Ideally we can have both.

A company in Boston is trying to raise funds to produce cups and straws made of a materialthat will change color when it comes in contact with a drink that has been spiked with drugs.SAMHSA claims that emergency rooms reported 14, 270 intentional poisonings in 2009; almost

two-thirds of those poisoned were female. Intentional poisonings are attempts by one person to getanother to ingest something potentially harmful as a drug with out that persons knowledge. Oftenintentional poisonings involves a date-rape drug.

Dont be afraid of giving kids responsibility, be there to guideand support them, not just to do things for them. Kevin Heath

Theres no such thing as a perfect parent so just be a real one.Sue Atkins

Encourage and support your kids because,Children are apt to live up to what you believe of them. Lady Bird Johnson

Children learn what they live. Dorothy Law Neite

When a child is allowed to do exactly as he pleases, it wont belong before nothing pleases him. Anonymous