E-Cigarettes- An Emerging Tobacco Trend

Sizzurp: It’s Not Cool

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

Attention Parents and Educators: Health Concern Over Club Drug ‘Molly’

Tragedy struck over Labor Day weekend at New York City’s three day Electric Zoo music festival, held on Randall’s Island, after two concert-goers, both in their twenties, overdosed and died at the event after consuming “Molly”. At least four others remain in critical condition at area hospitals.  Thousands of teens and young adults attend the festival each year, As a result of the deaths, the third day of the concert was cancelled.

Many parents are asking “What is Molly”? According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, “Molly,” is the powder or crystal form of MDMA, which is the chemical used in Ecstasy. Some claim that Molly is less dangerous than other illegal drugs because it’s not physically addictive, more pure than other forms of ecstasy and will not cause cognitive impairment as it doesn’t kill brain cells. The reality, however, is that the use of Molly – a stimulant drug – comes with serious health risks. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) notes that it can cause confusion, anxiety, depression, paranoia, sleep problems and drug craving.

Health risks and signs of Molly can include anything from involuntary teeth clenching, sudden loss of appetite, a loss of inhibitions, transfixion on sights and sounds, nausea, signs of depression and/or sadness, not being able to get out of bed for extended periods,  blurred vision and chills and/or sweating. More serious risks can even include increased heart rate and blood pressure and seizures.

Molly has been a popular drug at music festivals this year and is also mentioned in several popular songs including Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop”. Festivals are perhaps the most hazardous of settings, because when combined with the hot crowded conditions, intake of MDMA can lead to severe dehydration and dramatic increases in body temperature. This, in turn, can lead to muscle breakdown and kidney, liver and cardiovascular failure. An additional risk of taking Molly is the potential of it being “cut” or mixed with other harmful substances by someone else, despite claims of it being pure.

The Coalition advises parents to know the facts, talk with their kids and don’t take the use of Molly lightly.

If you suspect your child is using Molly (MDMA), please call 911 immediately or take to the Emergency Department of your local hospital. The Upstate Poison Control Center can also be reached at 1-800-222-1222.

Members of the Putnam CTC Coalition are available if you have any questions or would like for us to do a presentation to your organization on this or any other substance abuse trends that affect our children.  Please visit and join us on Facebook by searching “Putnam County Communities That Care – NY” or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/PutnamCTCNY or call 845-225-4646.

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

Attention Parents and Educators: Health Concern Over New Synthetic Drugs

There’s a drug dealer in town. It’s not a person, it’s the internet.

Public health officials are concerned about the internet sale of two synthetic drugs 2C-E, and bromo-dragonfly, nicknamed Dragonfly and Mephedrone, nicknamed Meow Meow. Both are cheap, toxic, rising drug trends that have been the cause of deaths across the country. Many young people that are buying and using the drugs, often marketed as herbal plant food, are unaware of what they are actually ingesting, leading to rising injury and death.

Parents, the following hazardous drugs are out in the market:

• The synthetic drug Dragonfly, named because of its chemical compounds superficial structural resemblance to a dragonfly, is a long lasting psychedelic hallucinogen. The drug causes spasms, seizures, disturbing experiences, heart arrhythmia, lack of circulation (which leads to organ failure) and death.  The drug is illegal in many European countries including Australia and Sweden, but is still sold in the United States over the internet.

• Mephedrone, also known and Meow Meow or MCAT, named because it is chemically similar to the cathinone compounds found in the khat plant of eastern Africa. Despite its similarities Meow Meow is not plant or plant food and is not for human consumption. The stimulant can be consumed by snorting, swallowing or injecting. Users have their perception altered for days, or do not experience ever feeling “normal again”. The drug also causes anxiety, paranoia, heart attacks, violent behavior (including self harm), severe nosebleeds, flashbacks, seizures and death. While the “2cb” family of the drug is illegal in the United States, the “2c1 and 2ce” classifications of the drug are still be sold online under the guise of MDMA and mescaline.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

1. Monitor your child’s internet browser history.  Even if your child has cleared their activity, there is software available that holds onto memory of website visited. You can also block sites that are questionable.
2. Monitor your credit cards, especially any linked with Paypal accounts. If you see charges you don’t recognize, or if you are getting packages in the mail that you didn’t order addressed to your teen, talk to your child.

Members of the Putnam CTC Coalition are available if you have any questions or would like for us to do a presentation to your organization on this or any other substance abuse trends that affect our children.  Please visit and join us on Facebook by searching “Putnam County Communities That Care – NY” or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/PutnamCTCNY or call 845-225-4646.   

Attention Parents and Educators: Health Concern Over "Lazy Larry's"

Public health officials are concerned about the sale of ―relaxation brownies laced with the sleep aid melatonin called "Lazy Larry's" (also known as "Lazy Cakes").  

The brownies, intended for adults, are causing concern because they are marketed towards children and teens with its colorful and flashy packaging. The cartoon of 'Lazy Larry' also appears to be drug induced and relaxed on the cover of the product which attracts the attention of teens who think they will get a quick high after eating the brownies. The brownie manufacturers direct consumers to ―take half a brownie, twice a day -to relieve stress and combat sleeplessness.  The product is sold at head shops, convenience stores, and major retailers across the country. They are also sold online. The cakes retail for $2.50 to $4 — a high price, considering that a 60-count bottle of 8-mg melatonin tablets costs $11. 

Due to the 8 grams of melatonin in the product, the brownies were first marketed as a dietary supplement in mid 2011 to avoid mandatory approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The safety of a dietary supplement is, by law, the manufacturer‘s responsibility. In August of 2011 the FDA cited the Memphis-based company HBB LLC, the makers of the ―'Lazy Larry' product, stating that they do not consider melatonin to be a harmless food additive and the brownies are  "adulterated" because they contain them. The FDA also cited ―medical research that has shown concerns about potential reproductive, cardiovascular, ocular and neurological issues as side effects of using the drug (melatonin). (FDA).  A teen could be having a physical reaction to a Lazy Larry, so it is important adults are aware of this new product and the potential harm it can cause on children and teens. 

Kush Cakes or Lulla Pies are also popular "lazy cakes", however they have not been cited by the FDA.  

Members of the Putnam CTC Coalition are available if you have any questions or would like for us to do a presentation to your organization on this or any other substance abuse trends that affect our children.  Please visit and join us on Facebook by searching "Putnam County Communities That Care – NY" or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/PutnamCTCNY or call 845-225-4646. 

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Drunken gummy bears new teen rage | gummy, new, rage - Gaston Gazette