Alcohol and drug use in Putnam youth declining, but numbers are still cause for concern

4,649 student’s grades 8-12 completed the anonymous Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) survey that provides information on alcohol, drug and other addictive or harmful behaviors. The PNA survey is administered every two years to all Putnam County school district. Prior to completing the 129 question survey, all students were assured that their participation was voluntary, anonymous, and confidential. In addition, surveys were eliminated when respondents were determined to be dishonest or because students did not answer enough of the validity questions to determine whether or not they were honest in their responses.

 The final overall outcomes were as follows in Putnam County (since 2005 compared to the 2012 youth survey results)

  

• Past 30 day alcohol use rates have declined by 19.5% 

•   Past 30 day tobacco use has declined by 37.9%

• Past 30 Day Marijuana use has declined by 3.2%
• Binge drinking reduced by 19.8%
• Past Prescription narcotic use has declined by 34.4% (since 2008)

Despite these overall declining trends, there were some increases that are a cause for concern including:

• Past 30 day marijuana use by 12^th graders in Putnam County increased from 29.4% in 2010 to 37.6% in 2012.
• 42% of 12^th graders in Putnam County reported binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined in the Prevention Needs Assessment survey as 5 or more drinks in a row within the past two weeks.
• 60.7% of student’s grades 8-12 perceive that their parents have attitudes favorable to alcohol and drug use.
• 3.6% of student’s grades 8-12 stated they have driven while intoxicated within the past 30 days.
• 15.8% of student’s grades 8-12 stated they have been in a car with an intoxicated driver within the past 30 days.

“This is a community effort that the Coalition is proud to facilitate. The positive outcomes can be attributed to the good work of parents, youth, schools, healthcare professionals, and our community and sector leaders who come together to encourage positive change. We will continue to do our pre prom initiatives, community and school based prevention, medication take back events, media campaigns, and the many other prevention efforts that are geared towards preventing substance abuse because we must remain vigilant especially in light of the numbers that are a cause for concern.” stated Joseph DeMarzo, Deputy Commissioner of the Putnam County Mental Health/Social Services/Youth Bureau and Coalition Co-Chairperson.

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.

Children of Alcoholics Week 2.10.3-2.16.13

The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA) will be observing its Children of Alcoholics (COA) Week from February 10-16, 2013. 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 ext. 46126.” 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 Elaine Santos, Putnam County CTC Coalition Coordinator.

The Putnam County Communities That Care (CTC) Coalition is an anti-drug coalition that works to build a safe and healthy family-oriented community, which includes reducing the use of harmful substances by our adolescents. It is composed of individuals from all sectors of the community who work together to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors through education, enforcement and policy initiatives.

Members of 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 call 845-225-4646, ext. 13 for further information. Please visit and join us on Facebook by searching “Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition– NY” or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/PutnamCTCNY or call 845-225-4646.

Save the Date: Hang Up and Drive Seminar

For Putnam County parents and teens on the dangers of impaired and distracted driving. The seminar is May 21st at 6:00p.m. and features Jacy Good, who is well known for her presentation across the United States. Please click the above flyer for more information. This free seminar is proudly presented and sponsored by the Putnam County CTC Coalition.

Due to space, registration is required.

Safety Tips for New Years Eve

If you are hosting a New Year's Eve party, following a few simple rules could prevent a tragedy:

• Plan ahead by naming a "designated driver." Make this your responsibility as the host.
• Contact a local cab company to provide rides for your guests.
• Serve non-alcoholic beverages as an option to your guests.
• Stop serving alcohol to your guests several hours before the party ends.
• Provide your guests with a place to stay overnight in your home.

If you are attending New Year's Eve parties and celebrations:

• If you drink, don't drive.
  • Plan ahead and always designate a sober driver before the party or celebration begins.
  • If you are impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit, or get a sober friend or family member to come pick you up.
  • Or, stay where you are until you are sober.
• Take the keys from someone if you think he/she is too impaired to drive.

Additional Resources:

• Safety Tips: Winter Holidays
• Winter Holidays

The short link for this FAQ is http://1.usa.gov/nRNWnO

CTC Sponsored Helping Teens Handle Stress Seminar 4.23.13

Click to see larger view

Helping Students Understand the Risks of Marijuana Use

The Confusion Surrounding Marijuana

During the November 2012 election cycle, residents in several areas of the United States voted in favor of recreational and medicinal marijuana use within their states. A few other domestic jurisdictions have also "decriminalized" personal use of marijuana. While these developments predominantly affect the legality of marijuana use of adults only, they contribute to a great deal of misunderstanding about the actual emotional and physical risks that marijuana poses for young people. Confusion leads to an inaccurate normative belief that, if marijuana can be labeled "legal" or "medical," it must not be harmful. Such inaccurate beliefs once existed about alcohol (e.g., "If it's not against the law, it must be safe"), yet now few adults or young people fail to recognize that adolescent alcohol use presents serious health risks. That's why there is a legal age restriction for the sale, possession and use of alcohol, and why most states allow parents who serve underage persons in their home to be held both civilly and criminally responsible for this behavior.

Real Risks for Young People

Research has clearly shown that early use of alcohol, marijuana and other drugs greatly increases the risk of addiction and a variety of other developmental problems for young people. Yet, as marijuana laws change for adults in the U.S. population, teens tend to perceive less and less risk in recreational marijuana by people their own age. As reported by The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, "Media coverage has led to a number of misconceptions about medical marijuana and has largely ignored two critical facts: 1) smoked marijuana is not a 'medicine'; and 2) the more misinformation that gets to the public stating that marijuana is medicine, the more youth will view it as harmless and the more likely they will be to use it." Indeed, as the Boston Globe reported in September 2012, there is a direct connection between the legal, medical use of marijuana in U.S. states by adults and the illegal, recreational use of marijuana in U.S. states by children ages 12 to 17. So while there may be legitimate medical uses for some of the chemical components of the marijuana plant for adult persons with chronic and/or terminal illness, children are receiving an increasingly mixed message about the this substance, and it's a message you can help clarify with them through healthy communication.

What Adults Can Do to Reduce Adolescent Risks

Don't be confused about the risks adolescents face from marijuana use: First and foremost, be familiar with the risks for young people who use marijuana. Helpful websites to learn more include www.abovetheinfluence.com,  www.drugfree.org and www.teenshealth.org. Second, understand that many of the same risks apply for both alcohol and marijuana use. Early use of marijuana poses legal threats, impairs driving, interferes with brain function and predisposes young people to drug dependence just as early use of alcohol or other mind-altering chemicals does. Third, don't forget that marijuana use is still illegal in most states. This is especially the case for non-medicinal and/or underage use of marijuana. Young people can still get into far more serious trouble for use and possession of marijuana than is often likely for use and possession of alcohol. Fourth, remember that marijuana use by adolescents always equals risk. While questions of medical use and decriminalization may have their place in political and societal debates, the fact remains that the younger a person is when he or she uses marijuana, the greater the risk of experiencing emotional and physical difficulties. Fifth, correct the misperception that marijuana is harmless for young people by helping them understand how false normative beliefs work. Review FCD's online resources for students with your child (at www.fcd.org), as well as other websites that address issues of social influence in kids' culture today (as such www.shapingyouth.org). Help young people identify how inaccurate beliefs can facilitate harmful behavior.

Clearing the Air

A significant part of our continuing effort to keep kids healthy must include our ability to consistently reach them with accurate information. Social norms research has consistently shown that teenagers greatly overestimate the amount and frequency of alcohol and other drug use by peers. This overestimation is even greater when young children are asked to estimate the amount of use by older students. Social norms research demonstrates that students of all ages are less likely to engage in substance use and other risk-taking behavior when the exaggerated misperception is corrected. Correct students' unhealthy misperceptions with positive information, such as: Use of illicit drugs among young people in 2009 was lower than in 2002. Both tobacco and cocaine use continue to decline among youth 12-18 years old. Students who say they probably or definitely will complete four years of college have lower rates of illicit drug use than do those who say they probably or definitely will not. Fewer students consumed alcohol for the first time before age 13 in 2009 than in 2007. Three out of four high school students have not used marijuana in the past 30 days. Confront the myths. The fact remains that most U.S. teens have never used marijuana. Don't let the hype distract from the fact that youth who use marijuana are in the minority among their peers, and their use comes with real risks.

References

HW Perkins and AD Berkowitz. (1986). "Perceiving the community norms of alcohol use among students: Some research implications for campus alcohol education programming." International Journal of the Addictions, 21: 961-976. Rolling Stone Magazine. "Hot Drugs." October 14, 2010. Chuan-Yu Chen, PhD, Carla L. Storr, ScD, and James C. Anthony, PhD. (2009). "Early-onset drug use and risk for drug dependence problems." Addictive Behaviors, 34(3): 319-322. US Department of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Office of Applied Studies. "Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Volume I. Summary of National Findings." FDA Statement. "Inter-Agency Advisory Regarding Claims That Smoked Marijuana Is a Medicine." April 20, 2006. Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. "Balanced Media Needed in 'Medical Marijuana' Debate." November 12, 2009. Boston Globe. "Pot Perceptions." September 24, 2012. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. 2011 Results. Accessed Online: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/YouthOnline/App/Default.aspx. December 4, 2012.

Help Stop Marijuana Legalization Before It Starts!- Action Needed!

On November 6^th, voters in Colorado and Washington State approved a ballot measure to legalize marijuana for recreational use by adults. Key Administration officials (e.g., the President, Vice President, U.S. Attorney General, etc.) have not yet made any public statements about what the federal response to these initiatives will be, given that they are clearly in violation of federal law.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
It is imperative that key Administration officials and members of Congress hear loud and clear from coalitions across the country that the recently approved state ballot measures are illegal under federal law. Use CADCA’s CapWiz system to send letters to these key officials, urging them to swiftly and publicly declare the recently approved ballot measures illegal. Encourage others in your community to do the same.

TIMING
Please act IMMEDIATELY. We need the Administration to step in and clearly state that these ballot measures are illegal under federal law as soon as possible.

CADCA’s fax system allows you to automatically fax CADCA’s sample letter on this issue to key Administration officials and your congressional delegation from CADCA's website.  To send faxes, go to

http://capwiz.com/cadca/issues/alert/?alertid=62157591

You can fill in your information and it will be faxed directly to your federal, state and local representatives.