The U.S. Surgeon General asks that movies with smoking be Rated R

Check out the statement which will be printed in Variety and the Hollywood Reporter.

Sizzurp: It’s Not Cool

Click this link from NIDA for more information: Sizzurp: It’s Not Cool

Putnam County Communities That Cares Coalition Supports “Children of Alcoholics Week”

The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA) will be observing its Children of Alcoholics (COA) Week from February 9-15, 2014. COA Week “celebrates the recovery of the many thousands of children (of all ages) who have received the help they needed to recover from the pain and losses suffered in their childhood, and it offers hope to those still suffering from the adverse impact of parental alcohol and drug addiction”. (SAMHSA)

According to the NACOA,

• it is estimated that one in four children in the United States under age 18 is hurt by family alcohol abuse or alcoholism, and that countless others are affected by parental drug use.
• there is strong scientific evidence that alcoholism runs in families with children of alcoholics being 2 to 4 times more likely to develop alcoholism than children of non-alcoholics.
• young children of alcoholics exhibit symptoms of depression and anxiety to a greater extent than children of non-alcoholics; and incur increasing health care costs and experience more life problems over the lifespan.
• young children of alcohol or drug dependent parents often have difficulty in school and are more likely to be truant, drop out of school, repeat grades, or be referred to a school counselor or psychologist.
• children of addicted parents, with interest and support from family, friends, health professionals, teachers, clergy, and others, can avoid the negative effects of familial alcoholism and drug dependence.

“Home is what most children consider a safe environment, but unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. It is essential that children currently living in the difficult situation of parental alcohol addiction know that there are resources out there to help them and that there are individuals out there who are in recovery from the situation and are living healthy and full lives.” stated Joseph DeMarzo, CTC Coalition Co-Chairperson. “The Youth Bureau offers Pegasus, which is a free and confidential program for children ages 6 to 14 who have a parent or family member suffering from alcoholism or other drug dependency.  Pegasus is an eight week program held twice a year that offers information, support and hope to both children and families. For more information, please call us at (845)808-1600.” DeMarzo said.

“We support and spread the word on this observance because we don’t want those who need the encouragement the most to fall through the cracks. An average of 40% of individuals at each of Putnam County outpatient treatment providers (Putnam Family and Community Services, Arms Acres, and St. Christopher’s Inn) report that they were a child of an alcoholic or substance abuser. This doesn’t mean all children of alcoholics will repeat their parent’s behavior, but it does prove that there is a correlation and we need to help those struggling now so they know they aren’t alone” stated Kristin McConnell, Coalition Co-Chairperson.

The Truth About Energy Drinks

Coalition's collection of Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are beverages that are specifically marketed to young people, with names like Red Bull (“Red Bull gives you Wings”), Venom, Monster, Adrenaline Rush, 180, ISO, and even one named Cocaine.  These drinks contain large doses of caffeine (as much as 80 mg), sugar and other legal stimulants like guarana and ginseng. When compared to the 37mg of caffeine in a Mountain Dew or the 23mg in a Coca-Cola Classic, it is clear that energy drinks pack a big punch.

A 2013 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration revealed that from 2007 to 2011 in the US, energy drink-related emergency department visits doubled, climbing from 10,068 to 20,783. The researchers note that most of these cases occurred in patients between the ages of 18 and 25, but this was followed by patients aged 26 to 39.

In November of 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted adverse-event reports for two more energy drinks: 40 illnesses and five deaths linked to Monster Energy, and 13 illnesses and two lasting disabilities linked to Rockstar Energy.  The FDA report detailed the events suffered by users of 5-Hour, Monster, and Rockstar energy drinks. These include:

• Strain on the left ventricle that could trigger arrhythmias
• Deaths due to heart attack or suicide linked to 5-Hour Energy
• A miscarriage linked to 5-Hour Energy
• Convulsions, life-threatening fear, deafness, and hemorrhage linked to 5-Hour Energy
• Deaths due to heart attack or loss of consciousness linked to Monster Energy drink
• Hospitalization due to irregular heartbeat, severe diarrhea, migraine, psychotic disorder, heart attack, and/or vomiting linked to Monster Energy drink
• Disability from irregular heartbeat or stroke linked to Rockstar Energy drink
• Hospitalization due to psychotic disorder, increased heart rate, or loss of consciousness linked to Rockstar Energy drink

There are also alcoholic energy drinks that are in the market that children are getting their hands on that look similar to the non alcoholic energy drinks. Examples of these dangerous drinks are Four Loko, Joose and Sparks. The marketing on the television and on the internet use fun or dramatic names, messages and colorful graphics that attract young people.

Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages (CABs) also pose a risk to teenagers and young adults who may not fully recognize the seriousness of mixing caffeine and alcohol. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that these energy drinks “are very popular among youth and are regularly consumed by 31% of 12- to 17-year-olds and 34% of 18- to 24-year-olds”.

The CDC also reports that, “When alcoholic beverages are mixed with energy drinks, a popular practice among youth, the caffeine in these drinks can mask the depressant effects of alcohol. At the same time, caffeine has no effect on the metabolism of alcohol by the liver and thus does not reduce breath alcohol concentrations or reduce the risk of alcohol-attributable harms.” (Ferreira SE, Tulio de Mello M, Pompeia S, Oliveria de Souza-Formigoni ML. Effects of energy drink ingestion on alcohol intoxication. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2006;30(4):598-605.)

In the short-term, consumption of energy drinks can boost the heart rate and blood pressure (sometimes causing palpitations), dehydrate the body and, like other stimulants, prevent sleep. Energy drinks should not be used while exercising or to enhance athletic performance, as the combination of fluid loss from sweating and the diuretic quality of the caffeine can leave the user severely dehydrated. Additional health risks include increased anxiety, panic attacks, headaches, sleep deprivation, and stomach aches. (Marin Institute, 2007)

According to the NCAA Banned-Drug Classes, use of caffeine (guarana) is prohibited, as it is considered to be a stimulant.  Any individual with a urine concentration that exceeds 15 micrograms/ml is considered to be ‘positive’.  It is worthy to note that “the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not strictly regulate the supplement industry; therefore purity and safety of nutritional dietary supplements cannot be guaranteed.  Impure supplements may lead to a positive NCAA drug test”.