Parent Alert: What are Shatter, Dabs and BHO?

"Scariest was the case of a young woman  who was hospitalized from a near-fatal allergic reaction  in which her throat closed up after smoking dabs."   -Animal New York ("Dabs: The World's Most Powerful and Sought After Weed Product)   What is "dabs?"    Dabs, otherwise known as butane hash oil (BHO), is an extremely potent extract created by passing butane through high-grade marijuana. Following the evaporation of the butane, a thick oil or resin remains.  The oil is most commonly vaporized using a special water pipe known as a rig, although it can be consumed orally as well.  Hash oil use has recently increased and is quickly becoming a more popular method of use among adolescents.      The resulting high is far stronger than that from marijuana, due to hash oil's very high levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).  While very strong strains of marijuana are around 25% THC, the 2009 United Nations "World Drug Report" states that hash oil can contain upwards of 60% THC.  Additional reports suggest that the THC content of hash oil can reach as high as 90%.   Even more concerning is the fact that butane, an extremely flammable and dangerous solvent, is used in the creation of butane hash oil.  A number of people have been injured in fires and explosions resulting from attempts to manufacture butane hash oil.  Additionally, there is risk of the final product having dangerous impurities due to the extraction methods and ingredients used.  Exposure to butane can cause numerous health problems, including neurotoxic effects.   It is crucial for parents to be aware of the increase in popularity of hash oil, and know what to look for.  Due to its concentrated form, hash oil is used in smaller amounts than marijuana and is much easier to conceal.  Hash oil can appear in various forms, be referred to by a number of different slang terms, and be manufactured using a variety of items.       Names: Hash oil, hashish oil, butane hash oil (BHO), honey oil, honey, honeycomb, dabs, earwax, wax, shatter, budder, concentrate, whip Looks Like: Dark brown, amber, or golden oil or resin, pale or yellowish wax, tar, honey or honeycomb        Related Items to Look For: Butane containers, glass or metal tubes, glass baking dishes, isopropyl alcohol, coffee filters       "Among incidents related to its production and use  were untrained cooks 'blowing themselves up' blasting  butane in jury-rigged home labs, and 'overdoses,' which as  with strong marijuana are not fatal but involve extreme discomfort  to the point of freaking out for long periods of time."   -Animal New York ("Dabs: The World's Most Powerful and Sought After Weed Product)      For more information on drugs of abuse, and the many other challenges that young people face every day, visit our Youth Challenges page. Courtesy of NotMyKid

Medication Take Back Day on 9.21.13 - Cold Spring

FASD Awareness Day on 9.9.2013

 

At 9:09 a.m. on September 9, 1999, the first international Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Awareness Day was observed. The date and time were chosen to mark the ninth minute of the ninth hour of the ninth day of the ninth month, which serves as a reminder that FAS, like all Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), is completely preventable. Yet, alcohol-exposed pregnancies continue to be a leading cause of birth defects and mental retardation in the United States, and children with an FASD often go unrecognized or are misdiagnosed, even as adults. (SAMHSA)

 “In the United States half of all pregnancies are unplanned” per the CDC. This includes the unplanned pregnancies of teenagers. 5 things you should know about Drinking Alcohol during Pregnancy:

1. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a baby to be born with birth defects and have disabilities. These conditions, called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, or FASDs, are among the top preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities. FASDs can cause problems in how a person grows, learns, looks, and acts. FASDs can also cause birth defects of the heart, brain, and other major organs. These problems last a lifetime.
    
2. There is no known amount of alcohol that is safe to drink while pregnant. All drinks with alcohol can hurt an unborn baby. A 12-ounce can of beer has as much alcohol as a 5-ounce glass of wine or a 1-ounce shot of liquor.
    
3. There is no safe time to drink during pregnancy. Alcohol can harm a baby at any time during pregnancy. It can cause problems in the early weeks of pregnancy, before a woman even knows she is pregnant.
    
4. Too many women continue to drink during pregnancy. About 1 in 8 pregnant women in the United States reports alcohol use in the past 30 days. And about 1 in 50 pregnant women in the United States reports binge drinking in the past 30 days (having five or more drinks at one time).
    
5. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are 100% preventable. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are 100% preventable—if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant. (CDC)

Per the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Signs and Symptoms of an FASD include: Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum), small head size, shorter-than-average height, low body weight, poor coordination, hyperactive behavior, difficulty paying attention, poor memory, difficulty in school (especially with math), learning disabilities, speech and language delays, intellectual disability or low IQ, poor reasoning and judgment skills, sleep and sucking problems as a baby, vision or hearing problems, problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones.

A toll-free inquiry line (1-866 STOPFAS) and email address (fasdcenter@samhsa.hhs.gov) available for questions you may have.  If you are someone you know is struggling with alcohol and addiction, please call the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies/Putnam for information and referral services at (845) 225-4646.

September is Recovery Month

The observance of National Recovery Month, which takes place each September, raises awareness of substance use and mental disorders, celebrates individuals in long-term recovery, and acknowledges the work of prevention, treatment and recovery service providers. 

This year’s Recovery Month theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Together On Pathways to Wellness,” emphasizes that while the road to recovery may be difficult, the benefits of preventing and overcoming mental and/or substance use disorders are significant and valuable to individuals, families, and communities. The theme also highlights that people in recovery achieve healthy lifestyles, both physically and emotionally, and contribute in positive ways to their communities. They also prove to others that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover.” (SAMHSA)

Recovery Month spreads the message that behavioral health is an essential part of health and one’s overall wellness, and that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover from substance use and mental disorders. 

Recovery Month highlights the importance of communities nationwide to promote prevention, treatment, and recovery services not only in September, but throughout the year. In 2009, 4.3 million people aged 12 or older (1.7 percent of the population) received treatment for substance use disorders, and 30.2 million adults aged 18 or older (13.3 percent of the population) received services for mental health problems according to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 

Recovery Month highlights the benefits of treatment and recovery for not only the individual, but for their family, friends, workplace, and society as a whole. By educating the public that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover from these conditions, stigma associated with substance use and mental disorders and treatment services can be eliminated. 

Recovery Month can help people understand the importance of supporting: 1. Individuals in long-term recovery; 2 Those in need of treatment; 3.Those who work within the treatment field; and 4. Prevention, treatment and recovery support services.

Alcohol and drug treatment services available in Putnam County are:

Arms Acres
www.armsacres.com
845-225-5202
Putnam Family & Community Services
www.pfcsinc.org
845-225-2700
St. Christopher's Inn
www.stchristophersinn-graymoor.org
1-800-424-0027
Walter Hoving Home
www.walterhovinghome.com
845-242-3674

For more information, or if you need a referral, please call the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies/Putnam at (845)225-4646 or visit www.putnamncadd.org