A recent study conducted by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Students Against Destructive (SADD) reports that nearly 1 in 5 teens say they have gotten behind the wheel after smoking marijuana. Those responses were higher than in 2009 when 13 percent admitted to driving after smoking marijuana while 12 percent admitted driving after drinking alcohol. Of those teens that have driven after smoking marijuana, 36 percent say it presents no distraction when operating a vehicle.
Stephen Wallace, senior adviser for policy, research and education at SADD, stated "we hear from young people who believe that marijuana actually makes them a safer driver, that they concentrate harder, drive slower," Wallace says. “Those are all misconceptions”.
On the contrary, marijuana has serious harmful effects on the skills required to drive safely: alertness, the ability to concentrate and make good judgments, coordination, and the ability to react quickly. Marijuana use can make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the road. These effects can last up to 24 hours after smoking marijuana.
A roadside study of reckless drivers who were not impaired by alcohol showed that 45% tested positive for marijuana. Research conducted by the University of Auckland, New Zealand, proves the link between marijuana use and car accidents. The research found that habitual cannabis users were 9.5 times more likely to be involved in crashes .
Kelly, Darke and Ross show similar results, with laboratory studies examining the effects of cannabis on skills utilized while driving showing impairments in tracking, attention, reaction time, short-term memory, hand-eye coordination, vigilance, time and distance perception, and decision making and concentration. In their review of driving simulator studies, they conclude that there is evidence of impairments in cannabis-affected drivers' ability to control a vehicle in the areas of steering, headway control, speed variability, car following, reaction time and lane positioning.
"Teens are faced with potentially destructive decisions every day and don't always make the best ones," said Dave Melton, a driving safety expert with Liberty Mutual Insurance and managing director of global safety. "It's our job as mentors, parents, role models or friends to effectively communicate with them to ensure they are armed with the right information and aware of the dangers of marijuana and other substances, especially while driving."
1. "White House Drug Czar Launches Campaign to Stop Drugged Driving.” Office of National Drug Control Policy Press Release, November 2002.
2. Stephanie Blows, Rebecca Q. Ivers, Jennie Connor, Shanthi Ameratunga, Mark Woodward & Robyn Norton, "Marijuana Use and Car Crash Injury," Addiction, Vol 100, April 2005.
3. Kelly, Erin; Darke, Shane; Ross, Joanne (2004). "A review of drug use and driving: epidemiology, impairment, risk factors and risk perceptions". Drug and Alcohol Review 23 (3): 319–44. doi:10.1080/
09595230412331289482. PMID 15370012.
Cheryl DePaolo
Director of Ulster Prevention Council
Showing posts with label Substance Abuse Treatment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Substance Abuse Treatment. Show all posts
Friday, October 26, 2012
UPC Weekly Blog: Magic Mushrooms
Two events this week turned my attention to “Magic Mushrooms”. First, my 17 year old daughter reported that she had been offered “shrooms” by an acquaintance. Second, according to newspaper reports, police in Saugerties charged two residents with operating a marijuana farm and growing hallucinogenic mushrooms. According to newspaper reports, town and state police executed a search warrant at and discovered a large indoor cultivation operation. They seized more than 45 pounds of processed marijuana, 60 marijuana plants and a substantial quantity of mushrooms.
Youth often report the belief that both marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms are “natural” and therefore harmless for them. This can increase adolescent “experimentation” or “recreational” use. In Ulster County in 2010, 7.7% of high school seniors reported having used hallucinogens at some point in their lifetime (Ulster County Youth Development Survey).According to the Center for Substance Abuse Research, there are more than 75 known species of hallucinogenic mushrooms, and psilocybin and psilocyn are the hallucinogenic components found in them. The potency of mushrooms varies. According to the DEA, while street prices fluctuate, psilocybin mushrooms generally cost $20-40 for 1/8 ounce and $100 to $150 for an ounce. Although psilocybin and psilocyn are scheduled under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 as Schedule I drugs, the mushrooms themselves are not scheduled.
Methods of Use
Fresh or dried psilocybin mushrooms can be ingested orally either whole (often prepared with a food item such as peanut butter or pizza to hide their bitter taste), sprinkled on top of food, or after being brewed to make a tea. Dried mushrooms can also be crushed into a powder and prepared in capsule form. Psilocybin can be consumed orally, sniffed, smoked, or injected.
Effects
Psilocybin affects the central nervous system by disturbing the normal interaction of nerve cells and the functioning of the neurotransmitter serotonin, to which it is structurally similar. Mushrooms can take 20 minutes to 2 hours to take effect, and will last for 3 to 6 hours.
Physical effects include:
· Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea
· Muscle relaxation, weakness, and twitches
· Yawning, drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, and lack of coordination
· Pupil dilation, tearing, dry mouth, and facial flushing
· Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature
· Sweating followed by chills and shivering
· Numbness of tongue, lips, or mouth
· Feelings of physical heaviness or lightness and feelings of floating
Psychological effects include:
· Heightened sensory experiences and perceptual distortions (i.e. brighter colors, sharper visual definition, increased hearing acuity, more distinguished taste)
· Auditory, tactile, and visual hallucinations
· Synesthesia (melding of the senses: seeing music or hearing colors)
· Difficulty focusing, maintaining attention, concentrating, and thinking
· Impaired judgment and preoccupation with trivial thoughts, experiences, or objects
· Sense of detachment from body and surroundings and loss of boundaries between the two
· Altered perception of space and time
· Inability to distinguish fantasy from reality
· Melding of past experiences with present
· Feelings of unity with the environment
· Feelings of involvement with intense spiritual experiences
· Tension, anxiety, and restlessness
· Highly adverse reactions ("bad trip"), including frightening hallucinations, confusion, disorientation, paranoia, agitation, depression, panic, and/or terror
Tolerance, Dependence, & Withdrawal
With regular and repeated use of psilocybin mushrooms, tolerance to the effects will occur. In addition, cross-tolerance occurs with other drugs, including LSD and mescaline. For several days following the use of mushrooms, users may experience a period of psychological withdrawal and have difficulty discerning reality.
Terminology
· Nicknames for hallucinogenic mushrooms
Boomers, caps, cubes, gods flesh, liberty caps, little smoke, magic mushrooms, Mexican mushrooms, mushrooms, musk, sacred mushroom, sherm, shrooms, silly cybin, silly putty, simple simon
Cheryl DePaolo
Director of the Ulster Prevention Council
Monday, July 23, 2012
From the Ulster Prevention Council Blog: Anabolic Steriods
The NIDA-funded 2010 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 0.5% of 8th graders, 1.0% of 10th graders, and 1.5% of 12th graders had abused anabolic steroids at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. While the numbers are relatively small compared to other substances of abuse, it is important to know about these dangerous substances and the potential consequences of using them.
Steroids are prescription drugs that are legally prescribed to treat a variety of medical conditions that cause loss of lean muscle mass, such as cancer and AIDS.
Most anabolic steroids are synthetic substances similar to the male sex hormone testosterone. They are taken orally or are injected. Testosterone not only brings out male sexual traits, it also causes muscles to grow. ("Anabolic" means growing or building.) Some people, especially athletes, abuse anabolic steroids to build muscle and enhance performance. Abuse of anabolic steroids can lead to serious health problems, some of which are irreversible. They can cause changes in the brain and body that increase risks for illness and they may affect moods.
Our body’s testosterone production is controlled by a group of nerve cells at the base of the brain, called the hypothalamus. It also helps control appetite, blood pressure, moods, and reproductive ability. Anabolic steroids can change the messages the hypothalamus sends to the body. This can disrupt normal hormone function.
Anabolic steroids are bad for the heart—they can increase fat deposits in blood vessels, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. They may also damage the liver. Major effects of steroid abuse can include jaundice, fluid retention and high blood pressure; Also, males risk shrinking of the testicles, lowered sperm count, baldness, breast development, and infertility. Females risk growth of facial hair, menstrual changes, male-pattern baldness, and deepened voice. Teens risk accelerated puberty changes and severe acne. Steroids can halt bone growth— which means that a teenage steroid user may not grow to his/her full adult height. All users, but particularly those who inject the drug, risk infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.
Scientists are still learning about how anabolic steroids affect the brain, and in turn, behavior. Research has shown that anabolic steroids may trigger aggressive behavior in some people. Some outbursts can be so severe they have become known in the media as “roid rages.” And when a steroid abuser stops using the drugs, they can become depressed, even suicidal. Researchers think that some of the changes in behavior may be caused by hormonal changes that are caused by steroids, but there is still a lot that is not known.
Doctors never prescribe anabolic steroids for building muscle in young, healthy people. But doctors sometimes prescribe anabolic steroids to treat some types of anemia or disorders in men that prevent the normal production of testosterone.
Doctors sometimes prescribe steroids to reduce swelling. These aren’t anabolic steroids. They’re corticosteroids. Since corticosteroids don’t build muscles the way that anabolic steroids do, people don’t abuse them.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
From the Ulster Prevention Council Blog: The Dangers of Krokodil
I worked in chemical dependency treatment programs for over 25 years. A common phenomonon would occur after the overdose death of a heroin addict. Other addicts would inquire what “brand” of heroin had been used and they would seek it out, rather than avoid it.
Recently I’ve received several inquiries about Krokodil, and I’d like to share some thoughts with you. Often when adolescents hear about a new drug or drug use trend, they don’t react in the same way that you and I probably would. Their brains are wired to seek out novel experiences and they see risky behaviors as exciting, not frightening.
Therefore, after an initial exploration I decided to conduct a secondary search as a curious adolescent would, Googling terms such as “Krokodil recipes”, “how to make Krokodil” and the like. Fortunately, most of the sites turning up in the search basically said “What are you, crazy? This stuff will make your flesh fall off and kill you!”
I couldn’t find information supporting manufacture and use in the U.S. However, Krokodil is a huge problem in Russia, and worth knowing about. In October 2011, indications of krokodil use were found in Germany, with some media outlets claiming several dead users.
Desomorphine is an opiate analogue invented in 1932 in the United States that is a derivative of morphine. It has sedative and analgesic effects, and is around 8-10 times more potent than morphine. To produce the potentially deadly drug, which has a comparable effect to heroin but is much cheaper to make, users mix codeine with gasoline, paint thinner, iodine, hydrochloric acid and red phosphorous (obtained from matchboxes). The process is similar to the manufacture of methamphetamine from pseudoephedrine, but desomorphine made this way is highly impure and contaminated with various toxic and corrosive byproducts.
The street name in Russia for home-made desomorphine made in this way is "krokodil" reportedly due to the scale-like appearance of skin of its users, and it is used as a cheaper alternative to heroin.Since this mix is routinely injected immediately with little or no further purification, "krokodil" has become notorious for producing severe tissue damage, phlebitis and gangrene, sometimes requiring limb amputation in long-term users. The amount of tissue damage is so high that addicts' life expectancies are said to be as low as two to three years.
Photographs of late-stage krokodil addicts are disturbing in the extreme. Flesh goes grey and peels away to leave bones exposed. Those large pieces of dead skin are referred to as eschars, leaving the user prone to infection, amputation and other complications.
Krokodil users are instantly identifiable because of the iodine smell that infuses all their clothes. Unlike heroin, where the hit can last for several hours, a krokodil high only lasts between 90 minutes and two hours. Given that the "cooking" process takes at least half an hour, being a krokodil addict is basically a full-time job.
The recent recession in the United States has driven many drug users - particularly teens and the poor - to find cheaper alternatives to their drug habits. Illegal street drugs are likely to be too expensive for teens that don’t usually have regular incomes. Many young people and adults have turned to abusing prescription drugs and over-the-counter (OTC) medications to support their habits.
Krokodil has 3 things going for it that could attract users in the U.S.:
- It has roughly the same effect as heroin (a depressant that affects the brain’s pleasure systems and interferes with the brain’s ability to perceive pain), but is more powerful.
- The cost is three times cheaper than heroin.
- It is easy to make (cook) from items found in most households.
Too many kids think taking OTC drugs in excess won’t hurt them, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Keep ALL medicines and like items locked up where kids and young people can’t access them. Don’t leave meds in your purse, on the nightstand or on the breakfast table where a teen can easily take a few at a time without anyone noticing.
Keep paint thinners, gasoline and other products locked up in the garage where no children or teens can gain access to them. Be sure to keep track of your keys to padlocks, too. Keep a locked gas cap on your vehicles. Don’t leave matchboxes lying around and dispose of them by tearing up the striking pads.
Watch your teen for any tell-tale signs of drug use: strong odors of cleaners, solvents or anything abnormal. Listen for drug slang terms. Look for sores on the skin and notice if he or she wears long-sleeves or pants even in hot weather. It’s the little things often overlooked that will stand out as clues to the parent who’s well-aware and informed.
If you think your teen, child or other loved one is secretly (or openly) using drugs, get professional help immediately through the family doctor or local treatment center.
Cheryl De Paolo
Monday, April 16, 2012
From the Ulster Prevention Council Blog: Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies
I’ve spent the last few days with six wonderful teaching assistants from the
Schools are charged with helping students to master academic content and become able to succeed in an increasingly complex world. Yet, many students lack the social and emotional skills they need to learn and grow, or they possess them but require ongoing reinforcement to reach their full potential.
Teaching students effectively is difficult when pupils are unable to properly engage in the learning process. Some students have difficulty managing emotions, act out in unhealthy and potentially harmful ways, detract from the healthy functioning of the school environment and/or create conflict in the classroom, playground, cafeteria or school bus.
The PATHS® program teaches skills that allow children to calm themselves when angry, make friends, resolve conflicts respectfully, and make ethical and safe choices. Social and emotional competence underlies both effective behavior and academic success.
PATHS® supports federal requirements that mandate schools to provide safe and effective learning environments, helping to reinforce a bully-free climate. The program can also help students meet Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and can support goals for reading, writing, listening and speaking. The PATHS® program was one of only 12 SAMHSA Model Programs that had documented academic achievement outcomes - and one of only two programs designed for children ages 5-12.
According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, classroom and school interventions that make the learning environment safer, more caring, more participatory, and that enhance students’ social competence have been shown to increase student attachment to school. In turn, students who are more engaged and attached to school have better attendance, higher graduation rates, higher grades and standardized tests scores and decreased rates of high-risk behaviors including alcohol and drug use, violence, truancy, and bullying.
In rigorous clinical studies, the PATHS® program has been shown to:
• reduce teachers' reports of students exhibiting aggressive behavior by 32%
• increase teachers' reports of students exhibiting self-control by 36%
• increase students' vocabulary for emotions by 68%
• increase students' scores on cognitive skills tests by 20%
• significantly improve students' ability to tolerate frustration plus their ability -- and willingness -- to use effective conflict-resolution strategies
• reduce depression and sadness among special-needs students
For more information regarding PATHS®, please contact me.
Regards,
Cheryl DePaolo
Family Services
Director
Monday, April 2, 2012
From the Ulster Prevention Council Blog
On
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo called upon the Department of Health to take action to ban the sale of these dangerous products.
The order states, "synthetic cannabinoids have been linked to severe adverse reactions, including death and acute renal failure, and commonly cause: tachycardia (increased heart rate); paranoid behavior, agitation and irritability; nausea and vomiting; confusion; drowsiness; headache; hypertension; electrolyte abnormalities; seizures; and syncope (loss of consciousness).
The Commissioner's order calls for sales and distribution of these products to cease immediately and it calls upon local health officials to distribute the order and check for compliance.
Last week, the Commissioner sent special health alerts to local health departments, emergency departments and other health care providers to make them aware of the dangers of these products.
The
In
The
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
From the Ulster Prevention Council Blog: Whitney Houston’s Death Provides an Opportunity to Talk to Youth
Youth today are so connected through Facebook and Twitter that word travels quite quickly in their world. My 18 year old daughter, Liz, informed me of the death of Whitney Houston as soon as the news was released to the press. We speculated that cocaine may have played a role in her death, but at the time of this writing speculation is that she died from a combination of alcohol and prescription drugs.
Unfortunately, our sons and daughters are becoming accustomed to drug and alcohol overdose deaths. As we talked, she mentioned Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse.
For my generation, celebrity deaths were more often tied to illicit drugs, especially heroin. John Belushi, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison come to mind. For me, these deaths were a cautionary tale against a lifestyle much removed from my personal experiences. For Liz and her peers, however, overdose deaths are more likely to be attributed to prescription drugs, particularly when substances are mixed together or mixed with alcohol, and often strike much closer to home.
Such tragedies provide prime opportunities to talk with teens and young adults about alcohol and drugs. Ask open ended questions such as “What do you think about that?” One in three teens surveyed say there is “nothing wrong” with abusing prescription drugs “every once in a while”. Talk to your teen about the dangers of abusing alcohol, prescription and over-the-counter drugs. These are powerful drugs that, when abused, can be just as dangerous as street drugs.
Make sure that teens know that they can come to you as a trusted adult if they need help or know someone who needs help. Keep the lines of communication open, and use the news to start meaningful conversations.
Cheryl DePaolo
Program Director
Monday, January 30, 2012
Ulster County Data Sets Show Significant Declines in Youth Alcohol Use Over Last Decade
Data analysis found that over the course of the decade (2000-2010) 8th grade lifetime prevalence for alcohol decreased from 46% to 38.4%, and 10th grade lifetime prevalence for alcohol decreased from 71% to 66.9%. Lifetime prevalence tracks the percentage of youth reporting that they have ever had a drink. Over the same time period 8th grade past 30 day prevalence decreased from 22% to 12.8% and 10th grade 30 day prevalence decreased from 45% to 35.9%. Past 30 day prevalence tracks the percentage of youth reporting that they have had at least one drink within the last 30 days.
Survey data sets also show significant declines in binge drinking from 2008 to 2010. 8th grader binge drinking declined from 6.7% to 5.8%, 10th grade binge drinking declined from 19.2% to 17.3%, and 12th grade binge drinking declined from 31.3% to 26.9%. Overall, binge drinking declined from 18.7% to 16.3%. Binge drinking is defined as consuming 5 or more drinks in a row within the last two weeks.
Collecting and sharing this information is vital to planning and assessing prevention efforts in
For more information about this survey and the Ulster Prevention Council please contact the UPC Program Director, Cheryl DePaolo at 845-458-7406
Friday, December 30, 2011
Ulster Prevention Council: 2011 Monitoring the Future Study Results on Synthetic Marijuana
For the next several weeks Cheryl DePaolo, Director of the Ulster Prevention Council, will be addressing the release of the 2011 Monitoring the Future Survey results. The Monitoring the Future (MTF) study is a long-term epidemiological study that surveys trends in legal and illicit use among American adolescents in 8th, 10th and 12th grades.
The survey is conducted by researchers at the
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has issued a Call for Action based on what it called one of the most noteworthy findings of the latest MTF survey. The 2011 survey included for the first time a question on past-year use of synthetic marijuana among high school seniors. Synthetic marijuana (specifically “Spice” and “
The MTF results indicate that the prevalence of use in the past year among 12th graders was estimated at 11.4%. Synthetic marijuana ranked as the second most frequently used illicit substance, after marijuana, among high school seniors.
The 2010
In 2011, the DEA used emergency scheduling authority to ban the sale of the chemicals used to manufacture
Given the latest data, ONDCP states that it will be reaching out to a nationwide network of state and local public health and safety organizations to provide them with the latest information on this public health threat and spur action at the local level. The Ulster Prevention Council welcomes your observations and comments regarding synthetic marijuana in
Monday, September 26, 2011
Celebrate Family Day Today!
More than a decade of research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has consistently found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Creative Commons |
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse's Family Day- A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children, which is sponsored by Stouffer's, is a national movement launched in 2001 that promotes the parental engagement fostered during frequent family dinners as a simple, effective way to prevent substance abuse in kids. Family Day will be celebrated across the country today, September 26, 2011.
To learn more about Family Day and to join parents all across America in taking the Family Day STAR pledge, log on to www.CASAFamilyDay.org. To learn more about the book How to Raise A Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents, visit www.straightdopeforparents.org.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Celebrate Family Day September 26th!
Dinner Makes A Difference
More than a decade of research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has consistently found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs.
|
| Photo courtesy of Creative Commons |
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse's Family Day- A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children, which is sponsored by Stouffer's, is a national movement launched in 2001 that promotes the parental engagement fostered during frequent family dinners as a simple, effective way to prevent substance abuse in kids. Family Day will be celebrated across the country on Monday, September 26, 2011.
To learn more about Family Day and to join parents all across America in taking the Family Day STAR pledge, log on to www.CASAFamilyDay.org. To learn more about the book How to Raise A Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents, visit www.straightdopeforparents.org.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Coming Soon: 2011 Annual Prevention Conference
Please consider attending the 2011 Annual Prevention Conference, “Where We Stand, 2011.” The conference is being held on June 16, 2011 from 8:00am - 1:30pm. Sponsored by the Ulster Prevention Council, SUNY Ulster, Ulster County Dept. of Mental Health, Ulster County Dept. of Health, the Office of Community Research and the Mid-Hudson Prevention Resource Center, this year's conference will use a new approach to releasing results from the 2010 Youth Development Survey (YDS). The YDS was administered to all 7th-12th graders in each of the 9 Ulster County School districts.
The conference will bring together key stakeholders from schools, agencies, local government, faith-based and youth-serving organizations to continue to provide a venue where participants will actively learn how to promote protective factors and reduce risk factors for children and youth in Ulster. Networking opportunities are built into the conference and will allow each attendee to connect with experts in the field and access a multitude of professional resources.
Conference attendees will be provided with powerful prevention 'tool kits.' Each tool kit will offer community leader’s evidence based strategies for building local capacity and resources to support community development around prevention. Breakfast and Lunch are included. For more information please contact Cheryl DePaolo, Director of the Ulster Prevention Council, at 845-458-7406.
Please click on this link to register: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=fqcilzcab&oeidk=a07e3xz9si9c571cc65
The conference will bring together key stakeholders from schools, agencies, local government, faith-based and youth-serving organizations to continue to provide a venue where participants will actively learn how to promote protective factors and reduce risk factors for children and youth in Ulster. Networking opportunities are built into the conference and will allow each attendee to connect with experts in the field and access a multitude of professional resources.
Conference attendees will be provided with powerful prevention 'tool kits.' Each tool kit will offer community leader’s evidence based strategies for building local capacity and resources to support community development around prevention. Breakfast and Lunch are included. For more information please contact Cheryl DePaolo, Director of the Ulster Prevention Council, at 845-458-7406.
Please click on this link to register: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=fqcilzcab&oeidk=a07e3xz9si9c571cc65
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Community Partnerships Launch “Tobacco Marketing Works” Campaign
ALBANY, N.Y. (February 10, 2011) – An innovative media campaign was launched today to educate New Yorkers about the effect that tobacco industry products and marketing in stores have on youth smoking. The campaign reflects research that in-store marketing is more powerful than peer pressure, and youth are twice as likely as adults to be influenced by tobacco product displays and other marketing.
“In New York State, the tobacco industry spends approximately $1.1 million per day to market its deadly products.” stated Ellen Reinhard, Director of Tobacco Free Action Coalition of Ulster County. “Everyday, our kids are exposed to a tremendous amount of tobacco marketing in our grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies. Exposure to this tobacco marketing in stores is a primary cause of youth smoking.”
“It’s time to protect our kids. It is not an accident that tobacco products are displayed in the most prominent location in stores,” said Susan Kennedy, Community Partners Media Project Coordinator. “Research has also shown that retailers near schools have more products on display and more signs. The tobacco industry insists that they don’t target kids, but that’s not what it looks like in retail stores around the state.”
The tobacco industry spends half a billion dollars a year to market cigarettes in New York State, a portion of which is used to pay tobacco retailers to display tobacco products in the most visible location in the store — directly behind the counter where all customers must pay for their purchases. A recent American Cancer Society survey of 677 New York state tobacco retailers reported that 88% of stores statewide display tobacco products directly behind the counter, and 79% of stores contained tobacco advertising.
“Thanks to the Community Partnerships for illustrating a problem which has largely gone unchecked: in-store tobacco marketing that is hooking our kids on a deadly product,” said Scott T. Santarella, President and CEO of the American Lung Association in New York. “Because the average nonsmoking adult doesn’t pay close attention, there’s a faulty perception out there that this marketing isn’t doing any harm. Nothing could be further from the truth. These tactics are very effective in helping the industry get new customers. Sadly, those new customers are our kids.”
Community Partnerships for a Tobacco Free New York are funded by the NY Tobacco Control Program. They educate community leaders and the public about the dangers and social costs of tobacco use, engage local stakeholders to adopt policies that restrict the tobacco industry’s presence, seek to de-normalize tobacco use and eliminate secondhand smoke.
For more information, visit TobaccoFreeNYS.org.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Officials: 'Bath Salts' Are Growing Drug Problem
Law enforcement officials throughout the country are reporting that products promoted as bath salts have become prevalent as a drug of abuse. Bath salts have recently appeared in some of the same retail outlets that previously sold synthetic cannabinoid products such as K2 and Spice, and also are available via the Internet. Bath salts are abused as recreational drugs typically by injection, smoking, snorting, and, less often, by the use of an atomizer. Effects include agitation, an intense high, euphoria, extreme energy, hallucinations, insomnia, and making abusers easy to anger. Preliminary testing indicates that the active ingredients in many brands contain MDPV (3,4-
The abuse of bath salts and similar substances appears to be increasing, especially over the past 12 months. As synthetic cannabinoids are scheduled in various locations, many of their users begin to abuse bath salts. In addition to bath salts, these products are marketed as bath crystals, plant food, and herbal incense. Numerous brands are marketed in all 50 U.S. states and via Internet web sites. Common brand names include Blue Silk, Charge+, Ivory Snow, Ivory Wave, Ocean Burst, Pure Ivory, Purple Wave, Snow Leopard, Stardust (Star Dust), Vanilla Sky, White Dove, White Knight, and White Lightening. In central Pennsylvania, these substances have been offered for sale under the brand name “Blizzard.” The Blizzard brand is described as a white, odorless, fine-grained powder similar in appearance to baby powder or flour. Many other brands are a tan or brown powdery substance.
These products are readily available at convenience stores, discount tobacco outlets, gas stations, pawnshops, tattoo parlors, and truck stops, among other locations. Packaging typically includes a disclaimer, such as “not for human consumption.” The various brands are sold in 50-milligram to 500-milligram packets. Prices range from $25 to $50 per 50-milligram packet. These products have been widely available in the United Kingdom for at least several years. This year, a number of overdoses have been reported in the United Kingdom, including some deaths. A ban of bath salt products that contain MDPV went into effect in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2010.
Nationwide, male and female abusers of these substances range from teenagers to those in their 40s, often with an extensive history of drug abuse. Some abusers describe the effects as similar to methamphetamine, ecstasy, and cocaine, and one referred to the substances as “complete crank” while others used the term “fake cocaine.”
The genesis of this watch was originally posed as a SENTRY ListServ question on December 7, 2010. POC: SENTRY Management Team, www.justice.gov/ndic/sentry or (814) 532-5888
Friday, January 7, 2011
OASAS Training - Working with Criminal Justice Clients - Feb. 3 &4
Workforce Development - OASAS Training: "Free OASAS-Sponsored Regional Trainings
The Family Partnership Center will be the site of a free two-day OASAS training for substance abuse treatment professionals.
Training hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. This seminar will cover Criminal Thinking from the perspectives of Cognitive-Behavioral therapies and the parallels between the thinking distortions that support addictive behavior and the thinking distortions that support criminality.
This training meets established standards for 12 hours of Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC Section 2), and Credentialed Prevention Professional/Credentialed Prevention Specialist (CPP/CPS Section 1) education and training. Participants are required to attend the full 12 hours of training to receive a certificate of completion. There will be no tuition charge for this training."
For more details and the application form click here.
The Family Partnership Center will be the site of a free two-day OASAS training for substance abuse treatment professionals.
Who Should Attend:
Professionals providing direct care in a substance abuse treatment setting, including clinical supervisory staff.The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services’ (OASAS) Criminal Justice Unit will conduct a 12-hour training entitled “Working with Criminal Justice Clients” on January 18-19, 2011 at Johnson City Learning Center/BOCES, 500 Main Street, Johnson City, NY 13790, and on February 3-4, 2011 at Poughkeepsie Family Partnership Center, 29 North Hamilton Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.
Professionals providing direct care in a criminal justice setting through drug courts, probation, or parole, including supervisory staff.
Training hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. This seminar will cover Criminal Thinking from the perspectives of Cognitive-Behavioral therapies and the parallels between the thinking distortions that support addictive behavior and the thinking distortions that support criminality.
This training meets established standards for 12 hours of Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC Section 2), and Credentialed Prevention Professional/Credentialed Prevention Specialist (CPP/CPS Section 1) education and training. Participants are required to attend the full 12 hours of training to receive a certificate of completion. There will be no tuition charge for this training."
For more details and the application form click here.
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